WASHINGTON, DC: The next round of meetings with leaders of Trucking Management, Inc. to prepare for National Master Freight Agreement (NFMA) contract negotiations is scheduled to begin on November 18, 1997 in Washington, DC. Trucking Management, Inc. is the association that represents major "less than truck load" or LTL employers.

Calling the first round of preliminary discussions "productive," leaders of the Teamsters Union and TMI will continue preliminary discussions under the auspices of the current labor agreement's Article 20 Joint Industry Development Committee.

The meetings are intended to give both labor and management representatives a clear understanding of the major issues facing Teamster freight members and freight industry employers.

The committee may also make recommendations to assist union and management representatives who will lead the formal NMFA talks set to begin sometime later this year.

"These early joint meetings are an important step toward reaching a good agreement that meets the needs of our members," said Teamsters General President Ron Carey.

"We want customers to know that we'll work hard to negotiate an agreement without a disruption in service, " Carey added.

The current National Master Freight Agreement expires March 31, 1998.

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