Teamsters Celebrate Black History Month

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Candidate Campaign Literature

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I N T E R N A T I O N A L B R O T H E R H O O D O F T E A M S T E R S F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 6

Teamsters CelebrateBlack History Month

2 TEAMSTER NEWS2 TEAMSTER NEWS

38 COURT MATERIAL38 COURT MATERIAL

l Miami DHL WorkersWin Contract

l The Fight For Pensionsl Local 120 Regains

Carhaul Jobsl UPS Teamsters—The

Best In The Businessl NetJets Pilots

Ratify Contract

l Health Workers Join Local 493

l Local 118 WelcomesFood Service Drivers

l Public Employees Join Local 252

l Flight Attendants Vote “Yes”

l Parking Workers Join Local 911

16 ORGANIZING 16 ORGANIZING

International Brotherhood

of Teamsters

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The Teamster (ISSN 1083-2394) is the officialpublication of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters,25 Louisiana Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20001-2198.It is published eight times a year in February, March/April,May, June/July, August, September, October/Novemberand December/January. Periodical postage paid atWashington, D.C. and at additional mailing offices.

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© 2006 International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Allrights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in partwithout written permission is prohibited. Postmaster:

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IN THIS ISSUEIN THIS ISSUE

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F E A T U R E S

6 A Proud LegacyTeamsters Celebrate Black History Month

18 Cleaning UpWaste Workers Win First ContractIn Georgia, Florida And Alabama

40 “We Shall Not Be Moved”Local 922 Celebrates The Life Of Rosa Parks

12 Trade MarksU.S. Trade Deficit Reaches Record Highs As GovernmentPursues More Destructive Trade Agreements

21 ELECTION MATERIAL 21 ELECTION MATERIAL

n remembering the life of Rosa Parks, whatstands out is the tremendous courage it tookfor her to remain seated on that bus in 1955.In doing so, she confronted a whole system ofinjustice bearing down on her and her fellowAfrican-Americans.

The same courage is required of workersstruggling to organize in today’s economy.Unchecked corporate power, ineffective laborlaws and the pressures of globalization have all

created formidable odds. But courage, persever-ance and, above all, principled solidarity are stillthe secret weapons that all people possess.

Martin Luther King Jr. also championed avision of labor rights being synonymous with civilrights. King pointed out that the racist and thelabor-hater were often one and the same, “spewinganti-Negro epithets from one mouth and anti-labor propaganda from the other mouth.”

Sadly, Dr. King was murdered in Memphis,Tennessee while supporting the rights of strikingsanitation workers. But I think he would be heart-ened to know that his spirit is alive and well asTeamster waste workers in Alabama, Georgia andFlorida recently secured first contracts achievingsecurity for their families and respect on the job.

“I Can Take It No Longer”Dr. King once described Rosa Parks’ act of civildisobedience as a simple breaking point where thehuman personality cries out, “I can take it nolonger.”

Today’s workers are approaching a similarpoint as they see the hard-won victories of the pastcrumble around them. Today, American workershave less economic security, with corporations

sending jobs overseas and wages so low manywork two or three jobs just to cover their family’sbasic necessities. Forty-five million Americans arewithout health insurance, and skyrocketing healthcare costs eat away at paychecks that are alreadystretched. And to make matters worse, the numberof workers with defined benefit pensions hasdropped from 41 percent to 21 percent since 1978.

Clearly the frail moorings of middle-class lifeare coming undone, yet the Bush administrationshows neither concern nor initiative in findingmeaningful solutions to these problems. African-American workers, continually on the frontlines oflayoffs and downward economic trends, are partic-ularly stung by these factors. In 2005, medianweekly wages earned by blacks fell 5 percent whilewages for whites dropped 1 percent. The decline inblack union membership no doubt plays a role inthese losses.

It is my hope that Rosa Parks’ life will serve as areminder to workers of all races and ethnic groupsthat there comes a time when enough is enough.With corporate greed and corporate-owned politi-cians making our laws and running our country,now is the time to be building and organizing forthe future.

Workers can rise above these obstacles by join-ing together in trade unions, and building the kindof solidarity and strength that can challenge thepowers that be and change the course of history.Rosa Parks’ life is proof of that.

I

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Remembering Rosa ParksA M E S S A G E F R O M T H E G E N E R A L P R E S I D E N T

DHL workers are celebrat-ing another in a longstring of victories with

the overwhelming passage of acontract in Florida.

Teamsters at the MiamiInternational Airport (MIA)DHL gateway facilityapproved a four-year contractin December, gaining wageincreases, a pension plan and

job security language.“We are ecstatic that we

have completed these negotia-tions,” said Alex Saumell, an18-year worker at the DHLMiami gateway facility. “Thecredit goes to Mike Scott, DonMarr and all the workers hereat the gateway who stoodstrong through this entireprocess.”

Exceptional ContractBy ratifying the contract, the130 workers at MIA becamethe third DHL gateway loca-tion to be protected by a Team-ster agreement this year.

Miami gateway workers arejoining 300 DHL Teamsters atJohn F. Kennedy InternationalAirport in New York and 150gateway workers at Los AngelesInternational Airport.

In addition to securingexcellent wage increases andlowering the cost of healthinsurance for the workers, theagreement includes job securi-ty language and guarantees aminimum of 40 hours perweek for full-time employees.The contract also includesstrong language that providesthe members with an out-standing grievance procedureand seniority requirements.

