Future Officers: Big Shoes to Fill

The TDU Convention needs to teach members what to do if they win a local election. It should cover the daily business of officers and agents, from each position’s point of view.

Our good future officers have got big shoes to fill!

Bob Leslie
Local 120, Cemstone
Minneapolis

P.S.—See you at the Convention in Chicago.

Editor’s note: Good point, Bob. The TDU Convention will include special workshops for union officers, stewards, and other local leaders. Click here for more information.

Think Twice on the First Offer

If anyone who reads this actually believes that the sad excuse for leaders at Teamster Headquarters are going to win us the best contract possible, then I have ocean-front property in Kansas I would love to sell you.

I have been in the Teamsters since 1972. This last contract was the worst I have seen. We lost ground. We now have a contract that is longer than ever, with worse working conditions and poorer insurance.

Remember this: do you accept the first offer when you are buying a new car? NO. Then why take the first one Big Daddy Jim says is so good?

Wilson Allen
Local 728, UPS
Carrollton, Ga.

Pension Pullout: A Strike Issue

I was appalled to read that the Teamsters would consider allowing ABF to withdraw from our pension funds. I worked for a multitude of freight companies—ABF was the last. I was able to retire with a pretty good pension because of our multiemployer plan.

If each of those companies had their own pension plan, I would have been out of luck.

I can thank the 1950s Teamster leadership who had the foresight to negotiate a multiemployer plan for my pension. These people must be rolling over in their graves with even the suggestion that we would allow freight companies to withdraw from our pension funds—this should be a definite strike issue.

Daniel Sternbach
Local 443, Retired
New Haven, Conn.