74432_Layout 1 1/28/13 6:27 PM Page 1 JAMES R. HOFFA’S 100TH BIRTHDAY INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS WINTER 2013 www.teamster.org THE WAR ON WORKERS FIGHTING BACK MOVES TO MICHIGAN 74432_Layout 1 1/25/13 8:50 PM Page 2 IN THIS ISSUE 2 TEAMSTER NEWS 8 War On Workers • UPS, UPS Freight Moves To Michigan Negotiations Conservatives Ram Right To Work • James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Winners Through Legislature • Local 100 Victories 10 Teamsters Help • Remembering Tommy Re-Elect Obama O’Donnell • “Tomatoland” Book Review Union’s Largest GOTV Effort Leads To Victories 8 • Raising Spirits At Local 174 12 Teamsters Elected 20 ORGANIZING • Genesys Workers Join To Office Teamsters Members Who Won Their Elections • Local 777 Welcomes 14 State Legislative Victories Bus Drivers • Allegiant Air Workers California And Colorado Teamsters Win Join Local 986 16 School Bus Movement • Teamsters Welcome Roesel-Heck Workers Teamster School Bus Workers Make History • Clean Harbors Workers 10 Join Teamsters 22 After The Storm • Local 170 Welcomes Teamsters Key In Hurricane First Student Workers Sandy Recovery • New Hampshire Correc- tions Workers Join Union 26 A New Standard More Than 300 Parking 30 COURT MATERIAL Workers Join Local 25 28 Teamsters Celebrate TEAMSTER James R. Hoffa Centennial www.teamster.org International Brotherhood Visionary Labor Leader Born of Teamsters 16 25 Louisiana Avenue, NW 100 Years Ago 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, NW, Washington DC 20001-2198. It 28 is published four times a year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, DC and at additional mailing offices. WINTER 2013 / VOLUME 110, NO. 1 © 2013 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, NW, 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. Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/teamsters and Follow @Teamsters on Twitter. SIGN UP FOR UPDATES— Text “IBT” to 86466 (message and data rates may apply) 74432_Layout 1 1/25/13 8:50 PM Page 3 Sore Losers’ Vendetta of Political Payback A MESSAGE FROM GENERAL PRESIDENT JAMES P. HOFFA he war on workers is alive and well. The reelection the-vote drive. Republicans lost by 10 points in Michi- of President Barack Obama was a blow to those gan, Romney’s childhood home. Twaging the war, but as we watched the events in After suffering a humiliating defeat in a presidential Michigan recently unfold, it is clear that anti-worker election they thought was all but theirs, extremist factions will stop at nothing until all the power is in the Republicans decided to take out their frustration on hand of CEOs. Michigan labor. This was not a random target. It was Extremist billionaires have achieved what seemed organized labor that made the difference in Ohio, Wis- unthinkable only a few years ago. They rapidly forced consin and Michigan, decisively winning those states through union-busting laws in Michigan, the birthplace for President Obama. of the modern American labor movement. The passage The right-wing elite know they cannot win without of right-to-work-for-less in Michigan wasn’t driven by destroying unions. That’s why they are willing to spend the desire to grow jobs or boost the state’s economy. It so much money funding the war on workers. will do neither. The record on these laws in other states is But Teamsters aren’t fooled. We know the value of a clear. Right to work leads to lower wages, fewer benefits, contract and organizing new members and we recognize increased poverty, more dangerous workplaces and have when they are trying to take our rights away from us. no credible effect on job growth. They can cloak it in a deceitful name, but we aren’t The forces that rammed the union-busting law fooled. Right-to-work laws mean fewer benefits and less through the Michigan Legislature had one thing in money. A Teamster contract means better benefits, wages mind: political payback. Since 2008, $18 million was and job security. It always has. spent in Michigan on propaganda deriding collective February 14, 2013, is the 100th anniversary of the bargaining by the Koch brothers through their phony birth of my father, James R. “Jimmy” Hoffa. Through front group, Americans for Prosperity, and by Amway his hard work and Teamster contracts, hundreds of heir Dick DeVos through the Mackinac Center. Karl thousands of Americans joined the middle class. He was- Rove’s American Crossroads SuperPAC and casino n’t duped by right to work. As Teamsters, we shouldn’t mogul Sheldon Adelson joined the attack on Michigan’s be duped, either. middle class by pouring money into the state on behalf of Mitt