International Brotherhood of Teamsters August 2005
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
REFORMLEAD AFL-CIO MOVEMENTTEAMSTERS TO INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS AUGUST 2005 PAGE 16 ORGANIZINGORGANIZING 1,0001,000 SchoolSchool WorkersWorkers JoinJoin LocalLocal 763763 www.teamster.org ININ THISTHIS ISSUEISSUE 8 2 TEAMSTER NEWS l Coke Teamsters Preserve Health Care FEATURES l Local 326 Saves Carhaul Jobs l Contract Victory At 8 Class Act Atlanta Gas Light 1,000 Seattle-Area School l Lab Assistants Join Workers Join Local 763 Local 283 l JAB Members Win 14 Politically Correct Boxing Titles Joint Council 25’s Political Program Is A Winner 20 ORGANIZING l Mail Center Workers 16 Growing The Union Join Local 117 2005 Unity Conference Focuses l On New Members Islandwide Express 16 Drivers Join Puerto Rico Local 26 The Power Of Diversity l Local 340 Welcomes Teamster Women Strategize For The Police Officers Future At Women’s Conference l Delivery Drivers Choose Local 25 32 Top Dogs l Bread Drivers Join K-9 Team Earns Honorary Local 734 Teamster Membership 3030 COURTCOURT MATERIALMATERIAL 26 22 A New World At Quebecor Teamsters, Company Reach www.teamster.org Organizing Agreement International Brotherhood of Teamsters 25 Louisiana Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001-2198 202-624-6800 The Teamster (ISSN 1083-2394) is the official publication of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, 25 Louisiana Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20001-2198. It is published eight times a year in February, March/April, May, June/July, August, September, October/November and December/January. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C. and at additional mailing offices. AUGUST 2005, VOLUME 102, NO. 5 © 2005 International Brotherhood of Teamsters. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Teamster, Affiliates Records Department, 25 Louisiana Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20001-2198. Subscription rates: $12 per year. Single copies, $2. (All orders payable in advance.) Members should send address changes to their local union. A MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL PRESIDENT Rebuilding The Labor Movement here has never been a greater time with their families. That was called the urgency to organize the American Dream, but that dream has been unorganized. stolen from American workers. Big Business has never been more That is why the Teamsters—along with the powerful than it is today. And the con- SEIU, UFCW, UNITE HERE, the Laborers sequences resulting from the domi- and the Carpenters—have formed the nance of corporate special interests are Change to Win Coalition, a new alliance all too familiar: low wages, jobs moving devoted to rebuilding American labor. We overseas, the erosion of worker protec- believe that the AFL-CIO must be reformed tions, disappearing pensions and sky- in order to lead a new, vibrant labor move- Trocketing health care costs for workers. In ment. Workers in America are under daily that kind of anti-worker environment, it’s not assault from unrestrained corporations, hos- easy being on your own. And with most tile political leadership, and a rapidly chang- politicians catering exclusively to the needs of ing global economy. Unfortunately, the orga- corporations, workers need a union to stand nization that is supposed to fight for Ameri- with them now more than ever. can workers—the AFL-CIO—is not struc- Workers in the retail sector are not happy tured to build real power for working people. making $7 an hour with no benefits. Construc- If American workers have a hope of reversing tion workers want and need on-the-job protec- the long slide in their living standards and tions. And truckers driving 16 hours a day to rights on the job, a revitalized labor move- make ends meet aren’t proud to be nonunion. ment is essential. We must marshal our collective resources American workers cannot win a better life and deploy them to make a difference for unless more workers belong to unions. By workers—to organize the unorganized and joining with the most progressive, dynamic grow our great union. The Teamsters Union unions in the land, we can begin to rebuild is committed to that vision. the labor movement and organize the 90 per- cent of private sector workers who don’t have Change to Win union representation. It is time to reclaim the My father worked tirelessly to build the American Dream. And working together is Teamsters Union and to bring American the key to success. workers into the middle class. When he was able to bring the entire trucking industry under one national contract, truck drivers and warehousemen were able to buy homes, send their kids to college, and have leisure www.teamster.org | AUGUST 2005 | TEAMSTER 1 TEAMSTER NEWS Pop Stoppage 2,000 Teamsters Preserve Health Care at Coke eamsters in California and said Chris Roos, President of power of the union behind us.” a large company and we really Connecticut won a battle Local 1035.