March 11, 2009: A federal judge in New York March 9 dismissed Cintas Corp.'s racketeering and trademark infringement claims against UNITE HERE, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and their labor federation Change to Win (Cintas Corp. v. UNITE HERE, S.D.N.Y., No. 08cv2185, 3/9/09). Even accepting as true the allegations in the 105-page amended complaint, Judge William H. Pauley of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York held that the “corporate campaign”...

The Queens Chronicle reports on the Celebration of the Life & Work of Ron Carey. by Jon Blau, Chronicle Contributor 03/05/2009 Tim Sylvester, a shop steward with the Local 804 union, surveyed the ballroom packed to remember Ron Carey. While he did so, Sylvester focused on one of the few empty chairs among a couple hundred at Saturday’s memorial, a reminder of the late union leader, who died in December. The first democratically elected president...

March 6, 2009: A confidential memo obtained by TDU reveals that a UPS boss in Chicago is apparently drinking too much coffee. Either that, or he thinks he’s General Patton. Check out this management memo, “March Cost Cutting Initiatives,” that went to UPS building managers in the Chicago area. It’s worth reading to get a feel for what the tie-guys often do when pressure comes down from above: they stick it to the employees. The...

March 5, 2009: The AFL-CIO Executive Council March 4 authorized AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney and some members of the smaller AFL-CIO Executive Committee to continue discussions with the unions of Change to Win and the National Education Association to attempt to unify the labor movement. The AFL-CIO council is meeting here through March 5. A statement adopted by the council noted that four years ago internal discussions among the AFL-CIO and a number of...

March 2, 2009: The decisions from the February meeting of the National Grievance Panel in Ft. Lauderdale are now available online. Click here to download the decisions. The UPS National Grievance Committee settles national disputes and grievances that have been deadlocked at both the local and regional levels. The Package Division has a computerized record of all panel and arbitration decisions. Why don’t they make it available to stewards and members to help with contract...

March 2, 2009: A move by Oak Harbor Freight Lines Inc. to give workers returning from a 157-day strike a reduced benefits package and to suspend 13 workers on “suspicious grounds” could incite another strike by members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the union announced Feb. 27. Union members began returning to work Feb. 25. According to the union, however, company documents show Oak Harbor “is preparing to illegally eliminate” the health care plan...

March 2, 2009: UPS is destroying full-time jobs that are guaranteed by our contract. Members are uniting to tell the company: ‘Part-Time America Won’t Work.’ It’s the worst economy in more than 75 years and good full-time jobs are an endangered species. Our union’s largest freight employer, Yellow Roadway Corporation, eliminated thousands of jobs in February. Many other Teamsters are threatened by downsizing. In these tough times, our International Union leaders should be working overtime...

March 2, 2009: Many freight Teamsters are concerned about the direction our union is headed in—and they’re getting organized to do something about it. Concerned Teamsters are traveling to other freight terminals, distributing Convoy, and asking other members to get involved in our movement for change. Here’s what they’re doing—and ideas for what you can do in your local, too. “I went out to USF Holland and passed out the most recent issue of Convoy....

March 2, 2009: Here’s one way YRC can cut costs: make Teamsters work off the clock. That’s what Roadway management is trying to do at their West Palm Beach, Fla. terminal. Pick-up and delivery drivers there have to fill out an Hours of Service log whenever they work over 12 hours. For years, P&D drivers have filled out these logs on paid, company time. Now a new terminal manager is insisting that drivers fill out...

March 2, 2009: Jack Cooper, operating as PMT in the West, has lost GM traffic in Los Angeles and Milpitas, Calif. to a nonunion outfit called Harbor Auto Transport. Over half of the drivers working have been laid off. Los Angeles Local 63’s carhaul BA, Bob Doss, has consistently blamed the workers for not taking big concessions. The company continues to pressure the drivers to take a flat rate concession. 30-Day Notice Jack Cooper has...