August 20, 2026 – Striking Local 665 members along with affiliate Teamsters at 15 concrete plants across Northern California voted to return to work Thursday following the acceptance of a settlement with employer CalPortland.
“This strike was a necessary Teamster response brought on by unilateral economic cuts CalPortland made prior to negotiations. Members stood up to this intimidation, and prevailed”, said Local 665 Principal Officer Tony Delorio in a statement following the return-to-work vote.
Eighty members of Local 665 employed at CalPortland joined a total of 350 regional ready-mix Teamsters and batch plant workers in a strike that lasted two weeks.
During that time public and private sector projects were put on hold.
Alarmed elected officials called for action to end the strike.
“Special appreciation to SF Mayor Daniel Lurie, who got involved personally this past Saturday. Public works projects at SFO and other locations were being held up. After Mayor Lurie phoned the CEO of CalPortland, the settlement started to happen”, Delorio said.
The deal now in place is a one-year extension restoring wages, pension, health plans and other working conditions. The union will now prepare for negotiations from a position of strength, the strike itself forging new resolve.
The strike itself was a team effort, with the Local’s President Mike Yates managing the three jurisdictional concrete plant locations in San Rafeal, Petaluma and Santa Rosa.
“This strike was a demonstration of solidarity,” Yates said. “Two weeks on the picket line requires focus and discipline. Going forward these members are ready for whatever the company throws at them when negotiations ramp up next year.”
“The company now knows we want respect, not insulting take aways,” said CalPortland Shop Steward Rob Taverna after the return-to-work vote. “We give them a fair day’s work, and we expect fairness in return. It’s as simple as that. We are grateful to our 665 leadership and proud to be Teamsters.”