“We went back and “Our brothers and sisters in have to watch them at every Twith Coca-Cola Enterpris- forth with the company, but in Hartford and Los Angeles did bargaining session because es (CCE) after going out on the end it was our persistence a terrific job negotiating and they always want to cut costs. strike until the corporation that counted.” the picketing targets were very With these contracts we were agreed to back down from its effective,”said Jack Cipriani, able to win an increase in demand that 2,000 workers Boycott Call Director of the Teamsters wages and strengthened bene- absorb more health care costs. In Los Angeles, Teamsters cir- Brewery and Soft Drink Work- fits for our members, the most CCE refused to negotiate in culated fliers at stores and ers Conference.“Coca-Cola is important things to us.” good faith with Local 1035 in baseball games asking con- South Windsor, Connecticut sumers to boycott Coke prod- and Locals 848, 896, 952 and ucts. Reminiscent of the 986 in the Los Angeles area. Ralph’s and Albertson’s gro- “It was a tough fight but cery workers’ fight over health our members stayed commit- care benefits in 2004, con- ted to seeing this through,” sumers stopped buying Coke said Jim Santangelo, President products—an impact felt by of Joint Council 42 and Secre- the company. tary-Treasurer of Local 848. “Even the customers at The workers stayed united Sam’s Clubs supported us,” against CCE, picketing until said Patrick Kelly, Secretary- they had ratified contracts in Treasurer of Local 952.“They both states. With the rising understood the health care cost of health care becoming a issue and how it hurt our larger problem in America, it members.” was of utmost importance that “All the locals really pulled workers win this fight. together to beat Coke,”said “This is a big win for the Steve Scalon, a garage 400 Coca-Cola drivers, ware- mechanic at Coca-Cola and housemen and vending member of Local 1035.“I felt machine drivers at our local,” like a true Teamster with the GENERAL EXECUTIVE BOARD James P.Hoffa VICE PRESIDENTS TEAMSTERS CANADA CENTRAL REGION EASTERN REGION SOUTHERN REGION WESTERN REGION TRUSTEES General President AT-LARGE Robert Bouvier, Patrick W. Flynn Jack Cipriani Tyson Johnson J. Allen Hobart Frank Gallegos 25 Louisiana Ave., NW Randy Cammack President 4217 South Halsted St. P.O. Box 35405 1007 Jonelle Street 553 John Street 207 North Sanborn Rd. Washington, DC 20001 845 Oak Park Road Teamsters Canada Chicago, IL 60609 Greensboro, NC 27425 Dallas, TX 75217 Seattle, WA 98109 Salinas, CA 93905 Covina, CA 91724 2540 Daniel Johnson C. Thomas Keegel Suite 804 Walter A. Lytle Ken Hall Ken Wood Chuck Mack Henry B. Perry Jr. General Secretary- Fred Gegare Laval, Quebec, Canada 2644 Cass Street 267 Staunton Ave. SW 5818 E. MLK Jr. Blvd. P.O. Box 2270 796 E. Brooks Ave. Treasurer 1546 Main Street H7T 2S3 Fort Wayne, IN 46808 South Charleston, WV Tampa, FL 33619 Oakland, CA 94621 Memphis, TN 38116 25 Louisiana Ave., NW Green Bay, WI 54302 25303 Washington, DC 20001 Tom Fraser Dotty Malinsky Jim Santangelo John Steger Carroll Haynes 1890 Meyerside Dr. 9409 Yukon Avenue S. John Murphy 818 Oak Park Road 25 Louisiana Ave., N.W. 216 West 14th Street Mississauga, Ontario Bloomington, MN 765 East Third Street Covina, CA 91724 Washington, DC 20001 New York, NY 10011 Canada L5T 1B4 55438 Boston, MA 02127 Tom O’Donnell Garnet Zimmerman Lester A. Singer Richard Volpe 1 Hollow Lane 7283 149th A Street 435 South Hawley St. 6 Tuxedo Avenue Suite 309 Surrey, B.C. Canada Toledo, OH 43609 New Hyde Park, NY Lake Success, NY 11042 V3S 11040 Philip E. Young Ralph J. Taurone 1668 N.W. 1000 Road 47 West 200 South Credighton, MO 64739 Suite 300 Salt Lake City, UT 84101 “Never Again” Family of BLET Member Meets With Congressman Setting The Bar n January 2005, the Seeling erupted from the accident and Valenzuela Wins Joe Hill Award family experienced a tragedy. covered part of the town. ITheir son, Chris Seeling, was Nine people died from inhal- fter racking up organizing victories for the Teamsters killed in a rail accident in ing the gas, including Seeling. Union for many years, Manny Valenzuela has scored a Graniteville, South Carolina. Thousands were evacuated Avictory of his own. Chris was an engineer for Nor- from their homes. Earlier this year, the Los Angeles County Federation of folk Southern and member of In May, Seeling’s family Labor presented Valenzuela,Western Region coordinator for the Brotherhood of Locomo- met with Rep. Jim Oberstar the Teamsters Organizing Department, with the Joe Hill tive Engineers and Trainmen (D-MN) and Don Hahs, Award for Organizing.