Teamsters Local 251

What Teamsters Local 251 does

Teamsters Local 251 is a chartered labor union local of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), representing more than 6,200 workers across Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Its core function is collective bargaining: organizing workers through card check and National Labor Relations Board elections, negotiating multi-year contracts, operating grievance and arbitration procedures, and—when necessary—conducting strikes to secure contract terms. The local's revenue model is membership dues collected on a recurring basis from represented workers, with reduced rates for members earning under $15/hour and a portion of gross dues remitted to the IBT International and Joint Council 10. Dues rates, salary scales, and officer compensation are disclosed only at internal membership meetings and are not publicly filed.

The local serves workers across four primary segments: healthcare (non-clinical support, maintenance, dietary, transport, and clerical staff at hospitals including Rhode Island Hospital and Roger Williams Medical Center), transportation (school bus drivers, monitors, transit workers, shuttle drivers), municipal services, and warehouse/logistics. Notable employers under contract include Rhode Island Hospital (2,500+ workers), Ocean State Transit, Twin River Casino, DHL Express, RelaDyne Transportation, First Student, Standard Parking at T.F. Green Airport, and the City of Fall River. Beyond bargaining, the local operates member-facing services: a Taft-Hartley Health Services & Insurance Plan (HSIP), a Teamsters-operated commercial driving school, a Charity Fund providing scholarships to members' dependents, DOT physical services for commercial driver certification, and SMS-based member alerts. The local is governed by an elected Executive Board led by Secretary-Treasurer Matthew Taibi, President Paul Santos, and Vice President Antonio Suazo, with industry-specific business agents and elected trustees. The local has expanded its organizing footprint into warehouse and logistics (championing Rhode Island's Warehouse Worker Protection Act in 2026) and has filed multiple unfair labor practice charges against employers including Airgas, Rhode Island Hospital, and Roger Williams Medical Center.

Name

Teamsters Local 251

Legal name

Teamsters Local 251

Website

https://teamsterslocal251.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Teamsters Local 251 is a chartered IBT labor union local representing 6,200+ workers across Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, providing collective bargaining, contract enforcement, and member benefits (healthcare fund, driving school, scholarships) across healthcare, transportation, municipal, and warehouse/logistics sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

East Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Union Dues: Revenue is generated through membership dues paid by represented workers. Dues rates are determined through collective bargaining and union bylaws. Lower dues rates are established for members earning less than $15/hour.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Teamsters Local 251 is a chartered labor union local that organizes workers, negotiates collective bargaining agreements with employers, and provides representation, grievance handling, and member benefit services across Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Core offerings include collective bargaining representation for over 6,200 members, a Taft Hartley healthcare fund (HSIP), a driver training school, a scholarship/charity fund, and DOT physical services for commercial drivers.

Product overview

Teamsters Local 251 is a labor union local providing collective bargaining representation and member services to over 6,200 workers across Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. The organization offers a portfolio of member services including a Taft Hartley healthcare fund (Local 251 Health Services & Insurance Plan), a driving school for truck driver training, a charity fund with scholarship programs for members' children, DOT physical services, and a text alert communication system. These services operate as distinct but complementary offerings unified under the union's mission to represent and support its worker membership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Teamsters Local 251 Driving School A driving school operated by the local union to train truck drivers, helping members expand their skills and career opportunities.
• Local 251 Health Services & Insurance Plan (HSIP) A Taft Hartley healthcare fund providing health benefits to union members and their families, administered jointly by union and management trustees.
• Local 251 Charity Fund A charitable fund that provides scholarships to dependent children of active Teamster members and supports community outreach programs.
• DOT Physical Service A service offering Department of Transportation physical examinations for drivers, facilitating their ability to maintain commercial driving certifications.
• Collective Bargaining Representation Core labor union service that organizes workers, negotiates collective bargaining agreements with employers, handles grievances and arbitration, and enforces contract protections for over 6,200 members across Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97.5% voted to ratify Rhode Island Hospital contract
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeamsters Local 251 is a local union chartered by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the largest grassroots labor organization in the US with 1.4 million members. The IBT provides resources, support, strike funds, and national contract negotiations for industries like UPS and DHL Express. Local 251 participates in IBT conventions and delegate elections.
• Joint Council 10coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew England Joint Council 10 coordinates Teamsters activities across the New England region, supporting local unions in organizing, contract negotiations, and strike actions. Led by Sean O'Brien, Joint Council 10 assisted in organizing drives and contract campaigns.
• UNAP Local 5098 (United Nurses & Allied Professionals)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal 251 works in solidarity with UNAP Local 5098, which represents nurses at Rhode Island Hospital. The two unions have conducted joint membership meetings, rallies, and informational pickets together against hospital management policies.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• AFL-CIO (Rhode Island State AFL-CIO): State-level labor federation coordinating affiliated unions (including Teamsters) in Rhode Island. Provides political/legislative coordination relevant to Local 251's policy work like the Warehouse Worker Protection Act.
• International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT): Parent federation of 1.4 million members providing Local 251's national strike funds, contract templates, and policy platform. The closest strategic analog for benchmarking scale and resource leverage though far larger.
• Teamsters Joint Council 10: The IBT's New England regional coordinating body under which Local 251 operates. Provides strike support, organizing resources, and inter-local coordination; analogous to a parent/coordinating entity but covers a broader geography and membership pool.
• American Federation of Teachers (AFT) — Rhode Island affiliates: National AFL-CIO affiliate representing public-sector and healthcare workers. Some RI affiliates overlap with Local 251's healthcare/transportation footprint, especially in municipal and transit roles.

Emerging players

• UNAP Local 5098 (United Nurses & Allied Professionals): Rhode Island-based healthcare union cited as a Local 251 ally through joint rallies and meetings at Rhode Island Hospital. Comparable in size and geographic focus, with adjacent (rather than overlapping) healthcare membership, making it a natural coalition partner.
• SEIU Healthcare 1199NE: A major SEIU affiliate representing hospital and healthcare support workers across New England, including in Rhode Island. Direct competitor for unorganized healthcare workers and overlapping bargaining territory with Local 251's largest unit.

Regional players

• Teamsters Local 633: New Hampshire-based Teamsters local chartered under Joint Council 10, representing workers in similar industries (warehouse, fuel distribution, manufacturing). Operates under the same IBT regional body, making it directly comparable in scale and approach.

Direct peers

• Teamsters Local 25: Adjacent Teamsters local covering Greater Boston and eastern Massachusetts with overlapping workforce segments (school bus, healthcare support, building services). Closest structural peer given geographic adjacency and shared employer targets in SE Massachusetts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/teamsters251
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/local-251

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Teamsters Local 251