Teamsters Joint Council 32
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SEPTEMBER 2012 • MinnEaPoliS, MinnESoTa • Vol. 70 no. 3 Teamsters Joint Council Minnesota • iowa • north Dakota • south Dakota 32 RICK NOLAN U.S. CONGRESS - 8TH DISTRICT TONY BENNETT LINDA HIGGINS ROBERT HUMPHREY STEVE SMITH SANDRA MASIN Ramsey County Hennepin County MN Senate District 67 MN House District 33B MN House District 51A Commissioner - District 1 Commissioner - District 2 Vote for Teamsters Joint Council 32 DRIVE-endorsed Minnesota candidates in the Primary Election on Tuesday, August 14 SEE PAGE 6 news index PUBLIC EMPLOYEES ARE AMERICa’S SUMMER HEROES loCal unions BY PAT RADZAK, PRESIDENT TEAMSTERS JOINT COUNCIL 32 2 Local 90 I saw a great poster the other From Colorado to Montana to Texas, Union fire 4 Local 120, Local 160, Local 238, day – a Union fire fighter fighters are battling wild fires in 18-hour shifts Local 289 had a young boy, crying and through 100+ degree heat, saving homes and upset, scooped up in his big property from otherwise certain destruction. 5 Local 320, Local 346, Local 638, arms in a bear hug. Along the East Coast, from New York to the Local 792 The caption said: Carolinas, Union electrical workers are restoring 6 Local 974 Notice of Nomination Hug a Thug! power to millions of storm-ravaged communities and Election of Officers while Union law enforcement personnel protect That picture pretty much says citizens stranded on dark and dangerous streets. Local 1145 it all to the Union haters who Pat Radzak like to portray hard-working So with those images in mind, let’s resolve to public employee fire fighters, do two things. First, next time you see a public General law enforcement personnel, teachers, municipal employee – a law enforcement officer, a firefighter, employees and others as hostile, lazy, indifferent a rescue worker, or anyone else who gets up every 1 Primary Elections and to blame for state and local budget deficits. day to serve the rest of us – walk up, put out your hand, and say “Thanks!” Trust me, you’ll 2 President Pat Radzak – That little boy isn’t hugging a “thug.” make their day. Public Employees are America’s He’s hugging a hero. And second, when legislatures in your states Summer Heroes We’re seeing the courage of our Union public employees somewhere almost every day this reconvene next year and start talking about cutting 2 Secretary-Treasurer Larry Yoswa – summer. In my hometown of Duluth, with a foot public service budgets and public employee jobs, Looking To The Future be prepared to organize and stand up for our of impassible rain flooding homes and roads, brothers and sisters – in the same way they stand 3 JC 32 DRIVE Report police, fire and rescue units were out in the middle of the storm, risking their lives to save hundreds up for you and me. 6 JC 32 DRIVE Endorsements of stranded people and animals and setting up for Minnesota barricades on washed out roads and bridges. 7 Local Union Meeting Schedules 2012 Women’s Conference LOOKING TO THE FUTURE 8 JC 32 Scholarships Awarded BY LARRY YOSWA, SECRETARY-TREASURER TEAMSTERS JOINT COUNCIL 32 Congratulations to Sue America’s workers! If you don’t believe me, you Mauren on her retirement! only need look at your neighbors in Wisconsin, Sue has worked very hard for Ohio, Illinois and so on. The war is real; the stakes the International Union, Joint could not be higher! With elections locally and Council 32 and Local 320 nationally deciding whether or not Labor will over the years. On behalf of continue to exist in this country, everyone needs all Teamsters in Joint Council to get involved to ensure that we elect the right 32, “May your retirement politicians who will stand with us and make sure TeamsTers JoinT CounCil 32 days be the best days of your our right to collectively bargain stands. We need Larry Yoswa life.” to show the anti-union politicians that they will not ediTorial Board As the new Secretary- win this war, and they should never attack Labor Patrick Radzak Treasurer of Joint Council 32, I would like to again in the fashion they have these recent years. Larry Yoswa say that the prudence and frugality that has I ask all Joint Council 32 Teamsters to unify Editor Emeritus been applied in the past years will continue. and get involved to elect only those who will Duane Johnson, 1925-2008 Brother Radzak has done an exemplary job with stand with us and make certain that Labor and the finances of the Joint Council and this same the rights of American workers are here for our direction will continue. grandchildren. offiCe of PuBliCaTion Teamsters, along with all of Labor, are engaged 3001 University Avenue SE, Suite 510 in a battle of life and death for their Unions and Minneapolis, MN 55414 Website: www.teamstersjc32.org SUPPORT CANDIDATES WHO SUPPORT LOCAL 90 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING