Coca-Cola has unveiled a plan to eliminate thousands of Teamster jobs by moving toward nonunion, third-party distribution. The company is already rolling out a pilot program at 7-11 stores in Southern California. Under a deal with SoCal locals, when 7-11 stores need Coke, they will now get their drinks along with other products from a nonunion, third-party company, cutting out the Teamster drivers who used to deliver to each store. And that’s just the first...

Ken Hall, Hoffa’s point man at UPS, told stewards on a national conference call that it’s “not the right time” to enforce the contract and defend full-time 22.3 jobs. Hall went on to blame contract enforcement problems on members for failing to file good grievances—and on local officials for bringing cases with “no facts.” Maybe it’s time for Hoffa and Hall to stop making excuses for UPS, and start enforcing our contract. << Previous: The...

When ABF asked IBT Freight Director Tyson Johnson for concessions, he said Yes. But ABF Teamsters had a different idea. They listened closely to the company’s argument, debated the issues, rejected the scare tactics, and voted down the concessions in a close vote. << Previous: Movers Show How We Can Win Big in a Bad EconomyNext: Hoffa Administration Splits >>

Fed up with Hoffa’s givebacks and empty promises, Teamsters are building a campaign to vote out Hoffa in 2011 and put our union in a new direction. “Members are saying YES to our campaign because they want a General President who will say NO to employers when they come after our jobs, our wages and our benefits,” Pope said. << Previous: BLET Members Save the Right to VoteNext: The Worst—Hoffa Waves the White Flag at...

New York Local 804 gave UPS on-car supervisors a taste of their own medicine when they tailed sups and videotaped them on OJS days—and caught them altering a driver’s load to inflate his SPORH. While filming an OJS, union reps spotted a second driver on the same route. He had been given all of the bulk stops—and they got video of the tracking numbers. “When management tries to tell us they don’t manufacture the loads...

Happy holidays to you and your family from Teamsters for a Democratic Union. TDU members have worked hard and have a lot to be proud of this year. Let’s enjoy the holidays and resolve to work together for a stronger union and a new direction in 2011.

January 3, 2011: Members from across our union our coming together to support Sandy Pope. Find out why. “We gave concessions to help YRC survive but not to gut the contract. The company seems to think it has a green light to do whatever they want. “We need leadership—not doormats. Hoffa has to go.” Jim Crunkilton, YRC Local 40, Mansfield, Ohio "Waste Management has a plan to weaken our union—and they’ve been putting it into...

December 20, 2010: Our right to vote for top Teamster officers gives us the power to win a stronger union. A lot of working people feel helpless in today’s economy. Fortunately, Teamster members don’t have to. Unlike many workers, Teamsters have the power to do something to protect our jobs, our paychecks, our benefits, and our future. We’re Teamsters—and our union can be a powerful force for fairness when we get our act together. Our...

January 3, 2011: In early December, a bill was introduced in Congress that will escalate the attack on public employee pensions. This little-noticed bill is a shot fired at the pensions of millions of American families. In early December a bill was introduced in Congress that will escalate the attack on public employee pensions. The Teamsters Union represents 200,000 public workers and we need to respond. Sneak Attack The bill, sponsored by Representative Devin Nunes...

December 20, 2010: Freight Teamsters have gotten little but bad news from their employers and from the Hoffa administration. Now freight retirees in the West—and those soon to retire—are facing health cost increases of over 400 percent! The Western Teamsters Welfare Trust (WTWT) is raising the cost of retiree health care for many retirees from approximately $125 to a whopping $725 per month per individual ($1,450 to include spouse coverage). Even those eligible to join...