Chicago TDU Members Meet With Supporters
June 13, 2014: The Chicago TDU Chapter hosted a discussion and fundraiser for TRF (TDU’s nonprofit educational sister organization) on May 17 with Ken Paff, TDU’s National Organizer. The event drew TDU members, supporters of Teamster reform, and allies from other unions and netted $2,600 for TRF. “We had a good discussion on where our movement is headed and it was great to see the support and interest from members from other unions and organizations...
New York TDU Chapter Bowls for Teamster Reform
June 13, 2014: The NY Chapter raised more than $6,000 at a Bowl-athon in May. Members sold raffle tickets to help pay a $500 team-entrance fee and team captains recruited more than 60 bowlers. “Members really got into the Bowl-a-thon,” says TDU member and Local 814 organizer Julian Tysh, who helped organize the event. “It was a fun way to build some solidarity and get to know one another better. We’re going to make it...
Central States Big Wig Calls for 30% Benefit Cut
June 13, 2014: Al Nelson, the Benefits Services Director of the Central States Pension Fund, told Minneapolis Teamsters that he favors a 30 percent across-the-board benefit cut for every current retiree and every active Teamster in the fund. Nelson announced this position at a Local 120 meeting on June 6, where he was giving a report on the Central States Pension Fund. He elaborated that if the 30 percent cut is not made, the situation...
Sign the Petition to Protect Our Pensions
June 13, 2014: The Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) has called for reforms that would help secure union members pensions. Josh Gotbaum, the Director of the PBGC, is calling for a major increase in insurance premiums paid by pension funds to provide more security to pension funds that cover Teamsters and other union members. Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) supports this proposal and urges its adoption. You can help...
Take Back Our Union Meetings
Members are holding Take Back Our Union meetings in New Jersey, Philadelphia and Western Pennsylvania to reach out to concerned Teamsters and organize for change. Teamster are tired of Hoffa, Hall and contract concessions. Members have launched Take Back Our Union to organize for change. UPS, UPS Freight and freight Teamsters are leading the effort to reach out to Teamsters in all industries Take Back Our Union meetings are being organized for next weekend. Invited...
IBT Election Timeline
Summer-Fall 2014 Take Back Our Union forms to unite Teamster members who oppose concessions and want to rebuild Teamster Power by electing new International Union leadership in 2016. November 7-9, 2014 Campaign Summit: Special training held at TDU Convention for members who want to learn how to run for delegate, build a local campaign committee, and be an active part of a national campaign. Early 2015 The Election Supervisor will be appointed to oversee...
What Will It Take to Win in 2016?
June 13, 2014: The next International Union election will be held in 2016. What will it take to elect new Teamster leadership? Two years from now, the IBT Convention will be held in Las Vegas to nominate candidates for General President and all 28 International officers. Will there be reform delegates from your local union? Who will be nominated there? What will it take to win and how can we get started now? The Vote...
Don't Let Hoffa End Fair Elections in the Teamsters
UPDATED June 16, 2014: The Hoffa administration is headed to Federal court in a bid to end independent supervision of International Union elections. Attorneys for the International Union have filed papers in Federal court to end the Consent Order, a court-approved agreement between the IBT and the Justice Department to rid the union of corruption and establish a culture of union democracy. The coming legal battle affects every Teamster. If Hoffa succeeds in...
Hoffa Takes Aim at Teamster Democracy
June 13, 2014: The Hoffa-Hall administration wants to end your Right to Vote for Teamster President and other International officers. The IBT has made a submission to Judge Loretta Preska to end the 1989 Consent Order, a court-approved agreement signed by the IBT, which guarantees all Teamsters the right to vote for IBT officers, with an impartial election supervisor, and fair rules. The Hoffa administration says they would still honor our right to...
2013 UPS Contract Available Only from TDU
June 13, 2014: Hoffa and Hall have not made the new UPS contracts available as a contract book or even online. But you can get the National Master Contract and most supplements from TDU. You can read or download the new contract language here. The new language is in bold face type. Your UPS contract consists of the National Master and a regional supplement and in some areas a local or regional rider. TDU has...