Teamsters Joint Council 32 (ISSN- “To safeguard, advance and meager $25 a month, and those jobs were often in 07448678) (USPS-007951) is published promote the principle of free horrific, unsafe conditions that left many workers quarterly in February, May, September & collective bargaining...” is a maimed. November, by Teamsters Joint Council solemn Union promise. But what exactly does this mean The only way of change for the worker was to strike 32, 3001 University Avenue SE, Suite to you? This principle, for Union recognition and bargain for a contract, 510, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Periodicals workers to form a Union and which was met with nightsticks, machine guns postage paid at Minneapolis, MN. and tear gas from company-hired strikebreakers bargain for a contract, has or Pinkerton guards. Many died for our rights, and been passed on to us from your Union does not forget where we came from. POSTMASTER: Send address changes the previous generation of Claudia Pettit workers. Workers literally died Today there are many unemployed and jobless to TEAMSTERS JOINT COUNCIL 32, Secretary-Treasurer in order for us to have the Americans, and a fashion of wealthy is trying to 3001 University Avenue SE, Suite 510, Teamsters Local 90 laws that grant us these rights. blame the Unions as the reason for no job growth. Minneapolis, MN 55414. They are attempting to pressure politicians to strip Prior to 1935 when the National Labor Relations Act was adopted by your rights away that will directly affect our lives Congress, the wages and working conditions as we know them. Each of us must do our part to for Americans were atrocious. Our country was fight. We must support candidates who support basically unemployed with no available jobs. For our Union values, keep informed on our issues, get 2 Vol. 70 no. 3 those who could find work, the wages were a involved and VOTE! JC 32 DriVe rePort news BY ED REYNOSO, JC 32 POLITICAL DIRECTOR & SPECIAL PROJECTS ORGANIZER Get ready for a good dose Act, known by many as Obamacare, by a 5-4 mn.us. You may also register to vote at of politics this summer ruling in its entirety. This very divisive issue has this same address. and fall! been the center of attention for many people across our state and country. The impact of this Teamsters JC 32 Political Action Team If you plan on watching landmark ruling will protect millions of people We are in the process of developing a Political television or receiving mail, with preexisting health conditions that would Action Team at Teamsters Joint Council 32 that you will get a good dose otherwise be denied health insurance coverage. will be involved in all types of political action. of politics between now This will give you an opportunity not only to and this fall’s elections. While the Affordable Care Act is not perfect, know some candidates, but also assist them Television ads will inundate it is a fundamental start at addressing many in efforts to get elected. When Teamsters are Ed Reynoso us all, and candidate nonexistent controls on insurance companies directly involved in successful campaigns, mailers will dominate that would otherwise go unchallenged. The candidates never forget that! our mailboxes. elimination of yearly and lifetime monetary caps will protect many working families who Stay tuned via our website www.teamstersjc32. While television ads and mailers will have some may be faced with catastrophic illnesses, and org for further information! information on candidates, I encourage you to the opportunity for children to remain on their personally get to know your candidates. There parent’s insurance until the age of 26 will Teamsters Texting Teamsters! will be many parades, forums and debates taking benefit many families. One of the most successful programs we’ve place that will offer firsthand opportunities to ask recently instituted is our text messaging system face-to-face questions on Right to Work For Less Whatever your belief is on the Affordable Care that allows us to send personal texts to the and other critical issues that could potentially Act, this year will involve political debates on cell phones of members who enrolled through affect workers and Unions. While Joint Council many other issues. Unfortunately many of our website. This gives us an opportunity to 32 DRIVE diligently asks those tough questions these conversations will involve fundamental quickly disseminate information to you in our screening and endorsement process, it differences on the ideology of Labor Unions. specific to your district. is extremely beneficial that you know firsthand Beating Right to Work For Less in Minnesota when a candidate tells you that they will either this last session was a historic accomplishment, The success of this program was shown by support or oppose critical Labor issues.