Romney. While Republicans spent millions in Michigan alone, their money was no match for labor’s massive get-out- 74432_Layout 1 1/25/13 8:51 PM Page 4 UPS, UPS FREIGHT NEGOTIATIONS FOCUS TEAMSTER POWER AT THE TABLE ON PROTECTING HEALTH CARE, PENSIONS GENERAL EXECUTIVE BOARD James P. Hoffa VICE PRESIDENTS Fredrick Potter TEAMSTERS CENTRAL REGION EASTERN REGION SOUTHERN REGION WESTERN REGION TRUSTEES General President AT-LARGE 3400 Highway 35 CANADA Brian Buhle William Hamilton Tyson Johnson Randy Cammack Ron Herrera 25 Louisiana Ave. N.W. Rome Aloise Executive Plaza, Suite 7 Robert Bouvier, 1233 Shelby St. 2845 Southampton Rd. 1007 Jonelle St. 845 Oak Park Rd. 880 Oak Park Rd., Washington, D.C. 20001 2100 Merced St., Hazlet, N.J 07730 President Indianapolis, IN 46203 Philadelphia, PA 19154 Dallas, TX 75217 Covina, CA 91724 Suite 200 Suite B Teamsters Canada Covina, CA 91724 Ken Hall San Leandro, CA 94577 Fred Simpson 2540 Daniel Johnson, John Coli Dan Kane Sr. Ken Wood Rick Middleton General Secretary- 41475 Gardenbrook Road Suite 804 1300 W. Higgins #220 1308 Pierce St. 5818 E. MLK Jr. Blvd. 460 Carson Plaza Dr. Jim Kabell Treasurer Ferline Buie Novi, Michigan 48375 Laval, Quebec Park Ridge, IL 60068 Rahway, N.J. 07065 Tampa, FL 33619 Carson, CA 90746 1850 E. Division 25 Louisiana Ave. N.W. 2120 Bladensburg Canada H7T 2S3 Springfield, MO 65803 Washington, D.C. 20001 Rd. N.E. George Tedeschi Becky Strzechowski John Murphy Steve Vairma Washington, D.C. 20018 25 Louisiana Ave. N.W. Stan Hennessy 1300 W. Higgins, 348 D St. 10 Lakeside Lane, Kevin Moore Washington, D.C. 20001 1 Grosvenor Square Suite 301 Boston, MA 02127 Suite 3-A 2741 Trumbull Ave. George Miranda Delta, B.C. Park Ridge, IL 60068 Denver, CO 80212 Detroit, MI 48216 110 Wall St., 3rd Floor Canada V3M 5S1 Sean M. O’Brien New York, N.Y. 10005 Gordon Sweeton 544 Main St. Craig McInnes P.O. Box 99 Boston, MA 02129 Al Mixon 275 Matheson Blvd. E. Saginaw, MO 64864 5425 Warner Rd., Unit 7 Mississauga, Ontario Cleveland, OH 44125 Canada L4Z 1X8 2 TEAMSTER | WINTER 2013 | www.teamster.org 74432_Layout 1 1/25/13 8:51 PM Page 5 rotecting health care and pensions, become more difficult as they continue to preventing subcontracting and talk about the serious priority issues for UPS Pending supervisor harassment are and UPS Freight Teamsters. priorities that the UPS and UPS Freight “There is a lot at stake with these con- National Negotiating Committees are tracts,” said International Trustee Ron Her- fighting for as negotiations resume. rera, also on the negotiating committee. “UPS and UPS Freight are successful “Everything hinges on member solidarity.” companies which, thanks to the hard work UPS has continually complained about of Teamsters, have weathered the recession health care costs at the bargaining table and in good shape,” said General Secretary- the company has notified retirees participat- Treasurer Ken Hall, Package Division ing in company plans that their share will rise Director, Co-Chair of the negotiating by as much as 10 times beginning in August. committees and lead negotiator. “Teamsters “This is unacceptable,” Hall said. “We will should share in that success.” not let the company put the entire burden NEGOTIATIONS The UPS contract is the largest collective on the backs of retirees.” bargaining agreement in the country, and all Unfortunately, negotiators also expect RAMP UP eyes are watching developments, including UPS to propose that Teamsters pay a sub- Wall Street analysts, CEOs, politicians and stantial portion of their monthly premiums Goal To Reach Tentative others. The contracts cover about 250,000 for health insurance. Hall said negotiators Agreements By March 31 Teamsters. The current five-year agreements will also fight any attempt by the company expire July 31. Preparations for negotiations to raise the cost of health care for actives. took place for much of last year and in- Hall and Hoffa also put the company on egotiations for UPS and UPS cluded surveys to UPS and UPS Freight notice that no tentative agreement would be Freight contracts have been tak- members and member focus groups. reached with UPS until supervisor harass- Ning place since last September, The first meeting held to prepare for ne- ment is addressed and there is consensus on with a goal for tentative agreements gotiations involved both UPS and UPS restrictions on the use of the U.S. Postal to be reached by March 31. The current Freight Teamsters from all over the country Service. And at UPS Freight, there will be no five-year contracts both expire who perform various jobs at both compa- agreement without addressing subcontract- on July 31.