INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS JULY/AUGUST 2009 TEAMSTERwww.teamster.org Organizing FedEx Teamsters Gear Up To Deliver Victory To FedEx Workers IN THIS ISSUE 2 TEAMSTER NEWS • Teamsters Trained To Protect Against Terrorism • Airline Division Saves United Airlines Jobs Organizing FedEx • U.S. Foodservice Victory Teamsters Gear Up To Deliver Victory • Teamsters End Stalemate To FedEx Workers In Buffalo • Infrastructure Gains To Benefi t Rail Teamsters Hope On The Horizon • Local 237 Political Mechanics And Related At Horizon Forum A Success Air Join Teamsters 14 • Teamster Leader Plays Himself In Film “Milk” Maximum Security 3,200 Cook County Corrections 20 ORGANIZING Offi cers Join Local 714 • Waste Workers Join Local 311 • Local 997 Welcomes Pension Tension Bakery Workers Is A Comfortable Retirement A Thing • Donut Delivery Drivers Of The Past? Join Local 25 • Walden Police Choose Teamsters Horse Sense • Alabama Truckers Carriage Drivers Get In Touch Join Local 402 With Their Roots 16 30 COURT MATERIALS 22 United And Determined TEAMSTER 2009 Unity Conference Focuses On Organizing, Political Victories 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 publica- tion of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, 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. JULY/AUGUST 2009 / VOLUME 106, NO. 4 © 2009 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, Affi liates Records Department, 25 Louisiana Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001-2198. Subscription rates: $12 per year. Single copies, $2. (All or- ders payable in advance.) Members should send address changes to their local union. Delivering Fairness A MESSAGE FROM G ENERAL PRESIDENT JAMES P. H O F F A orporate lobbyists have a time- he said. The bill passed anyway. honored trick of slipping a few It is well past time to right that wrong. words into major legislation just Fortunately, Congress now seems inclined before Congress adjourns. Twelve to restore fairness to the freight and package years ago, a few last-minute words delivery industry. The House recently voted strengthened FedEx’s hand against overwhelmingly to apply one set of rules to unions. all express delivery companies. The Teamsters In October 1996, senators were Union urges the Senate do the same so FedEx rushing to adjourn so they could campaign for Express will have to treat non-airline workers Coffice back home. But first they had to finish a the same way all of its competitors do – under bill that funded airports – something they all the National Labor Relations Act. wanted to pass. Just before the Senate recessed, FedEx lobbyists managed to add the words Do the Right Thing “express carrier” back into the bill. That meant FedEx Express’s exemption from the law that that FedEx Express’s labor relations for all governs its competitors is absurd. Today, a employees would be governed by the Railway whole slew of FedEx workers who never so Labor Act, which is meant to cover railroads much as touch an airplane are forced to orga- and airlines. Non-airline employees working nize under a law designed for airline and rail- for competitors of FedEx Express were gov- road workers. It is also unfair. FedEx Express erned by the other set of rules under which package car drivers, tractor trailer drivers, workers can form unions – the National Labor loaders, unloaders, sorters and truck mechan- Relations Act. ics have an uphill battle to join a union. The workers who perform the exact same tasks Anti-Union Ideology at FedEx’s competitors do not face the same Under the Railway Labor Act, workers can legal obstacles. only form national bargaining units. Under FedEx’s chief spokesman has even threat- the National Labor Relations Act, workers ened to “destroy” anyone who gets in the can form bargaining units at individual com- company’s way on this legislation. The com- pany locations. It is much, much harder for pany is gearing up to launch a multi-million workers at a company like FedEx Express to dollar ad campaign to get its way. The Senate organize under the Railway Labor Act. Sen. should resist the blandishments of FedEx lob- Edward M. Kennedy recognized the injustice byists and do the right thing for all workers in and took to the Senate floor. “Federal