Court dismisses ABF labor complaint

   The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has dismissed a complaint by ABF against the International Brotherhood of Teamsters for violating the National Master Freight Agreement.
   The appeals court simply affirmed the decision of a lower court.
   ABF had alleged YRC and various subsidiaries were receiving concessions from the Teamsters that ABF did not receive. Reports noted this suit, which was filed by ABF in 2010, had been dismissed twice already.
   “ABF is disappointed in the court’s ruling and the fact that YRC received three rounds of concessions from the IBT that ABF did not also receive,” the company wrote in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. “ABF is assessing the opinion and determining whether to pursue additional options.”
   ABF recently negotiated its own deal — the ABF National Master Freight Agreement — with the Teamsters. Union members ratified the contract on June 27, but there are still a few details being worked out. On Friday, ABF announced the two sides had reached another month-long extension to resolve the last two supplemental agreements to the contract. The contract was to begin Aug. 1, but changes made in the deal will not be imposed until the last details are agreed upon. – Jon Ross