Jeffboat, Teamsters receive labor award from University of Louisville

[Omaha Steve]

http://louisville.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2009/04/20/story5.html?b=1240200000%5E1813741

Business First of Louisville - by Brent Adams Staff Writer

To say that the management of barge builder Jeffboat LLC and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 89 have had a tenuous relationship over the years would be an understatement.

For nearly four decades, management and labor leaders battled over wages, benefits, workload and safety issues.

On numerous occasions, the Teamsters went on strike against the company, and as late as October 2006, the rift became so bad that Teamsters officials said that representatives of both parties could not stand to be in the same room together.

What a difference a couple of years make.

On Thursday, Jeffboat and the Teamsters were presented the University of Louisville Labor-Management Center’s 2009 labor-management award to recognize their improved relations.

In the past, companies such as United Parcel Service Inc., Brown-Forman Corp., Ford Motor Co., General Electric Co. and Hillerich & Bradsby Co. have been recognized for their cooperation with labor unions.

“It has been a dramatic change,” said Jeffrey Cooper, assistant to Teamsters Local 89 president Fred Zuckerman.

Kim Durbin, manager of corporate communications for Jeffboat parent company American Commercial Lines Inc., said the improved relations have led to a 20 percent increase in manufacturing productivity during the past two years. And, she said, the number of on-the-job accidents has declined.

FULL 2 page story at link.