February 26, 2010: The good news: Central States assets increased $2 billion last year. The bad news: The fund is still in deep trouble. The assets of the Central States Pension Fund increased by some $2 billion in 2009, ending the year at $19.6 billion. That’s the good news. The bad news is the fund continues to be in deep trouble, and will have to make 12 percent on its investments just to tread water...

February 26, 2010: YRC Teamsters—except in Chicago Local 710—have approved concessions that terminate participation in our pension plans until the end of this year, but resume on January 1. Will that plan work out—and is there a way to make it work? These questions have serious implications for our freight division, our pension plans and our Teamster members and families. Many YRC Teamsters worry this deal isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. YRC’s pension...

February 26, 2010: The Teamsters and YRCW are working together to support proposed pension legislation that would help both the company and union pension plans. It’s up to our union to make sure that Teamster retirees are protected in the process. The Teamsters Union and YRCW are both supporting proposed legislation to strengthen union pension plans. One aspect of the proposed legislation would give funds more time to recover from the stock market collapse. This...

It’s not too early to save the date for this year's TDU Convention, November 5-7 at the Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare. Are you concerned about where our union is going, and ready to do your part? Then the TDU Convention is for you. Hear success stories from members and officers who are enforcing our contracts, defending our benefits, and fighting for the future of our union. Learn from Officers & Members “I’ve been going to...

February 26, 2010: Teamsters at the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Los Angeles are demanding a basic union principle: the right to vote for their chief steward. They shouldn’t have to be petitioning for it, because this right is guaranteed in the Local 896 bylaws under Section 12. But Rene Medrano and other Local 896 officials ignored the bylaws, removed the elected chief steward for the bottling and packaging department, then appointed another member and canceled a...

February 26, 2010: On trial for assaulting a member. Caught using thugs to dole out jobs under a sham contract. Under grand jury investigation. IBT Trade Show Director John Perry is out of control. But Hoffa tells members there’s nothing he can do. John Perry and JoJo BurhoeThe International Union’s Trade Show Division Director is on trial for assaulting a member after he filed a grievance. So is his number one enforcer, a violent criminal...

February 26, 2010: Contracts covering thousands of Southern California grocery and warehouse Teamsters are up this fall. Teamster warehouse jobs are on the line. Contracts expire in September for over 8,000 Teamsters in seven locals at some of Southern California’s biggest grocers and warehouses, including Albertsons, Ralphs, Vons/Safeway, Unified, and more. The future of union jobs in warehousing is at stake. Just ask Teamsters at Ralphs. This year, Ralphs opened a brand-new automated warehouse in...

February 26, 2010: Over the years TDU has been a very effective and informative organization. We have taken on the fight to improve all Teamster members’ quality of life within the union. We have fought and won many victories for the members: winning major grievances, overturning terminations, back pay, better health benefits and better pensions—just to name a few. Workers have precious rights and TDU has always fought to ensure that these rights are upheld....

February 26, 2010: Congratulations on a very informative Teamster Voice. While reading it, it occurred to me to remind our fellow Teamsters that instead of one enemy, the greedy corporations, we have two: the leadership at the IBT who go along with the corporate chiefs and threaten any member who dares to stand up for working Teamsters. Tiered wages must be eliminated. Guaranteed personal time off. Set a limit on forced overtime. No more excessive...

February 25, 2010. YRC continues to push forward with further consolidation they claim is a response to inefficiencies and poor economic conditions. One proposal would move about 300 road jobs and 100 dock and city jobs. The other reduces the number of utility employees by 18. The Change of Operations includes the elimination of some meet and turns and the reduction of road drivers at end-of-line terminals. The proposal calls for the elimination of “duplicate...