Ten Years of Hoffa

January 10, 2009: James Hoffa took office ten years ago, promising to Restore Teamster Power.

Instead, we’ve suffered a decade of decline.

How can working Teamsters get our union back on track?

It’s been ten years since James P. Hoffa took the oath of office as Teamster General President. Instead of delivering the Teamster Power he promised, Hoffa has managed our union through a decade of decline.

Hoffa promised “Real 25 & Out Pensions.” He delivered the biggest pension cuts in Teamster history. He gave the worst concessions to UPS in decades even though the company was making more than $4 billion in annual profits.

Our union has been reduced to a shadow of its former self in the freight and carhaul industries. Employers are calling all the shots and dictating whatever concessions they choose.

It would be foolish to blame every problem our union faces on Hoffa. The economic crisis means tough times for all of labor.

But ask yourself this: what kind of leadership do these times demand and what kind of leadership do we have?

The Hoffa administration failed to win strong contracts, protect our pensions, or organize the nonunion competition when times were good.

Do you think they have a plan to protect Teamster members and rebuild our union’s power now?

Our union is on the wrong road. It’s up to Teamster members to take the wheel and change the direction.

Teamsters for a Democratic Union is about uniting members to make that happen. And our movement is growing.

Freight Teamsters are getting involved because they’re concerned about the future of unionized trucking. UPSers, carhaulers, bus drivers, waste workers, and every kind of Teamster that wants to return our union to the members are coming together.

TDU isn’t growing because change is easy. We’re growing because change is needed. If you agree, then get involved.

What do you think we need to do to turn our union around? Click here to send us your ideas and opinions.

Find our more about TDU. Read more about who we are, what we've won, and where we stand.

Become a part of our movement. Click here to join TDU.

Issues: 
Hoffa Watch
Teamster Voice: 
Convoy 256 January/February 2009

Comments

carhauler1 replied on

Carhaulers its time to realize that Mr Hoffa and his cronies dont care and are only interested in them selves and in there paychecks and multiple pensions they will collect. We need to organize non union carhaul companies and independent operators.We need to call and write our congress and demand a bailout for union companys that haul for the big three and demand that they use union carhaulers who pay taxes and have pensions to protect also. I have not heard one word from the U.A.W. or Teamsters asking for protection ? For those of you who dont know most of those who haul for fleet car and accurate and many others do not pay anything due to fact that the rates they get dont allow it.!We all need to talk and convince these carhaulers that being a teamster is not a bad thing but a great thing! United road can and should be organized we need to be positive to these people not negative.Lets work together and create our own change, YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!!!!

msmith631 replied on

Just so all of you know. UPS had to bail out the central sataes pension at a cost of 6 Billion dollars. So before all of you go shooting off get your facts straight. It is a shame that all teamsters suffer because the central states make bad investments and piss the members pensions away. The western states are strong pension is funded for the next 15.6 years. The clowns running the central states pensions should be kicked out of office.

Add new comment