INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS MAY/JUNE 2008
Freight Members Step Up Workers Embrace Change, Overwhelmingly Ratify NMFA
nnn%k\Xdjk\i%fi^ in this issue 2 teamster News l UPS Freight 8 Freight Members Contract Ratified Step Up l Union Continues Teamsters Overwhelmingly Cross-Border Fight Ratify NMFA l DHL Workers Choose Teamsters 14 Teamsters l Union-Environmental Alliance For Change l Web Site Support Union Endorses Sen. Barack For Locals Obama For President 8
22 A New Era At 20 organizing l H&M Workers New Era Cap Join Local 71 Workers in Mobile, Alabama l Local 728 Welcomes Unanimously Ratify First Contract Bus Operators l Transit Workers Join 24 The Big Picture Local 528 Warehouse Division l Highway Department Holds Meeting Workers Vote “Yes” l RC Cola Workers 32 Teamster Hero Join Local 783 Local 174 Member Retires From Army Reserve At 60 30 court material 22 26 Bright Futures Past Hoffa Scholarship Recipients Make Good www.teamster.org 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 Teamster, 25 Louisiana Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20001-2198. It is published six times a year in January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/ October, November/December. Periodical postage paid at Washington, DC and at additional mailing offices. may/june 2008 / Volume 105, No. 3 © 2008 International Brotherhood of Teamsters. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without writ- ten 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 Teamsters For Change
he Teamsters Union endorsed Sen. ment fails to ensure that American-made cars Barack Obama for president because he and trucks receive fair treatment in the Korean is the candidate best suited to lead our market. We currently have an $11 billion country in the right direction and the deficit in automotive trade with Korea. Last only one who can correct the destruc- year, Korea sold 700,000 vehicles in the U.S. tive wrongs of the Bush administration. and the U.S. sold only 4,556 in Korea. The Our biggest consideration was who proposed South Korea agreement does not would be best for our members. Look- do nearly enough to enforce commitments by ing at Sen. Obama’s record on issues Korea to open up its market. Tdear to working families—such as his com- mitment to passing the Employee Free Choice Supporting Unions Act (EFCA) and his opposition to NAFTA— Trade, of course, is not the only reason why the choice was clear. I’ve had the pleasure the Teamsters Union has endorsed Sen. of having several candid conversations with Obama. He understands what working people Sen. Obama, many of them focusing on trade are going through. He will fight for passage of issues. There’s no doubt in my mind that he EFCA, an improved health care system, retire- has a genuine concern about our country’s ment security and good jobs. He will join us unfair trade policies and the hardworking in our commitment to rebuild our nation’s men and women whose livelihoods and transportation infrastructure and will make families are affected by them. appointments that make sense—people who will protect workers. In his administration, A Stronger America a President Obama will ensure our toys and Sen. Obama understands that America needs food are safe, that EFCA becomes law, that fair trade policies that will create a level playing trade policies don’t just benefit big business field with our trading partners. He understands and that working Americans are dealt a that the corporate race to the bottom has had fair hand. a devastating impact on our middle class and I am proud of our union’s support of our communities. Trade with foreign nations, Sen. Obama and will continue to stand with he has said, should strengthen the American him as he fights for a fair trade policy and economy and create more American jobs. other issues that benefit American workers. Take, for example, the South Korea Free Trade Agreement, which Sen. Obama opposes and Sen. John McCain supports. The agree- K<8DJK
UPS Freight Workers Ratify Contract More Than 9,900 Workers Covered Under Agreement
