In addition, several current and former employees there are accusing the Teamsters Local 14 of entering into "sham collective bargain agreements" and failing to supervise and enforce contracts.
Ronald Serota, an attorney for a black employee who was dismissed, says the discrimination suit alleges that USF engaged in discriminatory practices in promotions, recruiting violations, terms and conditions of employment and harassment.
The employee, Antonio Tatum, asserts that he was terminated for "singing [a rap song] out loud," for which a supervisor allegedly said he was "violent" and therefore in violation of the company's "zero tolerance" policy.
In addition "disgruntled employees" claim that USF's practice of "picking its own shop steward," rather than having the employees elect one or the union appoint one, denies them of legitimate representation. However, the Teamster Local's secretary-treasurer, Gary Mauger, denies allegations of inadequate representation and says that each charge brought before the National Labor Relations Board in the past year was dismissed on grounds of insufficient evidence.
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