November 12, 2007: Brad Slawson, Hoffa’s assistant and the chief negotiator with DHL, has stated that “part timers will be in the contract” because “DHL is demanding them.”
It’s time to sound the alarm, and time to ask every DHL Teamster to unite to stop this massive contract concession.
Slawson came on a rank-and-file conference call on Nov. 11 and made this admission. When members said it would destroy opportunities for overtime, he said DHL wants its overtime in line with the percentage of overtime UPS has. When it was pointed out that UPS drivers make over $6 more per hour, he had no comment. When asked what he proposed to get in exchange for this massive concession, he said he would work on that.
This dirty deed will be the new pick up and delivery (driver and dock) supplement that he is negotiating with DHL management.
This can be stopped and must be stopped if we want to save jobs worth having and a contract anywhere close to the NMFA. It can be stopped if members unite to make it clear they will Vote No on any contract that expands the use of part timers.
Fortunately, DHL Teamsters at most terminals are ready to Just Say No. It’s up to all of us to spread the word. We cannot be fooled by a promise of red circling current workers for protection. That’s a death sentence for our jobs and future.
International Union Ready to Sell-Out
Why the sell-out to DHL and Deutsche Post? Slawson claims they are losing money, so we have to give them big concessions. But many of us have read the reports and know that Deutsche Post feels DHL’s progress is on track.
When UPS expanded to Europe, they lost money there for 20 years, but they needed to grow in that market. Deutsche Post is doing the same thing.
But there is something that Slawson and Hoffa want from DHL: a “card check” agreement where DHL lets the union organize the air hubs, in exchange for Slawson’s sweetheart deal. We do need to organize DHL wall-to-wall, but should do it from strength, not by giving away decades of Teamster sweat and struggle in one contract.
Home Deliveries
There are plenty of other issues on the table as well. One that needs to be dealt with is our loss of work due to the home delivery deal with the post office. This deal originally was made as a start-up, with the promise that as business grew, the delivery work would return to DHL. A committee was set-up to monitor it, and a formula was agreed to for the recapture of our work. It never happened.
It’s time to end that deal and bring the work back to DHL Teamsters.
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