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upsWINTER 2009 TEAMSTTEAMSTA Magazine for Teamsters at United Parcel Service EERR We Want to Hear from You Ready, Set, Go Union! Local 597 Sponsors The UPS Teamster magazine Member’s Stock Car focuses as much as possible Electing Obama on individual Teamsters UPS Teamsters Get Out the Vote working in the parcel industry, but there are plenty of untold stories about you. The only way we can know about them is if you let us know. resting If you have an inte ur job or as story relating to yo e-mail a Teamster, please [email protected] UPSTeamsterMaga or write to: azine UPS Teamster Mag N.W. 25 Louisiana Ave. 0001 UPS Freight Washington, D.C. 2 Members Reap Benefits Teamster Contract Valued by New Members IN THIS ISSUE WINTER 09 FROM THE GENERAL PRESIDENT DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE JAMES P. HOFFA KEN HALL SUCCESS! UPS Freight Milestone his past November, our I am proud to count more country witnessed history than 12,600 UPS Freight Twhen Barack Obama was drivers and dockworkers in elected 44th president of the 42 states as fellow Teamsters. United States. A friend of the There are countless stories 23 Teamsters and strong ally to out there of workers who 2 organized labor, Obama brings were fired or punished the hope and promise of a for their union activity at bright future to all working Overnite. Yet they stuck with families in America. us and never gave up. His victory, however, would I am proud we were able to not have been possible without negotiate a great contract for help and support from our these workers that provides members, including UPS and job security in these uncertain UPS Freight workers. economic times. The workers From those who stuffed know we will be there for envelopes and knocked on them when they need us. This doors, to members who drove importance of good jobs. he success of our UPS contract rewards them for the voters to the polls, UPS We looked at his modest Freight campaign contin - hard work they do every day Teamsters gave unselfishly background, his belief in Tues to help make their company during the 2008 election sea - collective action and his pro- to amaze me, but what really a success. son. Many of you went above worker record. We concluded has stuck with me is the dedi - We’re so pleased that 99 8 6 and beyond, and it is because that he’s one of us. cation of the workers to form percent of the UPS Freight of your hard work and dedi - It wasn’t just the biggest a union with the Teamsters. drivers and dockworkers are cation that Obama was victo - mobilization effort in our For many of the UPS now Teamsters and have seen DEPARTMENTS FEATURES rious in so many critical history, it was the smartest. Freight drivers and dockwork - an end to their long struggle. We worked hard to under - ers, this campaign did not 1 Jim Hoffa / Ken Hall 8 UPS Freight Contract states, including Pennsylvania, We look forward to the day Ohio, Florida and Indiana. stand how to talk to our start in January, when the when the few remaining 14 Five Big Bills You Can Cut Fast The election of Barack members about Obama. Our Teamsters kicked off its unorganized drivers and 2 UPS Freight Update Obama brought out the very members listened, and they national campaign. dockworkers will join our 20 The Dirty Truth About FedEx best in Teamster unity and came out to vote for him. The campaign started ranks and enjoy the benefits 4 UPS Retiree Volunteers pride and the solidarity found Teamsters tend to be the years and years ago for some and protections that have demographic who weren’t workers, who were employed to Help Disaster Victims 22 Labor Turns Out at FedEx in UPS workers throughout been won by their unionized the country was nothing short supposed to vote for Obama. by Overnite Transportation. counterparts. Shareholder Meeting of inspiring. Together, we The facts tell a different story. They struggled for years with On another note, I want 5 UPS Financial Outlook made change happen. A much higher percentage that company to try and form to thank every Teamster in 24 Local Sponsors Member’s It’s time we pat ourselves of union voters cast their a union with the Teamsters, the Package Division who 6 UPS Teamsters and the Election Stock Car on the back after a job well ballots for Obama than did the and never gave up. helped elect Barack Obama as done. We worked hard during general public—67 percent of When UPS bought president. I was happy to see 23 Steward’s Corner the 2008 election season and union voters compared with Overnite in 2005 and changed so many Teamsters involved our efforts truly paid off. We 52 percent of the popular vote. the company’s name to UPS in the effort, and I enjoyed may now reap the benefits of But if Obama won with Freight, the workers