Convoy 253 August 2008

Contract Givebacks and How to Stop Them

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:30:46 -0500

August 1, 2008: Over the last year, the Hoffa administration has given employers the most concessionary deals in Teamster history.

Concessions as Union Strategy

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:25:01 -0500

August 5, 2008: Over the past year, the International Union has signed four national contracts in the trucking industry, covering nearly 350,000 Teamsters—setting the pattern for many more.

Fear vs. Solidarity in Carhaul

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:10:24 -0500

August 1, 2008: As we go to press, 9,000 Teamster carhaulers are voting on a three-year contract that includes massive concessions.

UPSers Get 35¢

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:07:28 -0500

August 1, 2008: UPS Teamsters got a 35¢ raise on August 1, the smallest raise in many years. Another 35¢ raise will follow in six months, for a total of 70¢ over the next year.

How Local 814 Teamsters Stopped a Decade of Givebacks

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:57:08 -0500

August 1, 2008: Local 814 Teamsters at Sotheby’s Auction House work for a company that makes mega-profits selling priceless art to the super rich.

UPS Full-Time Jobs Takeaway

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:43:11 -0500

August 1, 2008: Interviews with shop stewards and members in local unions across the county reveal that UPS is violating the contract when it comes to full-time job creation.

Local 804 Members Still Looking for Straight Talk on Benefits

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:25:11 -0500

August 5, 2008: Months after New York UPSers approved new bylaws for their local, members are still having trouble getting straight information about their benefits.

What Carhaulers Are Saying

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:50:15 -0500

“I love being a Teamster and I have told people with pride of my affiliation. But it has to mean something. And that is we stick together to protect our jobs and our contract.”

Carhaul: How TDU Won the Right to Contract Observers

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:13:58 -0500

August 7, 2008: Rank-and-file carhaulers will have their own observers at the contract vote count next week thanks to TDU members who won that right.

Minneapolis Members Weigh Cuts at Star Tribune

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:29:58 -0500

August 1, 2008: As Convoy goes to press, Teamster drivers, pressmen, and mailers at the Minneapolis Star Tribune are facing separate proposed contract reopeners that would cut their wages by 10 per

Is Baltimore Pension Fund Driving Blind?

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:19:10 -0500

August 6, 2008: Ever since the Baltimore Local 355 fund cut the pension accrual rate to zero, members have been asking why the cuts happened, and what the local is doing to restore the cuts.

Kansas City Rejects APWA for the Third Time

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:13:45 -0500

August 1, 2008: UPS Freight Teamsters in Kansas City have rejected the Association of Parcel Workers of America for the third time by a vote of 157-58.

Chicago Local 705 Contract Negotiations

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:13:04 -0500

August 1, 2008: Little progress has been made in negotiations for a new contract covering freight Teamsters in Local 705.

New Drug Testing Regs: Company Reps May Watch

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:50:26 -0500

AugustThe Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a new regulation effective August 25 that allows for “observed collections of urine samples.” Direct observation is required for all prio

DHL Cuts Jobs

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:42:53 -0500

August 1, 2008: Less than two months after members ratified a concessionary contract that IBT officials touted as saving jobs, DHL has implemented layoffs, which could be permanent cuts.

Early Deal for Bud Teamsters?

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:39:31 -0500

August 1, 2008: A new report speculates that Anheuser-Busch management may seek an early contract before the InBev takeover even takes effect.

Fundraisers Net $15,000 for Our Movement

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:30:51 -0500

August 12, 2008: TDU members and supporters have raised over $15,000 for the Teamster reform movement this year at house parties and get-togethers in Boston, New York, and Chicago.

Wearing Teamster and TDU Pride

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:24:35 -0500

August 1, 2008: More than 80 Teamsters wear TDU T-shirts to work every Thursday at the UPS hub in Manhattan.

A Strong Network: How We Won Good Pensions

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:13:40 -0500

August 11, 2008: In the ‘90s, TDU built a nationwide movement to get pension improvements.

Letters from Our Members

TDU — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:11:12 -0500

Zuckerman Out to Lunch in Carhaul Negotiations

Thanks to the heads up from TDU, Local 325 members who work the railyard under the carhaul contract met the IBT deadline and submitted propos

Bobby Hogan Attacks Hoffa

TDU — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:31:02 -0500

July 29, 2008: Bobby Hogan, the former secretary-treasurer of Chicago Local 714, has lashed out at IBT President James Hoffa.

Did UPS 'Pants' the Teamsters?

TDU — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:20:06 -0500

July 29, 2008: In the quote of the week, a CNBC host told viewers that UPS “pantsed” and “pummeled” the Teamsters in the new contract.