April 2, 2007: Allied Teamster carhaulers are voting on a tentative concession deal that’s been pressed on our members by a bankrupt company. Those concessions could devastate an entire national master contract, which expires in just 14 months.
Allied Teamsters know this is a tough choice. A judge could impose concessions even if a majority votes No. Tough times call for tough Teamster leaders, with a plan to protect our national contract, not lies and PR.
Carhaulers in Teamsters for a Democratic Union are working hard to defend our national contract, give Teamsters real information, and protect TDU’s court victory regarding pro and con observers of the contract vote.
Lack of Leadership
On March 21, Allied Teamsters started to receive contract concession ballots in the mail, and they were loaded with lies. On that exact same date, the IBT website posted a three-page attack on Teamsters in TDU, and it contradicted the ballot material with a new set of lies. Then on March 28, the IBT PR department issued a third and yet different set of lies. So many lies, so little time to waste refuting them.
Here is one simple fact: on March 28, Sopris (an investor group seeking to buy Allied; Allied management has selected Yucaipa over them) upped their Teamster offer over Yucaipa from $35 million in concessions to $30 million per year. Over three years that’s $15 million. Doesn’t that mean our union has leverage to bargain with Yucaipa? But the IBT leadership refuses to bargain with them. They are too much in love to bargain. And too busy spreading lies to Teamster members.
Their lies are a distraction from the real issues. Allied Teamsters—those voting No and those voting Yes—care very deeply about their future. James Hoffa and Fred Zuckerman are the “outsiders” here. Their fat salaries are not in jeopardy.
The IBT PR man who writes their crap is Richard Leebove. He’s an employer who was banned from an IBT election by the Election Officer for handing over a $167,000 employer contribution to Hoffa. Now there’s an outsider!
Whatever the concession vote outcome on April 16, the International Union will need a plan to save our national contract. If the Teamster leadership would stop attacks on members and start providing real leadership, they would get more respect from all Teamsters.
Teamsters for a Democratic Union
Our name says it. TDU members want a strong, democratic Teamsters Union, and work together to make it happen.
TDU has supported those Allied Teamsters who want to save the national contract.
TDU won in court—against the Hoffa administration—the right of Allied Teamsters to have pro and con observers of the vote. TDU members are working now to make that right meaningful.
If you want to help build a strong, democratic union, please do your small part. Join TDU today. It’s easy, it’s confidential, and you will be part of making a better future for all Teamsters.