Waving the White Flag at UPS
April 2, 2010: The Hoffa administration says it’s “Not the right time” to enforce the UPS contract. Hoffa administration officials offered plenty of excuses, but no action plans for contract enforcement, during a national conference call for UPS shop stewards. Ken Hall, Hoffa’s point man at UPS, told stewards the IBT was doing a good job standing up to UPS at the national grievance panels. He blamed contract enforcement problems on members for failing to...
Close the FedEx Loophole
April 2, 2010: The Teamsters Union and UPS are backing legislation that would make it easier for FedEx workers to join our union. For years FedEx has used its lobbying muscle to be classified as an airline. This puts FedEx under the Railway Labor Act, which makes it much harder for workers to organize. Every other freight and parcel carrier—including UPS—is covered by the National Labor Relations Act. The Teamsters and UPS are jointly backing...
Five Changes to Strengthen UPS Contract
April 5, 2010: IBT Vice President and Package Division Director Ken Hall says local officers and members are to blame for weak contract enforcement because they bring cases “with no facts.” Here are five changes the International Union could adopt today to increase contract enforcement. 1. Stop Golfing with UPS management. Treat contract enforcement as work, not a vacation. Stop holding grievance panels at resorts. Ban golf outings between UPS brass and union representatives at...
Protecting Yourself from UPS Technology
April 15, 2010: Sensors and spyware are either on your package car or coming soon. How do you protect yourself? UPS announced it will spend $1 billion this year on technology investments with the goal of increasing efficiency, cutting costs and raising profits. By the end of the year, UPS says that 22,000 trucks will be equipped with telematics—the new technology the company uses to increase surveillance on drivers and push for higher production. Telematics...
Bus Drivers Vote No, Stop Privatization
April 5, 2010: Board of Ed administrators told Ann Arbor school bus drivers to take pay cuts or face privatization. Ann Arbor bus drivers reached out to the community and voted No to stop privatization and steep cuts.Here’s what happened when members called their bluff. In Ann Arbor, Mich., Teamster bus drivers and monitors in Local 214 have been working under an extended contract since July 1, 2008. Talks are in mediation and have been...
Colorado Local 17 Officials Take Big Raises
April 9, 2010: One year ago the officers of Colorado Local 17 announced that they were all taking a 10 percent pay cut, in solidarity with the freight Teamsters who had just taken that cut. The Local 17 leaders supported those concessions, so they said they should share in the sacrifice. But a funny thing happened on the road to sacrifice. The officers took a detour to a big raise instead. According to the 2009...
Pac Fed Teamsters Lose Right to Vote
April 2, 2010: In 2006, members in the Pacific Federation of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) in the Teamsters held their first-ever one-member, one-vote election for officers. Now members are losing the Right to Vote. In March, Pac Fed officials announced that they are merging with the Unified System Division. A new election for officers was scheduled for later this year in the Pac Fed. That election is cancelled and members...
Puerto Rico Teamsters Demand Democracy
April 2, 2010: The head of Puerto Rico Local 901 has been banned from the union. Members are demanding a real clean-up and a new election. Teamster members in Puerto Rico demonstrated outside their union last month demanding new elections in Local 901. Members rallied at the union hall and tried to present a petition to the Executive Board. Local 901 officials locked the doors and armed security guards blocked members from entering their own...
Pension Bills on Congress' Agenda
April 2, 2010: Pension legislation that could help Teamsters, or hurt us, has been proposed in both the House and Senate. The time is now for our union to get into high gear on this issue, including mobilizing our members and retirees. Take Action to Protect Teamster Pensions Click here to find out what you can do today. On March 22, Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa) announced the introduction of Senate Bill 3157, and he did...
Take Action Today to Protect Teamster Pensions
April 2, 2010: Pension legislation that could help Teamsters, or hurt us, has been proposed in both the House and Senate. Our job is to get a pension bill that not only helps our pension funds, but protects 100 percent of the pension credits earned by Teamsters and other workers. All the bills are complicated and likely to be amended in the House and Senate. Teamsters should contact their Representatives and Senators with two very...