he Teamster ranks 90-day mark of our national swelled by 9,900 new campaign, 9,900 workers had Tmembers with workers signed cards. This shows the at UPS Freight overwhelmingly workers’ commitment in join- ratifying a contract with 89 ing a union that will give them a percent of the vote. The agree- strong voice in the workplace.” ment will improve wages, ben- efits and working conditions. The Contract The Teamsters kicked off this “We were committed to pro- organizing campaign in 2006 viding the best contract we when it organized UPS Freight could for these workers and we (formerly Overnite Transporta- have achieved that,” Hall said. tion) workers in Indianapolis The contract expires on July and negotiated a contract with 31, 2013. Among the contract’s the company that was ratified by highlights: a 107-1 vote last October. s Wage increases totaling $4.35 In January 2008, the Team- per hour, or nearly 11 cents a sters launched its nationwide mile, over the contract; campaign. Teamsters General s An improved health care plan President Jim Hoffa and Team- with lower employee pre- sters Package Division Direc- mium costs with no increases tor Ken Hall attributed the in costs to employees over the organizing success to the card- life of the contract; check agreement the Teamsters s Overtime pay for work exceed- nationwide. There are currently Union Pacific Railroad and won from UPS in 2006. ing eight hours per day or 40 more than 15,000 UPS Freight renamed UPS Freight. “The card-check agreement hours per week; and workers, with 12,600 eligible to gave the Teamsters the boost it s UPS Freight employees lock sign cards. The contract ratifi- 'PSNPSFJOGPSNBUJPOPOUIF needed to organize UPS Freight, inin their their current current pension pension cation caps a 50-year struggle 614'SFJHIUDBNQBJHO WJTJU and the workers responded benefits.benefits. by the Teamsters to organize XXXUFBNTUFSPSHJOGP overwhelmingly,” Hoffa said. TheThe Teamsters Teamsters will will continue continue workers at Overnite, which was VQTGSFJHIU “We were amazed that at the to organize UPS Freight workers bought by UPS in 2005 from
GENERAL EXECUTIVE BOARD
James P. Hoffa 7*$&13&4*%&/54 Fredrick P. Potter Jr. 5&".45&34$"/"%" $&/53"-3&(*0/ &"45&3/3&(*0/ 4065)&3/3&(*0/ 53645&&4 General President "5-"3(& 3400 Highway 35 Robert Bouvier John T. Coli Jack Cipriani Tyson Johnson Ferline Buie 25 Louisiana Ave. N.W. Randy Cammack Executive Plaza, Suite 7 President 5940 W. Montrose Ave. P.O. Box 35405 1007 Jonelle Street 2120 Bladensburg Washington, D.C. 20001 845 Oak Park Road Hazlet, NJ 07730 Teamsters Canada Chicago, IL 60634 Greensboro, NC 27425 Dallas, TX 75217 Rd. N.E. Covina, CA 91724 2540 Daniel Johnson Washington, D.C. 20018 C. Thomas Keegel Fred Simpson Suite 804 Patrick W. Flynn William Hamilton Ken Wood General Secretary- Fred Gegare 20300 Civic Center Dr. Laval, Quebec 4217 South Halsted St. 2845 Southampton Rd. 5818 E. MLK Jr. Blvd. Frank Gallegos Treasurer 1546 Main Street Suite 320 Canada H7T 2S3 Chicago, IL 60609 Philadelphia, PA 19154 Tampa, FL 33619 207 North Sanborn Rd. 25 Louisiana Ave. N.W. Green Bay, WI 54302 Southfield, MI Salinas, CA 93905 Washington, D.C. 20001 48076-4169 Tom Fraser Cheryl Johnson Daniel J. Kane Sr. 8&45&3/3&(*0/ Ken Hall 1890 Meyerside Drive 25 Louisiana Ave. N.W. 1308 Pierce Street J. Allen Hobart Henry B. Perry Jr. 267 Staunton Ave. S.W. George Tedeschi Mississauga, Ontario Washington, D.C. 20001 Rahway, NJ 07065 14675 Interurban Ave. S. 976 E. Brooks Ave. South Charleston, WV 25 Louisiana Ave. N.W. Canada L5T 1B4 Suite 301 Memphis, TN 38116 25303 Washington, D.C. 20001 Walter A. Lytle John Murphy Tukwila, WA 98168 Don McGill 2644 Cass Street 348 D Street Carroll E. Haynes 490 E. Broadway Fort Wayne, IN 46808 Boston, MA 02127 Chuck Mack 50 Calhoun Avenue Vancouver, B.C. P.O. Box 2270 New Rochelle, NY Canada V5T 1X3 Gordon Sweeton Oakland, CA 94621 10801 1601 Maiden Lane Joplin, MO 64802 Jim Santangelo 818 S. Oak Park Road Covina, CA 91724 ) K<8DJK
