Nearly 300 new Teamsters Local 743 members overwhelmingly ratified their first new contract by a margin of more than 10-to-one on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012.

The unit includes approximately 270 members working in the Naperville headquarters of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, formerly known as Hallmark. The new three-year contract is an addendum to the current collective bargaining agreement protecting more than 500 Local 743 members at BCBS’s downtown Chicago offices.

The contract, which expires in 2015, was passed by a final vote of 222-21.

“The Teamsters are extremely proud to welcome our newest members from the Naperville Blue Cross Blue Shield offices,” said Donnie Von Moore, President of Local 743. “Alongside the 11,000 other members of our strong and historic local, the Blue Cross Blue Shield employees will now enjoy all the benefits, protections and advantages of a fair and secure Teamster contract.”

Teamsters Local 743 represents more than 11,000 hardworking men and women in health care, warehouse, manufacturing, clerical and professional industries across Illinois, northwest Indiana and the Chicago metropolitan area.