Standing Up for Union and Civil Rights
June 25, 2012: TDU member Mike Spruill interviewed about how and why he became a TDU member and a Teamster. How did you get involved? It runs in the family. The union movement and civil rights struggle crossed paths a lot in my house. My uncles were union, and my great aunt Mary Lou Mobley in North Carolina was very involved with Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights struggle. They never let me...
NLRB Rules for IBT Organizers’ Union
June 22, 2012: Organizers employed by the International union have voted to unionize, and on June 21 the NLRB regional director ruled that the objections to the vote by the Hoffa administration lack merit. On May 29 the vote count was 18-16 in favor of FAIR, the Federation of Agents and International Representatives. The International union then filed exceptions to the vote with the NLRB, claiming that five ballots were not received in the mail....
Union Organizers Indicted for Rally Against Nonunion Construction
June 19, 2012: Two union organizers indicted for organizing a rally against nonunion hotel construction? This is not in a far-off dictatorship, or even in a right to work state. It happened in New York City. New York Local 805 President Sandy Pope reacted with outrage “This is a terrible attack on our rights -- freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and the right to be in a union. All politicians should be held accountable...
UPS National Grievance Panel Decisions
June 19, 2012: The minutes of the June 2012 quarterly UPS National Grievance Panel are now available for members to review. We encourage UPS Teamsters to look them over, and decide if the national grievance procedure is working for our benefit. Over 500 cases were docketed, but the vast majority were withdrawn, postponed, put on hold or settled. A handful of cases were heard, and only one minor matter was actually won: requiring managers to...
Sign the Petition: End Part-Time Poverty at UPS
Part-time and inside workers at UPS have launched a nationwide petition drive to demand better pay, more full-time jobs and a contract that make UPS deliver for ALL Teamsters. Click here to sign the online version of the petition. When UPSers—full-time and part-time—talk and share information, we build the foundation for a stronger contract campaign. That's why we are making a special effort to reach out to part-timers. The online version of the petition is...
UPS Freight National Grievance Results
June 14, 2012: The minutes of the national grievance panel for UPS Freight held lastweek reveal that of 69 cases docketed, just one was won. A majority of cases, 37 in all,were referred back to the parties to encourage a settlement.Other cases were withdrawn (11) or postponed (11), and six were heard and deadlocked.Most of the deadlocked cases originated from Chicago Local 710, including two oversubcontracting out road work. The award in the winning case...
Allied Automotive Group Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
June 11, 2012: Allied Automotive Group filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy last night in Delaware. CEO Mark Gendregske held a conference call this morning, where he claimed that there will be “no reduction in workforce, pay, or benefits” and that the bankruptcy will be a short process compared to Allied’s 2005 bankruptcy. Gendregske contrasted the bankruptcy to 2005, when Allied demanded Teamster concessions. He further stated there will be no changes in operations or deliveries,...
Central States Fund Report: $17.7 billion
June 8, 2012: The Central States Pension Fund’s 2011 Financial and Analytical Reports show that the fund was down to $17.7 billion at the end of 2011. The reports – which were received by Teamsters for a Democratic Union this week – also describe in more detail decisions regarding YRC Teamsters, and a new rule on withdrawal liability. Fund assets dipped from $19.9 billion at the start of 2011, to $17.7 at the end of...
It's Official. Early Bargaining Set at UPS.
June 6, 2012: The International Union announced that early bargaining will begin with UPS on Sept. 27 with limited bargaining over workplace issues like production harassment, technology, over-dispatch, and full-time job creation. Negotiations will begin in Washington with just three weeks dedicated to what Ken Hall called, "operations issues." With just three weeks to deal with all the problems that have exploded over the last four years working UPSers will need to speak up if...
So Cal Waste Management: Teamster Rights on the Line
June 4, 2012: Southern California Teamsters at two Waste Management yards voted to reject a contract offer that would gut their job security and other Teamster protections. The showdown at Waste Management in Corona and Chino, California is a test of Teamster resolve before contract negotiations covering thousands of waste Teamsters in Los Angeles County this September. Local 396 members are uniting against givebacks that would gut their contract and give management the upper hand...