Convoy 225 March/April 2005

Does UPS Hide Hazardous Accidents?

admin — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 11:33:56 -0500

UPS Teamsters are familiar with the image of managers scurrying to cover logos on UPS trucks to prevent the public and media knowing that a UPS vehicle was involved in an accident.

Could UPS be applying the same secrecy to incidents involving hazardous materials in an effort to skirt federal reporting requirements?

An investigation indicates that UPS in 2004 failed to properly report a number of incidents, including one involving a serious fire:

On June 22, 2004, a mercury spill resulted in the evacuation of 429 workers at the Hunt Valley UPS facility near Baltimore.

Local 556 Merged into Local 839

admin — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 10:19:32 -0500

April 5, 2005: In March, the International Union unilaterally merged Local 556 into Local 839 in Pasco, Washington.

Social Security Privatization: Who Wins, Who Loses?

admin — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 09:38:32 -0500

President Bush is out to privatize Social Security. Is Social Security really about to go bankrupt? Who stands to gain—and who stands to lose—from the proposed reforms?

Hazardous Materials: Spills Are Ever Present Danger For Trucking and Rail Workers

admin — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 09:35:03 -0500

Freight, rail and parcel Teamsters handle hazardous materials on a daily basis.

Bargaining to Build a Better Union

admin — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 09:33:48 -0500

Contract negotiations can be an opportunity to win better wages and working conditions—and to build union power. As members, how can we make a difference at contract time?

UPS Hits New Low in Attack on Pregnant Employees

admin — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 16:15:26 -0600

When Mary Plagman's doctor put her on a 25-pound weight restriction because of her pregnancy, UPS management informed her that they had no work available for her. As they have done with many other women in her position, UPS forced her off the job and onto leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Anticipating the end of her FMLA leave Plagman-Markham planned to go onto disability leave, but now UPS is challenging her ability to get even that limited protection.

Doctor’s Orders

Markham’s doctor put her on restricted work on Dec.

New England Fund Reverses Some Cuts

admin — Fri, 29 Apr 2005 13:23:25 -0500

April 29, 2005: The recently announced pension cuts in New England went over like a Yankees victory in Fenway Park.

Feds, IRB Pursue Investigations Shut Down by Hoffa

admin — Wed, 27 Apr 2005 15:00:45 -0500

April 25, 2005: While Hoffa prepares to release a report justifying his shutdown of RISE investigations into organized crime, government investigators and the press are pursuing the leads Hoffa cla

The Mob and Members’ Money

admin — Tue, 05 Apr 2005 16:02:39 -0500

April 5, 2005: With members facing pension and health care cuts, RISE investigators uncovered multiple benefit funds in Chicago that contract to service providers with apparent connections to organize

Married to the Mob?

admin — Tue, 05 Apr 2005 15:55:10 -0500

April 5, 2005: “My problem is with one man: Jim Hoffa.” That’s what Ed Stier said when he resigned last year as the head of Project RISE, the internal Teamster anti-corruption program.

After Largest Dues Increase in History...Why Is the IBT in the Red?

admin — Tue, 05 Apr 2005 09:38:10 -0500

April 5, 2005: How many times have you seen Hoffa and Secretary-Treasurer Tom Keegel brag that they have put the International Union into the black financially?