July 12, 2007: Master contracts are the foundation of our union’s power. Will Hoffa let that foundation crumble? And what can concerned Teamsters do about it? Master contracts cover about 25 percent of Teamsters, but they set standards for the majority. They are the foundation of Teamster power. Jimmy Hoffa Sr. understood this principle and built up our national contracts. Is Hoffa Jr. giving up on the master contracts that were his father’s greatest legacy?...

July 12, 2007: The International Union and New York Local 237 are investigating International Vice President Carroll Haynes over tens of thousands of dollars in payments he received from an HMO that does business with the Teamsters. The union investigation came in response to a report in last month’s Convoy Dispatch. Research by Teamsters for a Democratic Union uncovered that Haynes received $54,500 as a “consultant” to Health Insurance Plans (HIP) of New York, the...

May 23, 2007: International Vice President Frank Gillen was charged by the Independent Review Board (IRB) last month for giving false testimony to cover up his association with Thomas Ryan. Ryan was banned from the Teamsters for embezzling union funds. Billy Hogan, the former president of Chicago Joint Council 25 and formerly Hoffa’s running mate, has been ordered to appear before judge Loretta Preska on charges of criminal contempt for repeatedly violation his ban on...