March 2, 2009: It’s bad enough that the majority of Teamster carhaulers are not working; now Local 604 reports that an International auditor working for IBT Secretary-Treasurer Tom Keegel has told the local union they should increase the dues of working carhaulers.

St. Louis Local 604 has posted on their website (www.teamsters604.org) a letter from local Secretary-Treasurer John Thyer in response, stating that the local will decline to raise dues. Thyer’s letter reports that after a routine audit, the local was told that carhaulers should be paying dues based on their annual earnings, not on the contract hourly rate. For a carhauler who is working long hours and making good money, this could raise dues to $100 per month or more.

Thanks to Local 604 for blowing the whistle, to help kill this idea.