November 7, 2012: Voters have spoken and re-elected Barack Obama as President of the United States.
No matter which candidate you voted for, the most important days for political action may just be ahead of us.
Unions, including the Teamsters Union, were key to the election outcome. They donated money and powered get out the vote efforts that carried key states: Ohio, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, among others.
With the election behind us, our union needs to remember a basic principle: the only thing that keeps politicians standing up straight is pressure from both sides.
After Election Day, What's Next?
Political action can't just be about election day.
Employers and corporate politicians are already preparing to come after social security, medicare and education.
The labor movement needs to be ready to respond with an agenda that looks out for working families.
The Teamsters Union can help lead the way by mobilizing members and teaming up with other unions and community groups, not only to elect politicians, but to hold them accountable and to fight for good jobs, social security, pension protection and union rights.
Hold Our Union Officials Accountable Too
The same rules apply to Teamsters when it comes to holding our elected union leaders accountable.
At contract time, members have a right to know what's going in negotiations and to have a say in the contracts we have to live under.
With TDU's help, Teamsters are getting organized with Make UPS Deliver, UPS Freight Talk, No Freight Concessions, and in local contracts too, to fight for the contract protections we need.
Take the first step and join TDU. You can sign-up online by clicking here.
Learn more about how you can get involved by clicking here.
Sign up for email updates, send us a message, and visit these websites to learn more about TDU's membership networks:
- Make UPS Deliver - www.MakeUPSDeliver.org
- UPS Freight Talk - www.UPSFreightTalk.org
- No Freight Concessions - www.NoFreightConcessions.org