DHL Teamsters Unite for a Good Contract
August 23, 2007: DHL Teamsters are organizing nationally to defend the National Master Freight Agreement and win a good contract for all DHL Teamsters. They’ve already scored one major victory when they forced the Hoffa administration to scrap a “Draft National Agreement” that was riddled with concessions. For months, some DHL Teamsters have heard about secret bargaining between DHL management and Brad Slawson, an assistant to James Hoffa. Then on July 25, the stinky stuff...
Letting UPS Withdraw Would Weaken Our Union’s Power
August 23, 2007: The assets of the Central States Pension Fund are on the rise and our union will lose long-term power in dealing with management if we let UPS split from the fund. Those are the findings of pension experts and industry observers according to areport in this month’s Traffic World magazine. That’s exactly why our union should reject UPS’s bid to break up the Central States fund. Instead, we should be negotiating benefit...
UPSers Eye Early Deal
August 23, 2007: Sept. 19 will mark the one-year anniversary of the most secretive UPS contract negotiations in Teamster history. Before the month is out, Teamsters at UPS may have a contract to vote on. Teamsters at UPS need to be prepared to evaluate any offer carefully to make sure it includes the improvements in wages, benefits and contract language that members deserve. UPS management has a proven track record of floating weak offers to...
An Open Letter to DHL Teamsters
August 23, 2007: Brothers and Sisters, I am a DHL driver and union committeeman in Pittsburgh Local 249. DHL Teamsters in our local are STRONGLY opposed to any negotiations with the goal of taking DHL out of the NMFA. When we got word that this may be in the works, we shifted into high gear to organize against it. Thankfully, we gathered a lot of support from other DHL Teamsters around the country who understand...
Will the Real Teamster Leaders Please Stand Up?
August 23, 2007: “It is the Teamsters’ pension—and particularly the multi-employer plan—that gives the union much of its draw and power, industry observers say.” —Traffic World Magazine, August 17, 2007. Every Teamster officer should know that, and most of them do. So why isn’t there a huge outcry from our union leaders against UPS’s move to split the Central States Pension Plan? Where are the leaders in the Freight Division and our International Vice Presidents?...
Rising Employer Contributions Mean Higher Pension
August 23, 2007: If UPS or ABF or any other corporation says they will do better than a $3,000 pension at 30 years, keep in mind that with the increased funding, that’s not hard to do. The Central States Fund is paying that now—and will be paying a lot more in a few years. A Teamster under the national contracts, or contracts with similar pension contributions, now accrues $132 per month pension for each year...
UPS Attacks Full-Time Jobs
August 23, 2007: In 1997, Teamsters at UPS made history by forcing the company to create 10,000 new full-time jobs by combining 20,000 part-time jobs. Now UPS is trying to turn back the clock by stopping new full-time job creation—and even eliminating existing full-time jobs. Ask Nicky Gladwin. In April, UPS management at the San Marcos hub in San Diego told this combo worker and 11-year Teamster that she was being laid off and reduced...
Language Needed to Protect UPS Drivers from Spy Technology
August 23, 2007: As previously reported in Convoy, UPS is preparing to implement new technology that will enable management to monitor drivers like never before. Our National Negotiating Committee began negotiations by submitting strong new language to protect Teamsters from discipline resulting from the new spy technology. UPS Teamsters need to make sure this language is in the final agreement. The case of Local 391 Teamster Ron Revels—a 21-year Teamster who was fired for cutting...
Local 743 Race Heats Up
August 23, 2007: By Richard Berg: The 11,000 hospital, custodial, clerical, and manufacturing workers of Teamster Local 743 will get something they haven’t had recently: a fair local election. And Teamster reformers are pushing hard to give Local 743 members a choice in this election. I’m proud to be running for principal officer on the 743 New Leadership Slate. Weak Representation Our local has weak contracts and poor representation. The employers smell weakness and they...
Hours of Service Regs Set to Change
August 23, 2007: Truck drivers will return to the 10-hour maximum driving time on Sept. 14, unless the trucking employers are successful in getting the court to stay its July 24 ruling. As of late August, drivers still don’t know what the regulations will be after Sept. 14. Neither do the carriers. In a victory for truck drivers and highway safety, the court threw out the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) revised rules...