The Independent Election Supervisor has issued an important decision, protecting members and a local union officer from retaliation. Richmond Local 322 principal officer Brian Peyton was cited and fined for retaliating against a union officer because he campaigned on behalf of the O’Brien-Zuckerman slate.
The retaliation in Richmond Local 322 was especially egregious because it undermined an organizing drive and contract fight by hundreds of workers at a DHL subsidiary in Stafford, Virginia.
Local 322 Secretary-Treasurer Dwayne Johnson worked for nine months organizing 200 drivers at Genesis Logistics, a subsidiary of DHL’s supply chain distribution and warehouse operation. A parallel drive is organizing 300 warehouse workers at the same facility who are preparing for an upcoming union election with the NLRB.
In August, Johnson took one day off work to petition with other Teamsters for the O’Brien-Zuckerman Teamsters United slate. The president of Local 322 threatened him and then removed him from bargaining.
When drivers went on a two-day Unfair Labor Practice strike, Peyton claimed the strike was unauthorized and offered no local union resources or support for striking workers.
Drivers rejected a substandard contract offer by a vote of 121 to 8.
The Election Supervisor found Local 322 president Brian Peyton guilty of serious violations and found that his stories were not “straightforward or credible.”
He ordered Peyton to immediately cease and desist further retaliation; to pay a fine of $500; to immediately pay a debt owed to a sister local which paid the lost time to Genesis workers on the bargaining committee, which Peyton had refused to pay; and to post a notice of the violations on all union bulletin boards and the union’s website.
Johnson resigned his local organizer job in protest of the undermining of DHL/Genesis workers in retaliation for his campaign activity. Johnson is now working for the International Union Organizing Department.
Johnson remains Local 322 Secretary-Treasurer. Peyton attempted to strip Johnson of this position in August, but Joint Council 83 ordered Johnson to be reinstated in a ruling on internal union charges.
Minor election violations are common in Teamster elections. Retaliation is a different matter. Every Teamster has the right to campaign for the candidate of their choosing.
Retaliation should especially never put in harm’s way members who are involved in a Teamster contract campaign or organizing drive. When this has happened in the past, previous IBT Election Officers have taken action against it.
It is a good sign that the new Election Supervisor is following this precedent.
Independent Election Supervisor Timothy S. Hillman oversees the IBT election for International Union officers and Convention Delegates. Local union elections are governed by the IBT Constitution.
More on the IBT Election Rules