eamster voices are dim- He was especially angry that that cross-border trucking “The secretary and ming the prospects for the Transportation Depart- would help the U.S. economy. Tthe Bush administra- ment failed to put measures in He pointed out that the U.S. her counsel will not tion’s illegal pilot program place to make sure that every had a trade surplus with Mexi- have the last word. opening the border to trucks truck would be checked. co before NAFTA was enacted. from Mexico. “We don’t know that every “Last year we had a $75 bil- The Congress will Very few Mexican trucks are truck has been inspected every lion trade deficit with Mexico,” have the last word.” now traveling into the U.S. interi- time,” he said. “There will be he said. He cited a long list of or, according to John Hill, Federal consequences for this.” companies that have moved — SEN. MARK PRYOR (D-AR) Motor Carrier Safety Adminis- Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) their operations to Mexico. tration chief. Because there’s so had the same message. “The “The Teamsters Union has little interest in the pilot program, secretary and her counsel will been a constant critic of the government won’t be able to not have the last word,” he said. NAFTA. We were right. We’re draw any valid conclusions about “The Congress will have the hemorrhaging jobs.” 'PSNPSFJOGPSNBUJPOPOUIF it, Hill said. The reason for the last word.” Meanwhile, the 9th Circuit TUBUVTPG.FYJDBOUSVDLT program’s failure? Hill blamed The day before the Com- Court of Appeals continued BOEXIBUUIF5FBNTUFSTBSF the Teamsters. In a newspaper merce Committee hearing, to consider the union’s request EPJOHPOUIFJTTVF WJTJU interview on March 6, Hill said Teamsters General President for an injunction stopping the XXXGJSFNBSZQFUFSTDPN companies were reluctant to buy Jim Hoffa took on Peters’ claim program. insurance for their trucks when they expected the program to shut down. That’s because the Team- sters haven’t let up in their fight against opening the borders to trucks from Mexico. The battle shifted to Capitol Hill during February and March. In hearing after hearing, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters faced angry members of Congress who told her she was breaking the law by keeping the border open. Congress last year passed a law cutting off funding for the pilot program. Peters ignored Congress and refused to put the brakes on it. “There Will Be Consequences” Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) excoriated Peters for her arro- gance in defying Congress during a special hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee.
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Part And Parcel DHL Workers in Michigan and Ohio Choose the Teamsters
n two elections held in early March, nearly 400 Iworkers at DHL facili- ties voted overwhelmingly to join more than 12,500 fellow workers in the DHL system as Teamsters. “I was in a truck when the vote count came in,” said David Corwin, a package handler at the DHL sort center in Niles, Michigan. “I jumped up and not against them,” said Ted Hall, “Without a doubt, we said Gary Mendenhall, a sort down and said, ‘Man, this is a package handler. “We want worked hard for this,” said maintenance mechanic. “As great.’ At first I thought we were our company to succeed. As Genee Neal, a package handler. Teamsters we can negotiate just going to barely make it but Teamsters, we’re looking to have “We know that as Teamsters together for things that matter the vote wasn’t even close.” some things guaranteed for us.” we will have a voice to protect here in Wilmington.” By a 258-46 margin, the “This is a great victory for our interests in the workplace.” The workers seek stronger approximately 370 workers in these DHL workers and I am wages, affordable health care Niles chose to join Local 299 proud to welcome them into Gateway Victory coverage, job security and on- in Detroit. The workers seek our union,” said Kevin Moore, In votes counted just before the the-job respect. stronger wages, affordable Local 299 President. “We have Niles workers’ election, 19 sort “I am proud to welcome health care coverage, job secu- a strong history of represent- maintenance mechanics and these DHL workers into our rity, safer working conditions ing DHL workers and we will tech reps at the DHL gateway union,” said Roger Insprucker, and on-the-job respect. work together to see that these in Wilmington, Ohio voted President of the Ohio Confer- “At a meeting last week, we workers and their families have 17-2 to join the Teamsters. ence of Teamsters. “As Teamsters, told our managers: this vote was a voice at DHL.” “This is a great win for us,” we will work to not only enhance the livelihood of these workers and their families, but we will also fight to make DHL a strong and positive presence in our 4BWF5IF%BUF Wilmington community and in 8)"55FBNTUFST8PNFOµT$POGFSFODF the industry.” 