Drawing the Line to Protect Teamster Jobs
November 14, 2008: Employers are looking to trim costs and cut Teamster jobs in 2009.
Our union needs an action plan to protect our job security.
In 2008, Teamster employers got the Hoffa administration to agree to record concessions. The same employers are gearing up to cut Teamster jobs in 2009.
Yellow Roadway Corporation is consolidating its operations in a move that will eliminate thousands of Teamster jobs.
UPS has announced plans to “right-size” in 2009.
With the economy slowing down, our union needs an action plan to protect Teamster jobs.
Drawing the Line at UPS
Wall Street’s hangover and the economic slowdown have even hit UPS, where profits fell by 4.4 percent in the third quarter.
UPS still made $1.6 billion in after-tax profits for the quarter. Not too shabby. But that hasn’t stopped UPS from slashing full-time Teamster jobs—in a clear violation of the contract.
Our Teamster contract requires UPS to maintain 20,000 full-time “combo” jobs—full-time jobs that are created by combining two part-time jobs.
These are the jobs that our union won in the historic 1997 UPS strike.
But UPS is thousands of jobs short of the 20,000 full-time combo jobs required by the contract. And every day management is eliminating more of these jobs.
President Hoffa has bragged that our union has a “Hammer” to stop employers in egregious cases like this: the Right To Strike on deadlocked grievances.
No one needs a strike, especially before the holidays (including UPS). What we do need is to send a clear message to every Teamster employer that our union is serious about protecting members’ jobs.
Is it time to remind management that we’ve got the Hammer?
Forward in 2009
In tough times like these we need to defend our jobs and contracts. And we also need to look at where we can go on the offensive.
With a new President and Congress, the labor movement is going all out to win passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier for workers to form a union.
Teamsters need to be in the front lines of this fight. And we need to hit the pavement in drives to organize the nonunion competition. That’s the best job security program of all.
( categories: Convoy 255 November/December 2008 | Featured News )
General President James P. Hoffa November 16, 2008
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Office of the General President
25 Louisiana Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 624-6800
Mr. James Hoffa:
In concern for the 4000 teamster brothers whom stand to lose their jobs in the upcoming Yellow Roadway merger I write you this letter.
In the context of teamster’s jobs 4000 brothers and sisters seems like a drop in the bucket compared to the 1.4 million members in our union. While it is true that the Teamsters will undoubtedly survive without these members contributing to the cause, for the members and their families it will not be so easy.
With the lay-off of these workers some with no hopes of ever returning to their present location or jobs there is another huge cost. In these days of record high unemployment and looming recession we feel a better solution could be found rather then the loss of freight jobs. 4000 Teamsters represent 4000 Teamster families. These families represent not only the brother and sisters but also the children and sometimes grandchildren that benefit from the sacrifices made by the member.
What sacrifices you might ask? The long and sometimes odd hours, which Teamsters work to support their families. Some members have left full time employment with other companies and left to join the Teamsters to start a career.
With the severance of these workers thru long-term layoff there are huge long-term effects to our members that are not being addressed. Think about the 4000 families that are currently using the Teamsters health care. A family member who is depending n medical treatment for a life threatening disease can see there medial treatment stop and be at the risk of a worsening condition as well as possibly death.
The burden placed on the member himself who must apply for and receive the small amount of monies that state unemployment pays will suffer also. Not only will this place stress upon himself and his family, this will have long-term effects not only upon himself but possibly his credit rating and economic well-being. It is almost impossible at times for a Teamster to find work with another carrier, as other employers fear the consequences of hiring a Teamster. Besides the fact that a member might only be there temporarily they fear that the word of union brotherhood will spread to their establishments.
I ask you Brother if you care to not preserve our jobs than to push for some economic relief for our members. This could be in the form of extended unemployment benefits for these workers as well as extending health care coverage to these loyal Brothers and Sisters. I realize at this point the preservation of these jobs is a mute point, however please do not sweep these soon to be forgotten Teamsters under the rug so to speak. The remaining members would not soon forget this action as well as the employees whom someday hope to join our union. I implore you to take immediate action on this issue.
Signed; A loyal member
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