Express the freight and package delivery industry. is notorious for its anti-union ideology, but there is no justification for Congress becom- ing an accomplice in its union-busting tactic,” TEAMSTER NEWS First Observers Teamsters Trained to Protect Our Nation Against Terrorism eamsters are now serving As of late May, members 200 more members will receive “As Teamsters, we are the in a program authorized of Local 771 in Lancaster, the training at the Joint Coun- leaders in the community,” Tby Congress to help Pennsylvania and Local 667 cil 42 meeting in July. said Gary Murley, a 19-year strengthen our nation’s critical in Memphis were trained as member of Local 667 who is infrastructure against potential part of an initial field testing. Big Goals a road driver at YRC World- risks from terrorist attacks. The union’s General Execu- “We hope to train as many wide Inc.’s Yellow-Roadway. The First Observer program tive Board was briefed on the eligible Teamsters as we can, Murley recently took the is intended to protect our new program during the 2009 and those would be members course. “Every time we have nation’s transportation systems Unity Conference. At Unity, who drive trucks, work as toll an opportunity to step up and where Teamsters work every members, as well as three collectors or spend time along help the community, we need day. The U.S. Department of International Vice Presidents, the nation’s highways and to do that. We’re the first to see Homeland Security’s Trans- received the updated one-hour roads,” said Mark Johnson, the things out of the ordinary.” portation Security Administra- training. Teamsters National Training First Observer training was tion awarded a First Observer At the request of Interna- Director. “Our members cover developed by the Teamsters in grant to a consortium of con- tional Vice President Jim San- millions of miles each week partnership with Total Security tractors including the Team- tangelo, 500 members of Local and they play a valuable role in Services International Inc., sters Union. 848 will be trained in June and keeping our country safer.” which has special expertise in Under the program, vulnerability and threat Teamsters are trained to spot assessment, security plan- unusual behavior and how ning, anti-terrorism plan- to report suspicious activity ning and training to safe- through proper channels. guard America’s public and Membership feedback on private institutions. the training will be used to “I commend our Team- ensure training meets the ster First Observer team,” needs of all Teamsters and said Tom Keegel, Teamsters other transportation pro- General Secretary-Trea- fessionals. Members who surer. “We are committed complete the training will to protecting our country be registered as a Teamster first and then our national First Observer in the national infrastructure, which is so database for future security critical in protecting our notices and feedback. members’ jobs.” GENERAL EXECUTIVE BOARD James P. Hoffa VICE PRESIDENTS Fredrick P. Potter Jr. TEAMSTERS CANADA CENTRAL REGION EASTERN REGION SOUTHERN REGION TRUSTEES General President AT-LARGE 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 Walter A. Lytle Daniel J. Kane Sr. WESTERN REGION Ken Hall 1890 Meyerside Drive 2644 Cass Street 1308 Pierce Street Rome A. Aloise Henry B. Perry Jr. 267 Staunton Ave. S.W. George Tedeschi Mississauga, Ontario Fort Wayne, IN 46808 Rahway, NJ 07065 2100 Merced St. 976 E. Brooks Ave. South Charleston, WV 25 Louisiana Ave. N.W. Canada L5T 1B4 San Leandro, CA 94577 Memphis, TN 38116 25303 Washington, D.C. 20001 Brad Slawson Sr. John Murphy Don McGill 9422 Ulysses St. N.E. 348 D Street J. Allen Hobart Carroll E. Haynes 490 E. Broadway Suite 120 Boston, MA 02127 14675 Interurban 50 Calhoun Avenue Vancouver, B.C. Blaine, MN 55434 Ave. S. New Rochelle, NY Canada V5T 1X3 Suite 301 10801 Gordon Sweeton Tukwila, WA 98168 1601 Maiden Lane Joplin, MO 64802 Jim Santangelo 818 S. Oak Park Road 2 TEAMSTER | JULY/AUGUST 2009 | www.teamster.org Covina, CA 91724 Against All Odds Airline Division Saves Nearly 100 Jobs Despite Inherited Weak Contract hen United Airlines by Griswold, took a proac- tions, we had to think outside Although some jobs will issued request for tive stance to the situation of the box.