Local 804 members beat concessions and pension cuts, won new rights in their local bylaws, and organized to rebuild union power.

Local 804 members got an early start on building Teamster Power in 2008—by defeating concessions and pension cuts in December 2007.

Members held a series of rank-and-file meetings and launched a Vote No campaign—after UPS and Local 804 negotiators cut a concessionary contract deal that included pension cuts.

Members voted the contract down by three to one and UPS was forced to take the concessions off the table—including its demand to eliminate 25 & Out pensions for new Teamsters.

Jim ReynoldsWinning New Rights

Members could have gone back to business as usual then, but they didn’t. Instead, they formed a rank-and-file committee called Local 804 Members United.

“We wanted to get to the root of the problem, one of which is the lack of information members were getting from our union,” said Jim Reynolds, an alternate steward and a founding member of Local 804 Members United.

Local 804 Members United launched a petition drive to change the Local 804 bylaws to require officers to keep members informed during bargaining and to report on the pension and health funds at every membership meeting.

They collected over 2,000 signatures on a petition to change the Local 804 bylaws and voted through the changes by a more than 90 percent.

Benefits Watchdog

Local 804 Members United have monitored the local’s benefit funds—and exposed serious problems to the membership.

An investigation by the group uncovered that the Local 804 Health Fund had lost $18 million in assets in just four years—and that Local 804 officials had diverted millions of dollars in contributions from the Health Fund to the Pension Fund without ever telling the members.

Using their rights under the Pension Protection Act, members have forced UPS and Local 804 to turn over financial documents that they had mismanaged the Pension Fund’s assets for years—putting members’ benefits at risk.

“The last couple of years have been a real wake-up call as far as our pension is concerned,” said Bill Reynolds, a package car driver on Long Island and one of the members who pressed the fund to release the documents.

Tim SylvesterLooking Ahead to 2009

“We all have a responsibility to leave our union stronger than it was when we got here. That’s what Local 804 Members United is all about,” said Tim Sylvester, a 29-year Teamster and Local 804 shop steward.

“Brown can’t move a package in New York City without a Local 804 Teamster: that gives us power. Our local used to use it to win top contracts and pensions.”

“Local 804 members used to feel that power. We want to bring the pride and the power back,” Sylvester said.

Working together, the members of Local 804 Members United are on the road to doing just that.

Teamsters for a Democratic Union is running a series of stories about Teamster members who made a difference in 2008. Click here to read more stories in our series.

You can help make a positive difference in our union in 2009. Click here to join Teamsters for a Democratic Union and become a part of our movement.

Chicago Local 705 mounted a credible a strike threat—twice—to win new full-time jobs and contract gains for 10,000 Teamsters at UPS.

Chicago Local 705 Teamsters are proud of their local’s independence and power. The 10,000 UPS Teamsters in Local 705 are covered by a separate agreement from the national UPS contract.

Twice over the past year, Local 705 used strike threats against UPS to deliver gains for working Teamsters.

The first strike threat brought a multi-year campaign against supervisors working to a victorious conclusion.

Over a three-year period, Local 705 business agents and shop stewards won a total of 4,000 to 5,000 grievances—including 700-plus grievance settlements where the company agreed to cease and desist from having supervisors work.

The Local 705 contract gives the local the right to strike if UPS does not comply with grievance resolutions.

When supervisors continued to work despite the “cease and desist” agreements, Local 705 smacked UPS with a 72-hour notice that the union would strike UPS for its failure to abide by grievance decisions. The strike threat brought the company to the table to seriously negotiate the creation of additional jobs.

As a result, Local 705 forced UPS to create new package car and part-time jobs and to curb future supervisors working violations.

Contract Talks Go to the Wire

The second strike threat came before Aug. 1, 2008, the day of the expiration of Local 705’s contract with UPS. Local 705 did not settle early when the International Union did but used the contract expiration deadline to maximize their bargaining leverage.

The local printed up T-shirts that said, “August 1, We’re Done.”

More than three thousand Local 705 members turned out to the union hall to participate in a vote to authorize a strike against UPS. Five hundred members were lined up at 9:00 a.m. when the doors opened to start the voting. Balloting continued until 5 p.m.

Members voted to authorize a strike should one be necessary by an overwhelming margin of 2,993 to 232.

The union bargained down to the wire, negotiating to the last day before expiration. Management was forced to start diverting packages away from Chicago, and major shippers were near to canceling shipping contracts.

The union also put nearly 200 deadlocked grievances on the table, to end management stonewalling.

On the last day of negotiations, the company dropped its hard-line approach and agreed to some key union demands.

A priority union goal was to win stronger contract language, and Local 705 won improvements on such issues as seniority and bidding rights, air operation and an improved grievance procedure.

