55 DHL subcontractor drivers in Dallas win union fight—now demand equal pay
Teamsters Local 745 secures unanimous votes at DeliverOL and Driven-Force, targeting wage parity.
Fifty-five delivery drivers employed by two DHL Express subcontractors in the Dallas area have voted to join the Teamsters union, marking a significant step in the union’s campaign to extend labor protections to the company’s outsourced workforce.
The drivers, who work for DeliverOL and Driven-Force Inc., unanimously approved union representation with Teamsters Local 745, the union announced last week. Both companies operate from the same facility outside Dallas and provide delivery services exclusively for DHL Express.
Malik Hathorn, a driver at Cartage Services by DeliverOL and a new member of Local 745, highlighted the disparity between subcontracted workers and DHL’s unionized employees. “We wear DHL uniforms, deliver DHL packages, and drive DHL trucks, but we are paid considerably less than DHL Teamsters,” he said. “We organized because we saw what our Teamsters brothers and sisters at DHL have won, and we know we deserve the same. Now we’re ready to fight for it at the bargaining table.”
Union pushes for equal standards across DHL’s network: Dallas
The successful vote follows a recent four-year contract agreement between DHL Express and the Teamsters, which secured a 20% wage increase, improved health benefits, and stronger job protections for thousands of the company’s direct employees. The union now aims to replicate those gains for subcontracted workers.
Spencer Dearth, director of the Teamsters Logistics Division, emphasized the union’s broader strategy. “We are organizing every corner of DHL’s operation and building the power necessary to raise standards for anyone who moves a DHL package,” he said. The next step for the Dallas drivers will be negotiating their first contracts with DeliverOL and Driven-Force.
The Teamsters have accused both companies of engaging in unfair labor practices to block unionization, though no formal complaints have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board. Neither DeliverOL nor Driven-Force has publicly responded to the union’s allegations. DeliverOL, based in Duluth, Georgia, declined to comment, while Driven-Force could not be reached.
Potential ripple effects for logistics workers
The outcome of these negotiations could set a precedent for thousands of subcontracted workers in the logistics industry. The Teamsters have made it clear that their goal is to ensure all workers handling DHL packages—whether directly employed or subcontracted—receive the same wages and protections.
For now, the 55 newly unionized drivers in Dallas are preparing to bargain for the benefits their unionized colleagues at DHL already enjoy. Their fight underscores the growing push to close pay gaps and improve conditions for workers across the supply chain.
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