November 25, 2013: Walmart workers and their supporters are planning to kick off this year's holiday shopping season with protests at 1,500 Walmart stores around the country on Black Friday.  Last year, 30,000 supporters participated in Black Friday actions at Walmart and workers walked off the job in 46 states, according to OUR Walmart, the union-backed group that is organizing the actions.  This year, Our Walmart is hoping for even more supporters to turn out....

Updated December 2, 2013: Teamster mechanics who are without a contract picketed on November 25 at airports from throughout the country to demand an end to concessions and a contract. They were joined by AFA flight attendants who are also facing difficulties in their negotiations. Mechanics and Flight Attendants along with other workers have taken major concessions in previous negotiations in the last 10 years and they believe that they need to get gains as...

November 21, 2013: Growing opposition to a proposal to allow multi-employer pension plans to slash already-earned benefits has forced a delay in its introduction into Congress. That opposition needs to grow stronger, into a grassroots movement to save our pensions and develop a positive alternative plan to the cuts. A bill was scheduled to be introduced in the US House of Representatives over a month ago to allow "deeply troubled" pension funds—such as the Central...

November 19, 2013: After leaving UPSers in the dark for months, Teamster officials are working overtime to sell a weak contract that would mean smaller pensions for UPSers in the Southwest. The company’s offer is not good enough to sell itself. So Teamster officials have become full-time contract pitchmen. In Los Angeles, Local 396 business agents are even visiting hubs in the middle of night. They have never worked overtime like that to represent members. ...

Updated November 19, 2013: Talks have begun between YRC and the IBT Freight Division over a five year extension of the contract. Tyson Johnson held a conference call for local union officials today to report on the initial sessions. Johnson said that no specific demands have been made by either side and that YRC is not asking for additional wage or benefit concessions, but wants more “flexibility.” When questioned on specifics, he said those would...

November 8, 2013: YRC CEO James Welch presented his case to Teamster local officers three days ago for a five-year contract extension, in order to secure new financing. It was not an easy sell. A number of officers at the meeting in Dallas asked tough questions, on everything from the botched idea to buy ABF to what else YRC will be asking for. Welch declined to specify anything else the company would request in bargaining,...

November 6, 2013: If you are a UPS Teamster moving into the new health plan in the West, millions of dollars will be diverted from your pension fund to maintain the health benefits you already have. On November 13, the IBT will mail out ballots to UPS Teamsters covered by the Western Region Supplement and the Local 177 Supplement. The sales pitch will be the health benefits improvements which were won thanks to the overwhelming...

November 20, 2013: Members of 251 United Action celebrate victory in their local union election at the 2013 TDU Convention At the Convention local union officers, stewards and members met for trainings on leadership development, running for local union office, contract bargaining and enforcement, jurisdictional meetings, and more. Ron Beard, a UPS Feeder Driver from Local 767 in Forest Hills, Texas and newly elected to TDU's Steering Committee, attended the Convention for the first time....

November 2, 2013: The Western Region and Local 177 UPS health care website is up. You can find it http://www.wr177healthcare.com. It includes information on benefits but has no information on the diversion of negotiated money from your pension to fund the health plan. An 11-minute DVD is also available, and will be sent out prior to the upcoming re-vote on the UPS contract in the west. It contains the same info as the website.

October 31, 2013: The 5,000 Teamsters of Rhode Island today elected a new team of officers to lead their local forward, in a major reform win. The election posed a contest between the "old guard" led by incumbent Joe Bairos, and a younger reform team led by UPS driver Matt Taibi and Rhode Island Hospital worker Paul Santos to lead Local 251. All ten candidates on the United Action slate were victorious, and will take...