US Foods drivers in New York vote to authorize a strike

The news

More than 260 US Foods drivers in New York have unanimously voted to authorize a strike. The workers, represented by Teamsters Local 282, are seeking higher wages, better benefits and safer working conditions in a new contract.

A strike would disrupt hundreds of deliveries to restaurants, hospitals and schools in the tri-state area, the union said.
“Our members not only deliver US Foods products, they drive the company’s profits,” said Tom Gesualdi, president of Local 282.

The details

This dispute is one of several ongoing contract fights between US Foods and the Teamsters. Locals 2 and 190 are in similar contract disputes with the company and could strike at any time, the union says.

The Teamsters say they represent more than 5,000 US Foods workers nationwide.
US Foods counted about 6,600 union members under 58 contracts at the end of 2025, representing 22% of its workforce, per its annual report.
Eleven of those contracts, covering about 2,100 workers, are up for renegotiation this fiscal year.

A similar strike threat in Indiana ended with a new contract rather than a walkout. More than 200 drivers and warehouse workers with Teamsters Local 135 in Fishers, Indiana, voted 98% in January to authorize a strike.

They ratified a four-year agreement in February that included a 26% wage increase.
The deal also provided protections against automation and introduced a defined-benefit pension plan, replacing the company's 401(k).

The New York drivers are a small part of a nationwide distribution network. US Foods operates more than 6,500 trucks serving about 250,000 customer locations. The company has roughly 30,000 employees and more than 70 broadline distribution locations.

US Foods says it has experienced work stoppages from time to time.
Its annual report also lists labor disruptions over union contracts among the risks that could materially affect its business.

Worth noting

Local 282 members have stopped work at US Foods before. In May 2016, 140 drivers and 180 warehouse workers at the company's Metro New York facility refused to cross a picket line. Workers from Maryland had set up the picket to protest alleged labor law violations.