Members in San Antonio Local 657 are organizing themselves after their Secretary-Treasurer was recorded coaching a UPS manager on how to fire a Teamster.

“I’m here for my managers just like I’m here for my drivers,” said Secretary-Treasurer Robert Tamez, in the recorded conversation with a UPS manager. Tamez was charged and removed from office last year.

Principal officer Frank Perkins was temporarily suspended from office after he tried to let Tamez off with a slap on the wrist.

IBT President Sean O’Brien has assigned International Vice President Tony Jones as a Personal Representative to Local 657.

In the wake of the scandal, members are showing up at union meetings and organizing for change.

Local 657 members voted heavily in favor of Sean O’Brien and Teamsters United. After the International Union election, a group of UPS members started getting active in their local. Members at the San Antonio building circulated a petition for shop steward elections.

They began attending online TDU workshops and are organizing an in-person UPS Teamsters United workshop. Now, they are meeting and making plans to build member participation in the UPS Contract Campaign.

“We realized with the UPS contract upcoming, it’s time to step up,” said Manny Zertuche, a feeder driver out of the San Antonio building. “We can’t just wait for our officials to do something. We’re going to enforce the contract, involve members, and fight for a stronger contract in 2023.”