April 22, 2006: The United Teamsters Against Hoffa Slate swept all six positions in the convention delegate race in Pontiac, Mich. Local 614—the home local of General President James Hoffa.

Hoffa hand-picked Local 614 and transferred his membership there because he considered it safe territory. But Teamsters have turned against Hoffa in his adopted home local.

“It’s time for Jimmy to get out of there. We need a union man running our International, not a lawyer who’s never made a living driving a truck or working on a dock or doing other Teamster work,” said Robert Tibbals, a USF Holland road driver and elected delegate on the UTAH Slate.

Hoffa’s defeated slate was led by International Representative Earl Walker and Karen Lankford, the Hoffa 2006 Campaign Treasurer.

Key issues on the UTAH platform were pension cuts and the dues increase. But this is one race where the slate name defined what was at stake in the race.

Hoffa’s own local is carried by a slate called United Teamsters Against Hoffa. It doesn’t get any clearer than that.

Check out the Tom Leedham Strong Contracts, Good Pensions Website at www.leedham2006.org.