In Minneapolis Local 120, many construction Teamsters lose their right to vote because they are on withdrawal card. I have introduced a change to our local bylaws at the January general membership meeting to have the local union elections changed from November to September. They should not lose that right, after paying their dues for nine or ten months out of every year, because of the kind of job they work in. Can this be changed at the IBT Convention?
–Would-Be Voter

Dear Voter,

Many local union bylaws specify which month to hold an election, and local union bylaws can be amended by membership vote, just as you point out. This allows each local to have the most appropriate time for their elections.

Unfortunately, IBT President Hoffa has consistently circumvented the specific dates in local union bylaws and changed the month of the election in local unions headed by his political allies. It may be necessary to change the IBT Constitution to state that local union bylaws can specify the date or month of elections, and that date or month shall be honored.

Manipulation of the time and method of holding local union elections can undermine membership participation and democracy. For example, Louisville Local 89, which includes some 7,000 UPS Teamsters, held a walk-in election eight days before Christmas, at UPS peak season for overtime, and when no UPS workers are allowed to take vacation time to campaign.

It is possible to amend local union bylaws to require mail ballot local union elections, and members in many locals have done so. Also, when locals do pull tricks like Local 89 leaders did, the General President has the power to direct local unions to use mail balloting. General President Ron Carey routinely did this, to prevent such dirty tricks.

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