Members won an extra personal day off each year, and an extra week vacation (8 weeks total) at 30 years seniority. The contract also delivered a large number of new feeder shuttle jobs.

Teamsters for a Democratic Union wishes Teamster members and their families a happy holidays.

Let’s resolve to move our union in a positive direction in 2009.

Local 743 used to be run by officials who cut deals behind closed doors and kept members in the dark.

That all changed on January 1, 2008, when the New Leadership Slate took office in the 12,000-member local.

George Simpson, Local 743 StewardNow Local 743 members are on the front lines of winning stronger contracts and fighting for all workers.

Teamsters at Friends Family Health Center had gone for 18 months without a contract. The new leadership launched a contract campaign and won a new contract with wage improvements for the Teamsters there.

At the University of Chicago Medical Center, members hadn’t voted for stewards in many years. Local 743 called new elections, and now members have new, elected stewards there to protect their rights.

In May, Local 743 members and leaders joined community members from across Chicago and marched for immigrant rights.

And earlier this month, when workers at Republic Windows and Doors occupied their factory, Local 743 officers and members were there to support their fight.

“It’s only been a year but you can see the changes in our union. Members are speaking up and getting results,” said George Simpson, a Local 743 steward. “We need more members involved so we can do more to make our union strong.”

Teamsters for a Democratic Union is running a series of stories about Teamster members who made a difference in 2008. Click here to read more stories in our series.

You can help make a positive difference in our union in 2009. Click here to join Teamsters for a Democratic Union and become a part of our movement.

Read about Teamsters who made a difference in 2008--defeating givebacks, winning strong contracts, tossing crooked officials and building reform locals.

Let's resolve to work together to put movement back in the labor movement in 2009.

Click here to make a donation to support TDU's work in 2009.

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Local 804 Members United
Local 804 members beat concessions and pension cuts, won new rights in their local bylaws, and organized to rebuild union power. Read more.

 

Local 705 Takes on UPS
Chicago Local 705 mounted a credible strike threat—twice—to win new full-time jobs and contract gains for 10,000 Teamsters at UPS. Read more.

 

New Leadership for Chicago Local 743

Local 743 used to be run by officials who cut deals behind closed doors and kept members in the dark. That all changed on January 1, 2008, when the New Leadership Slate took office in the 12,000-member local. Read more.

 

Carhaulers Unite against Givebacks
Earlier this year, Teamster carhaulers went into national bargaining with the deck stacked against them. But in a decisive vote on August 11, carhaulers united to beat back concessions. Read more.

 

Vegas Teamsters Expose Sweetheart Deals, Throw Out Officials
Teamsters in Las Vegas Local 631 will have new leadership next year, thanks to members who voted out officials who were cutting sweetheart deals. Read more.

 

Baltimore Teamsters Build a Force for Change
Last spring, Baltimore Teamsters had their pensions cut to zero. Now they are building a force for change. Read more.

 

Sotheby’s Teamsters Stop a Decade of Givebacks
Four years ago, Local 814 Teamsters at Sotheby’s were locked out and took major concessions. This year, they won their best contract in more than a decade. Read more.

December 22, 2008: TDU salutes Teamsters who made a difference in 2008, like carhaulers who united to fight concessions.

“We learned in 2008 that carhaulers can have power when we get informed, spread the word, and work together,” said Ken Kontrath.Earlier this year, Teamster carhaulers went into national bargaining with the deck stacked against them. But in a decisive vote on August 11, carhaulers united to beat back concessions.

They rejected the national contact and all three regional supplements, and they forced most concessions off the table.

Paul Kubal, a driver for Jack Cooper in Detroit Local 299, summed it up: “We beat back the concessions that both the companies and our union bargainers claimed they had to have. We knew times were tough but we stood strong in preserving our contract. That took organization to get it done, and that’s where TDU comes in.”

Despite all the odds against workers battling concessions in the auto industry, carhaulers said No and made it stick.

Tom Landwehr, a driver in Nashville Local 327 who was an observer at the vote count, said he was very nervous as they started the count. It was hard to believe that members could beat the employers and International officials. “But then the No votes just kept piling up.”

Concessions defeated include:

• a tiered progression wage for new-hires;


• Article 53.1 in the West, which would have allowed union carriers to open nonunion terminals;


• the use of GPS to fire drivers;


• a five-tour concession that would have allowed companies to force drivers out for a week;


• and the elimination of equalization of loads between terminals.

Teamster carhaulers didn’t win all they wanted, but they got a taste of what organized members can do. Now they want to build on that start.

