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November 22, 2000 10:56 AM, EST

ST. PETERSBURG BEACH, Fla. — A top Teamsters union official, in what could be a significant turning point in relations with trucking management, pledged to work with trucking companies to increase productivity, improve workplace safety and attract new employees to the industry.

	Intl. Brotherhood of Teamsters
	C. Thomas Keegel

Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer C. Thomas Keegel spoke to members of the North American Trucking Industrial Relations Association Nov. 13. He is the first senior Teamsters official to address the group since former Teamsters President Jackie Presser spoke in 1984.

Whether talk leads to breakthroughs that will help unionized carriers compete with nonunion rivals remains to be seen.

“The theme for unionized carriers should be: ‘Help us compete,’ ” Thomas P. Krukowski, a Milwaukee-based attorney specializing in labor and employment law, said. “Make us stronger so we can fight in the marketplace. Don’t create problems or conflicts for us.”

For the full story, see the Nov. 20 print edition of Transport Topics. .