1. How soon after the formation of the IBT did reformers challenge an incumbent president? Two years. A slate of reformers narrowly lost against Cornelius Shea in 1905. In 1957, reformers ran against James Hoffa. They lost, but lawsuits over the election led to a board of monitors being put in place to oversee the IBT. 2. Which Teamster leader was beaten and nearly killed by opponents? In 1908 Shea was nearly killed by opponents...

March 16, 2006: It has been nearly four years since a special IBT Convention was held to raise dues from two hours pay to 2.5 hours pay. In that time, an additional $525 million has been raised as a result of the dues hike. Members are asking, where did that money go? Here we present some factual answers, based on financial reports obtained from the union, including the 2005 General Secretary Treasurer report. Who got...

Ever since UPS announced it would buy Overnite Transportation, the Hoffa administration has been promising to unveil a “comprehensive plan to both organize Overnite and win a good contract.” Teamster members and officers are still waiting. Nine months have passed. During that time, Hoffa has issued six press releases trumpeting plans, meetings, and the union’s “renewed commitment to organizing Overnite.” Last June, the IBT called Teamster leaders from every UPS local to Chicago for a...

March 16, 2006: Have you seen the photo of Overnite’s new tractor trailers? The ones that say UPS Freight on them? Right there, in a snapshot, is the biggest threat facing our union. UPS is officially rebranding Overnite as UPS Freight. The best-known name in trucking, and the deepest pockets in the business, are now behind our main nonunion rival in the freight industry. UPS Freight also gives management and UPS Logistics a home-grown nonunion...

Six months after buying Overnite Transportation, UPS unveiled its plan on Feb. 28 to change Overnite’s name to UPS Freight. The company’s equipment will sport a new logo that combines Overnite’s with the UPS brown. “Overnite Goes Brown” screamed the headlines in the trucking press. But this change is about a lot more than looks and a logo. The launching of UPS Freight is part of a long-term plan by UPS management to wed a...

1. How soon after the formation of the IBT did reformers challenge an incumbent president? ___Two years ___Twenty-eight years ___Fifty-four years ___Eighty-eight years 2. Which Teamster leader was beaten and nearly killed by opponents? ___ Ron Carey ___ Pete Camarata ___ Cornelius Shea ___ Tony Provenzano 3. Which Teamster leader likened himself to a Roman emperor? ___Tom Keegel ___Jackie Presser ___Mike Ruscigno ___Dane Passo 4. Which are victories won by TDU? __ Stopped unreasonable rules...

Before TDU won the right for direct elections of delegates, women and minorities hardly ever made it to the floor of the Teamster Convention. The Right to Vote helped that situation. As we look forward to building a movement that includes the voices of all Teamsters, TDU would like to take advantage of Women’s History Month to acknowledge some exceptional women who have fought for their sisters and brothers against the corruption of previous Teamster...

Review: "I Heard You Paint Houses": Frank 'the Irishman' Sheeran and the Inside Story of the Mafia, the Teamsters, and the Final Ride of Jimmy Hoffa. "I heard you paint houses." Those are the first words Jimmy Hoffa ever spoke to Frank Sheeran, who would become a top Teamster official in the 1960s and '70s as well as a hired killer for Hoffa and the mob. The words refer to the splatter of blood when...

March 16, 2006: When the Central States Pension Fund trustees, led by chairman Fred Gegare, made drastic cuts two years ago, Teamsters knew their futures were not as secure as they once assumed. Those close to retirement paid the most attention, and took the lead in the Teamster fightback. These Teamsters thought they were set after nearly 30 years of hard work and couldn’t imagine top Teamster officials joining with the companies in such an...

On July 24th, Minnesota unionists and other social justice activists held a day-long celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the 1934 Minneapolis Teamsters Strike. In the summer of 1934, truck drivers demanding that employers recognize and bargain with their union shut down all freight and delivery traffic in and out of Minneapolis for weeks. “Flying squads” of picketers patrolled the streets, stopping all non-union deliveries. Business, supported by the local police, cracked down violently. Two...