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July 21, 1999 10:14 AM, EDT

Talks aimed at reaching a national contract between Overnite Transportation and the Teamsters union are set to start again this week.

“Talks will resume on July 21, 22 and 23 in Chicago,” said David O. Cameron, a Teamsters spokesman.

Overnite officials confirmed that the talks will be held.

Negotiations scheduled to begin July 13 were delayed when the company said it was not prepared to meet at the bargaining table because officials were researching benefits questions posed by the union.

Teamster members walked off their jobs at 11 Overnite terminals earlier this month to protest what they said were unfair labor practices (7-12, p. 1).

James P. Hoffa has made the Overnite contract one of the first priorities of his tenure as Teamsters president.

These are the first national contract talks between the trucking company, based in Richmond, Va., and the Teamsters, which represent drivers and dock workers at some of the carrier’s 166 terminals. According to the company, workers at 21 terminals are represented by the union, which claims the number is 38.

For the full story, see the July 19 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.