8)&/4FQUFNCFS “Forming a union makes 8)00QFOUPBMM5FBNTUFST things fair and puts us on an even level with DHL,” said 8)&3&'POUBJOFCMFBV)PUFM .JBNJ±TJOHMFPSEPVCMF Darrel Allen, a sort mainte- SPPNPDDVQBODZ)PUFMSFTFSWBUJPOTNVTUCFNBEFCZ+VMZ$BMMBOEBTL nance mechanic. GPSUIF*#58PNFOµT$POGFSFODFSBUF )08.6$)$POGFSFODFSFHJTUSBUJPOJTQFSQFSTPO5IFSFHJTUSBUJPOGFFXJMMCFXBJWFE 'PSNPSFJOGPSNBUJPOPOUIF GPSUIPTFXIPSFHJTUFSCZ+VOF %)-DBNQBJHO WJTJUXXX 'PSNPSFJOGPSNBUJPO WJTJUXXXUFBNTUFSPSH UFBNTUFSPSHSFTPVSDFT EIMFYQSFTTEIMFYQSFTTBTQ
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With the vote, 40 of the 55 Jack Cipriani, International Apex, Carrboro, Morrisville, officers who work in Raleigh’s Vice President and President of Garner, Jacksonville, Wilming- Rally in Statehouse became the latest Local 391. ton and Leland to their roster. group of law enforcement offi- Cipriani, other Local 391 All the police officers are Raleigh cers in North Carolina to affili- officials and Sgt. Rick Arm- seeking better retirements and ate with the Teamsters. strong of the Raleigh Police an “Officers’ Bill of Rights” that State Capital Police “Police officers are join- Department recently met codifies their personal rights in Join Teamsters ing the Teamsters primarily with State Capital Police offi- all aspects of the job. Currently because they hope the union’s cers to welcome them to the there is no uniform standard orth Carolina’s State clout in Raleigh and Wash- Teamsters. The Raleigh Police in the state for officers’ rights. Capital Police officers ington can help them achieve Protective Association was the Without such a standard, police Nrecently voted to join better lives for their families first law enforcement group to officers risk becoming subject Greensboro-based Local 391. and better retirements,” said join the Teamsters from North to legal action through their Carolina. Armstrong is the performance of regular police RPPA President. duties. “We saw the difference that The Teamsters are com- the union made for other public mitted to lobbying local and employees and wanted some of state government to improve that power for ourselves. We are working conditions for public already seeing the dividends of employees. our affiliation,” Armstrong said. 'PSNPSFJOGPSNBUJPOPOUIF Other Victories 5FBNTUFST-BX&OGPSDFNFOU After the Raleigh victory, other -FBHVF WJTJUUIFJSXFCTJUFBU departments began contacting XXXUFBNTUFSPSHEJWJTJPOT Local 391 officials. The local has QVCMJDTFSWJDFT5-&-UMFMBTQ since added police officers from
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Employee Rights Affirmed Judge Orders News-Press Owner to Obey the Law
anding a major victory was a rebuke of vindictive to eight fired reporters management policies and a Hat the Santa Barbara victory for courageous edito- News-Press, a federal judge rial writers who were punished ruled that Wendy McCaw, the for exercising their basic right paper’s multi-millionaire owner to organize,” said George Tede- and co-publisher, repeatedly and schi, International Vice Presi- flagrantly broke the law trying dent and GCC President. to keep the Teamsters out of her Administrative Law Judge newsroom. William Kocol denounced The News-Press newsroom the “flagrant nature of the voted 33-6 in September 2006 violations in this case” and to reinstate the eight and “make sympathizers and stop intimi- to join the Graphic Commu- McCaw’s “widespread, general them whole” for lost benefits dating, threatening, harassing, nications Conference (GCC), disregard for the fundamental and pay, with interest. He said disciplining, firing and spying a division of the Teamsters rights of the employees.” the News-Press must discard on employees who showed sup- Union. “The judge’s decision Judge Kocol ordered McCaw bad evaluations given to union port for the union. Web Help Teamsters, Unions-America.com Help Locals Create Web Sites
