Red Cross’ blood-supply workers on strike

More than 100 members of Teamsters Local 929 went on strike today against the American Red Cross Penn-Jersey Blood Services Region when their contract expired at 12:01 a.m.

The members pack and store blood, load trucks, and deliver blood, said Rocky Bryan, the local's vice president.

The American Red Cross in Philadelphia says striking employees have blocked a blood delivery to a hospital.

Red Cross spokesman Anthony Tornetta says members of Teamsters Local 929 had to be told today that a 2-year-old child's life depended on a blood delivery before they would get out of the way.

Bryan said the Red Cross had been asking the union to accept higher employee contributions for health insurance plus a pay freeze in the first year of a three-year contract. The union also is concerned that members are being required to work too many hours and that Red Cross. He said some employees have been "forced to work 50 and 60 days straight."

Bryan said strikers were protesting "unfair labor practices" that risk the safety of the blood supply and employees.

In a written statement posted on the local Red Cross Web site, Tornetta said the strike might lead to the cancellation of some blood drives.