Reformers win office in locals 804 and 96.

UPSers Vote for Change in New York Local 804

After voting to reject contract givebacks by 95 percent, the 7,100 members of New York Local 804 have voted for reform leadership in the biggest UPS local in the East.

The TDU-backed Experience Matters Slate handily defeated three other slates, winning 46% of the vote in a four-way race.

The reform victory was fueled by the movement against contract givebacks at UPS. Experience Matters leaders and activists organized contract unity actions and Vote No rallies.

“The election shows that members have had enough,” said President-elect Vincent Perrone. “Together, we are going to hit the reset button with UPS management, stand up to harassment and unfair discipline, enforce our contract, and restore basic fairness to our 
workplace.”

“It won’t all happen overnight, but we will be working hard starting on day one,” Perrone said.

“I worked hard to elect the new slate and I can’t wait until they take office,” said Eugene Braswell, a Local 804 steward and a member of the national TDU Steering Committee.

“Getting our union back on the right track and keeping management in line is not something that the leadership can do by itself. To succeed, it’s going to take stewards and members coming together and stepping up,” Braswell said. “I’m ready to do my part.”

Members Vote for a New Beginning in Local 96

Washington Gas utility workers have voted in new leadership in Teamsters Local 96 in Washington, D.C. after a grassroots campaign by the New Beginning Slate.

Local 96 represents Washington Gas Teamsters who service over a million natural gas customers in and around Washington, D.C.

The New Beginning Slate ran on a platform of improving union representation, ending givebacks, and standing up for better contracts by mobilizing the members.

Fed up with benefit cuts and declining representation, members delivered a mandate by voting for the New Beginning Slate with 64 percent of the vote.

“The members stepped up big-time and sent a strong message that they want change,” said President-elect Wilder Reed. “The voting was the easy part. Now, the hard work of rebuilding our union starts.”

Achieving those goals will start with involving the members.

“We have a lot of opportunities with new management and a new contract coming up, but we all have to work together,” said Secretary-Treasurer-elect Bernard Robinson. “It won’t work if members wait on the new Executive Board to make it happen by ourselves. We want the members involved. That’s how we’re going to get this union back on track.”