remained visiting UPS work sites change, hope and promise. the help of workers, he’ll strong and dedicated to and meeting a lot of you The change we worked need our help to govern, as forming a union. in the weeks leading up to so hard for is already starting well. We’ll need his help, too, They got their chance the election. International Brotherhood up sTEAMSTER (ISSN 1551-8973) is a publication © 2008 International Brotherhood of Teamsters. to happen. That’s why the in helping working families when the Teamsters won a of Teamsters of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in realize the American dream. card-check and neutrality upsTEAMS TER 25 Louisiana Avenue, NW 25 Louisiana Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC part without written permission is prohibited. Teamsters put more boots on Washington, DC 20001-2198 20001-2198. It is published quarterly in winter, Postmaster: Send address changes to UPS Teamster, the ground to elect Obama agreement from UPS Freight WINTER 2009 VOLUME 5 / NO. 1 202.624.6800 summer, spring and fall . Periodical postage paid at Affiliates Records Department, 25 Louisiana Avenue, Washington, D.C. and at additional mailing offices. N.W., Washington, DC 20001-2198. Subscription than we ever have. We were in December 2007. And now rates: $12 per year. Single copies, $3. (All orders payable in advance.) Members should send address convinced that Obama changes to their local union. understands the fundamental www.teamster.org | WINTER 2009 | up sTEAMSTER | 1 NEWS WINTER 09 Sign the Employee Free Choice Act Petition merica’s workers are putting in more hours than ever Aand still struggling to make ends meet, while CEOS make approximately 364 times the pay of the average worker, according to the ment of their jobs and the future of latest survey by the group United their families and our union has become for a Fair Economy. So how do we stronger for their efforts,” said Claudia level the playing field and get our Pettit, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 90. economy back on track? Rebuilding “Our workers absolutely wanted to the middle class is the place to start. become Teamsters and stuck together as a The Employee Free Choice Act group,” said Michael Bonaduce, President can help reclaim the American of Local 384. “Their main concern was dream by restoring workers’ free - a guaranteed 8-hour workday, better dom to form unions and bargain work ing conditions and better relations for a brighter future. between the employees and management.” The recent organizing success “Without a contract, our workers were at UPS Freight demonstrates the at the company’s mercy,” said Jim McCall, desire of Americans to join unions UPS Freight President of Local 823. “Now they have a once an employer's union-busting great union-negotiated contract that tactics are neutralized. The impor - provides them with better wages, health tance of card-check and neutrality benefits and job security.” agreements cannot be underesti - “Health and welfare issues and retiree mated when discussing the UPS UPDATE coverage were the most pressing concerns Freight victories across the country. for the workers we represent and all those For nearly 50 years, Overnite Teamsters Now Represent Nearly issues are addressed in the contract,” said Transportation fought unioniza - Dan W. Ratty, Secretary-Treasurer of tion. But once UPS bought 99 Percent of Eligible UPS Freight Workers Local 962. Overnite, and the Teamsters won a Ron Hicks, the UPS Freight Business card-check and neutrality agree - Agent from Local 776, said workers at the ment from the newly formed UPS n November 17, a first contract said Ken Hall, Teamsters Package Division Freight workers to the Teamsters Union,” in 42 states. In April, a new UPS Freight Mechanicsburg terminal were glad to see Freight, more than 11,000 drivers covering more than 750 UPS Director. “UPS Freight workers nation - said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General contract covering 9,900 workers was the issue of subcontracting addressed in and dockworkers signed authoriza - OFreight drivers and dockworkers wide have shown true Teamster spirit by President. “These workers now have a ratified by an 89 percent margin. In the contract. tion cards to join the union in just nationwide was ratified by a margin of 94 sticking together to form their union and terrific Teamster-negotiated contract that August, a second group of terminals As the year comes to a close the 12 weeks. percent. The agreement improves wages, gain a great contract.” guarantees them job security and many voted and ratified an agreement by a Teamsters are looking forward to building The goal of the Teamsters Union benefits and working conditions, but it Workers at five terminals in four other benefits.