“We learned in 2008 that carhaulers can have power when we get informed, spread the word, and work together,” said Ken Kontrath, a PMT driver in San Jose Local 287. “But we also learned that we could achieve a whole lot more if we don’t wait till the last minute. We won’t make that mistake again.”

Carhaulers are organizing now to build a strong national network of members, stewards and local officers, in conjunction with Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU).

Teamsters for a Democratic Union is running a series of stories about Teamster members who made a difference in 2008.

You can help make a positive difference in our union in 2009. Click here to join Teamsters for a Democratic Union and become a part of our movement.

Members Who Made a Difference: Next >

Teamsters in Las Vegas Local 631 will have new leadership next year, thanks to members who voted out officials who were cutting sweetheart deals.

Earlier this year, members in the Las Vegas convention industry exposed blew the whistle on a scheme where the union set up a nonunion hiring hall inside the union hall.

Nonunion workers paid $60 to take jobs that should have gone to union members. Union members got their hours cut. And family members of the executive board got in on the deal.

Members elected a slate led by rank-and-file members who pledged honest leadership and an end to sweetheart deals.

Click here to read more about their election victory in the Las Vegas Sun.

Click here to read the original Las Vegas Sun article that exposed sweetheart deals in the convention industry.

Teamsters for a Democratic Union is running a series of stories about Teamster members who made a difference in 2008. Click here to read more stories in our series.

You can help make a positive difference in our union in 2009. Click here to join Teamsters for a Democratic Union and become a part of our movement.

Last spring, Baltimore Teamsters had their pensions cut to zero. Now they are building a force for change.

Local 355 pension trustees had left members in the dark for years about how their fund was doing. And local president Denis Taylor refused to tell members how long the cuts would last, or what his plan was to improve benefits.

Members were angry. Some were ready to give up on their union. But a few started to get organized.

“Our officials kept us in the dark about our benefits, and they refused to tell members their plan to make improvements,” said Kenny Walker, a UPS package car driver in the local. “But we started getting organized. We held meetings and passed out petitions. We told members that we could make a difference in our union.”

Members started holding monthly TDU meetings, set up a website, and launched a campaign to win a Pension Bill of Rights that would guarantee members the right to have a say when changes are made in their benefits.

Over 600 members signed a petition in favor of the Pension Bill of Rights. Members started demanded regular updates about the status of the pension fund at local union meetings—and officials agreed.

Now Maryland Teamsters are organizing a TDU chapter, and they’re going to hold regular meetings in 2009, plus educational workshops.

“We still have a long way to go. We need to hold our officials to their word that we will get regular updates from our fund,” said Walker. “We’re now a force for change in our union.”

Teamsters for a Democratic Union is running a series of stories about Teamster members who made a difference in 2008. Click here to read more stories in our series.

You can help make a positive difference in our union in 2009. Click here to join Teamsters for a Democratic Union and become a part of our movement.

Four years ago, Local 814 Teamsters at Sotheby’s were locked out and took major concessions. This year, they won their best contract in more than a decade.

In July, Sotheby’s Teamsters won a new contract that includes a hike in starting pay that closes the pay gap between newer and older workers and language improvement that strengthens union power.

The contract victory culminates a year-long campaign by rank-and-file members who worked with Teamsters for a Democratic Union to develop a strategy for winning a strong contract.

“Last time, management had a comprehensive plan for how to weaken the union by changing contract language section by section,” explained David Martinez, assistant shop steward and member of the bargaining committee. “This time, it was the rank-and-file members of the bargaining committee who had systematically gone through the contract and made changes that would strengthen the union.

“That’s what happened in the past. We let management create tiers that trapped members at the bottom of the pay scale and divided the workforce. This time, we went on the offensive and won pay increases that closed the pay gap.”

Read more about how Sotheby’s Teamsters turned around a decade of givebacks.

This story is the first in a series about Teamster members who made a difference in 2008. Click here to read more stories in our series.

You can help make a positive difference in our union in 2009. Click here to join Teamsters for a Democratic Union and become a part of our movement.

December 16, 2008: The rise and fall of Teamster reformer Ron Carey, who died December 11, is still a much contested tale. His political demise, a decade ago, was a tragedy for some and a case of hypocrisy punished to others. In the demonology of current Teamster leaders, Carey left the union in financial trouble and personal disgrace, after serving as president from 1992 to 1997. A jury later absolved him of criminal responsibility for the illegal fundraising activities of some of his supporters when he ran for re-election in 1996. Even though these backers enriched themselves without his knowledge or approval, the scandal gave Carey-bashers a damaging propaganda line: "Mr Clean" was a "fraud" and a "crook" himself, no better than any other Teamster bad guy ousted from the union, before or since.

Click here to read more at The Nation.