Independent Review Board Report: Corruption in Local 120
November 13, 2012: A 139-page report by the Independent Review Board (IRB) details a pattern of corruption in Minneapolis Local 120, along with self-dealing by Brad Slawson Sr and Brad Slawson Jr to line the pockets of themselves and their friends. The IRB recommended a trusteeship of the local, and Teamster President James Hoffa has put the local into trusteeship. The letter announcing the trusteeship is available here. The IRB alleges that the Slawsons, who...
Two Different Holidays in New England
November 12, 2012: When Veteran's Day fell on Sunday this year, freight Teamsters in New England thought it would mean Monday is the observed holiday, just as for the federal government and other institutions which recognize the day. Then came a strange memo from the New England Supplemental Negotiating Committee signed by the employers' chairman and union chairman John A. Murphy, Boston Local 25 business agent. November 11 (Sunday) was the holiday for non-vets, and...
Continuing Political Action After the Election
November 7, 2012: Voters have spoken and re-elected Barack Obama as President of the United States. No matter which candidate you voted for, the most important days for political action may just be ahead of us. Unions, including the Teamsters Union, were key to the election outcome. They donated money and powered get out the vote efforts that carried key states: Ohio, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, among others. With the election behind us, our union...
Central States Fund: $17. 7 Billion
November 5, 2012: The Central States Pension Fund's mid-year financial report indicates that the fund's assets stand at $17.7 billion, just about exactly where they stood at the beginning of 2012. The fund lost money on investment during the second quarter, after making a lot in the first quarter when the stock market zoomed upward. The fund has 68% of assets in stocks; half of the stock portfolio is managed by the Northern Trust Company,...
UPS Bargaining Update
November 2, 2012: The International Union is maintaining an information Brownout as contract negotiations continue. The Teamster National Negotiating Committees held two series of bargaining sessions from Oct. 15-18 and Oct. 22-25 in St. Petersburg, Florida. But the International has not issued any bargaining update to the members since the first negotiating session in September. The IBT is also keeping Local Unions in the dark. The International has not even given Local Unions a copy...
Help Teamsters Affected by Hurricane Sandy
Our hearts go out to all those who have been hit by Hurricane Sandy. You can help Teamster families by donating to the Teamsters Disaster Relief Fund. The Teamster Disaster Relief Fund is accepting claims from Teamsters in areas that have been declared a "Federal Disaster." You can help these union brothers and sisters by making a donation. Click here to make an online, tax-deductible donation. Your donation will make a difference in the lives...
Rebuilding Teamster Power at the TDU Convention
November 2, 2012: Chicago Teachers strike leader Karen Lewis headlined a TDU Convention that brought together Teamsters from across the country for a weekend of education and union-power building. In her address, Lewis, the President of the Chicago Teachers Union, told a riveted audience how she went from being the member of a small union reform group (the Committee of Rank-and-File Educators) to leading the biggest and most successful strike victory that the labor movement...
UPS Forecasts Higher Profits for 2012
October 24, 2012: UPS released its third-quarter financials yesterday, and has upgraded its projected profits for 2012. Once again, UPS Teamsters drove the company’s revenue. International package volume dropped by 3.7% or 400,000 packages a day. U.S. package revenue increased $94 million over last year, driven by a 3.7% gain in daily volume. UPS said its overall profit for the third quarter would have been about $1.66 billion, down just a fraction from $1.67 billion...
UPS Freight Bargaining Recesses until November 12
October 22, 2012: The union’s bargaining committee will resume bargaining with UPS Freight management November 12-16, in Washington D.C. After bargaining last week, the International union issued a press released which quoted union bargaining chair Ken Hall as saying that “a lot of progress” was made at the table. At a meeting with officers of all affected locals on September 21, Hall stated that UPS Freight has not been profitable, so he would keep union...
UPS National Negotiations Resume in Florida
October 22, 2012: National negotiations with UPS resume this week in St. Petersburg, Florida. Bargaining is still in its early stages. Reports indicate that the process is moving very slowly. In bargaining last week, UPS management turned over its bargaining proposals, including a laundry list of concessions. The company also did presentations on SurePost and other operational issues, playing up that the need to compete with FedEx should lead to concessions by the union. The...