he Teamsters Union and by Teamster members and will Unions-America.com carry a GCC union bug. Thave joined forces to “More and more our mem- provide web site building and bers are turning to the web for hosting services to all Teamster their news, to have their voices locals. The TeamsterActive sys- heard on critical legislative tem makes it easy for any local issues and to build solidar- union to create and maintain ity with other Teamsters. It its own web site. The system is important that our locals requires only basic computer utilize this vital technology to skills—if you can send an more fully involve and engage e-mail you can use this system. our members,” said Jim Hoffa, TeamsterActive operates Teamsters General President. completely over the Internet, The TeamsterActive system so locals do not have to pur- has been designed to make cre- chase or learn expensive new ating and updating web sits as web site layouts and developed software. Plus, Unions-Amer- simple and inexpensive as pos- a variety of color schemes to 7JTJUUFBNTUFSPSHUFBNTUFSBDUJWF ica provides 24/7 tech support sible. Locals can even choose choose from. Local unions can GPSNPSFJOGPSNBUJPOBOEUPTJHO and training. Unions-Amer- to have Teamsters Union news also choose the features they VQGPSBOPOMJOFEFNPOTUSBUJPO ica.com is a GCC Teamster headlines and press releases want and populate the site with employer, which means that all automatically update on their their own content so every site sites created in the Teamster- pages. will have a professional design Active system are union made Designers have created four and local flavor.
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Can you talk a little bit about 25 different states. All the drivers Eighteen: The Culture the process you went through I met were very open and gra- to get these photos? cious enough to share their sto- That Moves Us The book took me five and a ries. I think they saw that I was Daughter of Teamster Documents Truckers’ half years to photograph. At genuinely interested. We talked Lives in Photo Book first, I just photographed when- about everything from family ever I took a trip to see my life to politics—they had a lot to im Reierson didn’t get doing a book. It was after a few mother from east to west coast say and found it refreshing that to see as much of her road trips across the U.S. that and back. Then as my project there was someone (other than KTeamster dad as she it dawned on me what the spe- turned from personal to public, another driver) who wanted to would have liked growing up cific attraction was: My father I spent months at a time driving hear it all. because he was a long-haul had been a truck driver. Since around to different states. I out- trucker. But when she started he was a long hauler, I didn’t fitted my car with a CB radio 'PSNPSFJOGPSNBUJPO taking photographs of truckers see much of him and I think and with a Rand McNally Road WJTJU3FJFSTPOµTXFCTJUFBU and their environs years later, subconsciously I wanted to Atlas and set off to drive to over XXXLJNSFJFSTPODPN a labor of love turned into a find out what his life as a driver book documenting the lives of must have been like. After these unsung heroes. Teamster spending five years off and on magazine talked to Reierson documenting these men and recently about her photography women drivers, I realized that book, “Eighteen: A Look at the this wasn’t just a personal proj- Culture That Moves Us.” ect, but something I needed to share with the public; to make What influence did your them aware of the importance Teamster father have on this these drivers have on every- project? one’s daily life. Everything we When I first started taking have, inside and out of our photos of truck stops and driv- homes, has been brought by a ers, I wasn’t thinking about driver.
