Yellow’s proposed Office Change of Operations reared its head again and will be heard just days after this is printed, on Dec. 7 in Kansas City. The proposal would move work to Sioux Falls, but not move a single Teamster. It was first slated to be heard in September, but postponed after a barrage of questions and protests from members, stewards and locals. Teamsters are concerned that the real goal of the proposal is to...

December 5, 2006:All local and International officials from the Western Region have been invited by International Vice President Jim Santangelo to spend a week at Waikiki Beach in Honolulu in late February. Then, officials with local pension funds can stay an extra week in early March at a pension trustee educational. Some local officials have pointed out to Santangelo their embarrassment at having to face questions from members about these union-paid trips to tropical resorts....

Teamster members of GCC Local 4-N at the San Francisco Chronicle have spent the last few years fighting for a decent contract that upholds industry standards for union pressmen. Despite their united struggle, they were forced to accept concessions by lack of support from the top Teamster leadership. In an Oct. 13 letter, GCC President (and IBT Vice President-elect) George Tedeschi ordered Local 4-N’s leadership to hold a meeting for Chronicle workers to vote on...

March 2, 2007: The House of Representatives voted by a margin of 241–185 to pass the Employee Free Choice Act H.R. 800, which would level the playing field when workers seek to organize a union. Thirteen Republicans joined 228 Democrats in voting for the bill. Two Democrats and 183 Republicans voted against the bill. Contact your U.S. Senators today to urge them to vote for the Senate version of the bill sponsored by Ted Kennedy....

The party is back on in the Central Region, too. The 2007 UPS grievance panels for the Central Region will be held at resorts in Florida and Las Vegas. Since the members and stewards who need to attend are in the Midwest, these seem to be planned more around golf outings than representation. In July they will hold one panel in the region: next to a golf resort in Traverse City, Mich.

February 27, 2007: Now is the time to win a strong new contract for the 1,200 Local 320 Teamsters at the University of Minnesota, members say. “We’re bargaining from a position of strength this year,” said Erik Jensen, a janitor at the University. “Some of the new people in the legislature got there because voters are so mad at funding cuts for education. We’ve got to use this opportunity to get the best contract we...

February 27, 2007: With no support from their local, Teamsters at the University of Chicago are getting ready for a rank-and-file contract campaign. The contract between Local 743 and the university expires on March 1. Rank-and-file activists are circulating a petition calling for increased job security, fair treatment from managers, and a raise above the cost of living. “We usually get a three percent annual raise,” said Joe Sexauer, a Local 743 clerical at the...

February 27, 2007: While most Teamster pension plans have some type of “re-employment rule” that prohibits retirees from drawing a pension while performing certain work, the biggest problems with the rule have been with the Central States Pension Fund. Despite a successful struggle to improve the rule, problems still exist. Recently the fund trustees went after a Teamster retiree in Ohio who was working driving used cars—not on a truck, just driving used cars to...

February 27, 2007: UPS is preparing to implement new technology that will monitor drivers like never before. With their new gadgets, the company won’t have to send a supervisor on your route to spy on your methods. Their new technology amounts to an electronic OJS. As part of early bargaining, our Teamster negotiators have proposed strong language to protect drivers from discipline resulting from the new technology. Winning this new language is a must. The...

February 27, 2007: Teamsters at UPS are building a national rank-and-file network to share information and unite members to Make UPS Deliver the contract we deserve. You can help. Visit www.MakeUPSDeliver.org Sign up for email updates. You can also register to post comments and swap opinions with other UPS Teamsters. Spread the Word Post and pass out contract updates where you work. Contact us and let us know you can be part of the Make...