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Workers Embrace Change, STEP UP Overwhelmingly Ratify NMFA
O PAT WOLFMEYER, a 24-year freight Teamster, union leaders who negotiated the National Master Freight Agreement succeeded on many levels despite the tough economic times facing the freight industry. “The negotiators took care of our health, welfare and pension benefits, which were my top priorities,” said Wolfmeyer, a USF Hol- Tland city driver and member of Local 600 in St. Louis. “They did that by secur- ing record contributions from employers. On top of that, we also got solid wage increases and they maintained the COLA (cost-of-living adjustment).” Bill Kellerman, a hostler at Yellow Transportation who is a member of Local 375 in Buffalo, New York, agreed. “We maintained our benefits, including health care, without any cost to us,” Kellerman said. “What we got is almost unheard of today. I think General Presi- dent Hoffa and National Freight Division Director Tyson Johnson are doing a great job.” Teamster freight members overwhelmingly ratified the 2008-2013 NMFA that protects existing Teamster jobs, maintains a strong wage and benefit package and provides new language to allow the largest unionized carriers a chance to better compete, which will give Teamsters more job security. “This is a landmark contract because we won many economic gains despite this poor economy, and we have taken steps to allow the largest unionized compa- nies a better chance to compete against the nonunion competition,” Johnson said. “This contract provides a more secure future for the 70,000 Teamsters and their families covered by the NMFA,” Hoffa said. Record Turnout The NMFA was ratified by a 67 percent margin. On top of that, 60 percent of the freight members covered by the contract cast ballots, a record number. The strong gains include unprecedented employer health, welfare and pen- sion contribution increases of $5 per hour over the life of the agreement, and wage increases of $2.20 per hour and 5.5 cents per mile over the life of the agree-
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The following is a summary of the key changes in the national COLA maintained. The 2008-2013 agreement maintains the contract. improved COLA language that was first negotiated in 2003 and paid the first COLA to freight members in more than 20 years dur- PAY, BENEFIT INCREASES AND IMPROVEMENTS ing the 2003-2008 contract. Health, welfare and pension. The union negotiated record employer contribution increases over the life of the agreement, Education and training. For the first time, the negotiating com- sufficient to maintain and possibly improve existing health and mittee was able to secure a $250 payment for those employees welfare and pension benefits for the vast majority of members who complete CDL training and certification under the new and retirees. The record settlement of $5 per hour in the agree- agreement. ment was hard fought as the union resisted the employers’ demand of co-pays for health and welfare. The sick leave benefit period was changed from a contract year basis to a calendar year basis beginning in 2008. This means Wages. The wage package provides increases of $2.20 per hour and members will benefit from additional sick leave in 2008 as the 5.5 cents per mile over the life of the agreement, including 50 cents five days for the first year will be granted from April 1 to Decem- per hour in the first year. This will result in hourly rates in excess of ber 31, 2008. In addition, sick leave will be paid on the first day $24 per hour in most parts of the country by the final year. of absence in all parts of the country rather the third day, which was prevalent under some supplements. Overall economics. When you take the health, welfare and pen- sion contributions and the wages into account, it translates into Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The employer may an average increase of 3.9 percent each year of the contract. not force an employee to use pre-scheduled vacation time as Not including any overtime or COLA payments, a typical NMFA FMLA leave. Employees, who have taken separate hours of driver will see roughly $14,000 more during the next five years unpaid leave for medical reasons, cannot be forced to substitute of the proposed agreement with most hourly rates in the area accrued leave for FMLA leave if the employee is receiving sup- of $24.50 by the end of the contract. Employer benefit contribu- plemental loss-of-time disability benefits from a benefit plan. tions will go up more than 35 percent over the same period, which makes the total compensation of the package in excess of Jury duty. Employees selected for jury duty whose shifts begin $40,000 over the life of the contract. after 4 p.m. will not be required to report to work.
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