“These workers were soexcited about becomingTeamsters,” said Michael Scott,President of Local 769 inMiami. “This is an exceptional

first contract that will provideimprovements across theboard for these workers.”

Looking AheadThe solid contracts at the gate-ways set the stage for DHLworkers at independentcartage contractors (ICCs)around the country who areinvolved in negotiations withthose operators.

“The workers sent a mes-sage to DHL that they areproud Teamsters who willsupport all the DHL workersthat are negotiating a firstcontract,” said Don Marr, aLocal 769 business agent.

A major focus of the Inter-national Union during 2006will be to secure contracts forthose ICC workers who havechosen Teamster representa-tion. The DHL team at theInternational Union is current-ly assessing the needs of differ-ent locals to devise strategiesthat will secure strong con-tracts with the ICCs.

TEAMSTER NEWSTEAMSTER NEWS

Miami SliceDHL Gateway Teamsters in Florida Approve First Contract

GENERAL EXECUTIVE BOARD

James P. Hoffa General President 25 Louisiana Ave., NW Washington, DC 20001

C. Thomas Keegel General Secretary-Treasurer 25 Louisiana Ave., NW Washington, DC 20001

VICE PRESIDENTS AT-LARGE Randy Cammack 845 Oak Park Road Covina, CA 91724

Fred Gegare 1546 Main Street Green Bay, WI 54302

Carroll Haynes 216 West 14th Street New York, NY 10011

Tom O’Donnell 1 Hollow Lane Suite 309 Lake Success, NY 11042

Ralph J. Taurone47 West 200 SouthSuite 300Salt Lake City, UT84101

TEAMSTERS CANADA Robert Bouvier,President Teamsters Canada 2540 Daniel Johnson Suite 804 Laval, Quebec, Canada H7T 2S3

Tom Fraser1890 Meyerside Dr.Mississauga, Ontario Canada L5T 1B4

Garnet Zimmerman 7283 149th A StreetSurrey, B.C. CanadaV3S 3H4

CENTRAL REGION Patrick W. Flynn 4217 South Halsted St.Chicago, IL 60609

Walter A. Lytle 2644 Cass Street Fort Wayne, IN 46808

Dotty Malinsky 9409 Yukon Avenue S.Bloomington, MN55438

Lester A. Singer 435 South Hawley St.Toledo, OH 43609

Philip E. Young1668 N.W. 1000 RoadCreighton, MO 64739

EASTERN REGION Jack Cipriani P.O. Box 35405 Greensboro, NC 27425

Ken Hall 267 Staunton Ave. SW South Charleston, WV25303

John Murphy 765 East Third Street Boston, MA 02127

Richard Volpe 6 Tuxedo Avenue New Hyde Park, NY11040

SOUTHERN REGION Tyson Johnson 1007 Jonelle Street Dallas, TX 75217

Ken Wood 5818 E. MLK Jr. Blvd.Tampa, FL 33619

WESTERN REGION J. Allen Hobart 14675 Interurban Ave. SSuite 301Tukwila, WA 98168

Chuck Mack P.O. Box 2270 Oakland, CA 94621

Jim Santangelo818 S. Oak Park RoadCovina, CA 91724

TRUSTEES Frank Gallegos 207 North Sanborn Rd.Salinas, CA 93905

Henry B. Perry Jr.796 E. Brooks Ave.Memphis, TN 38116

John Steger25 Louisiana Ave., N.W.Washington, DC 20001


A Brighter FutureLocal 120 Wins Back Union Jobs

Paul Smith always wanted the security and benefits of a union jobafter having one years ago. Now, thanks to Local 120 in St. Paul,Minnesota, Smith has a brighter future as a carhaul Teamster.

“I love being a Teamster,” said Smith, a driver for Allied Systems.“I feel more secure for myself and for my family.”

Local 120 successfully fought to get union carhaul jobs backthat had been lost to a nonunion company. As a result, Smith andthree-dozen other carhaul drivers and several mechanics are nowproud Teamsters.

In 2000, General Motors contracted the work at Cottage Grove,Minnesota to Sierra Mountain Express, a nonunion company, puttingthe Teamsters out of work. Until that year, there were no nonunioncarriers in Cottage Grove.

Regaining WorkThe Teamsters regained the work recently by using a clause in thenational carhaul contract that allows Teamster-represented companiesto bid more competitively for work that was taken by nonunion com-panies. The national contract allows short-term wage adjustments asa way of regaining work for the long run.

“This contract has created new, good-paying Teamster jobs,” saidLouie Miller, business agent for Local 120. “Our strategy is a canceron nonunion operators because we are starting to erode their baseof operations.”

Local 120 now has a contract with two union companies: Alliedand E&L, which are doing much of the work.

“This is a win-win situation for our members. Our Teamstercarhaul members receive solid wages and receive full health andpension benefits,” said Fred Zuckerman, Director of the TeamstersCarhaul Division. “We’re going to work with Local 120 and with otherlocal unions to regain more work through this process.”

On November 30, 395 residential assistants at PassavantMemorial Homes reached a card-check majority and joined275 of their coworkers to become members of Local 926 in

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The unit has now grown to 670 people.Residential assistants at Passavant, who are scattered within a

100-mile radius around Pittsburgh, care for mentally challengedindividuals living in group homes.

“I’m in this field because I care about people, but employeesare people too. We had no powers at all,” said Barry Malloy, a resi-dential assistant.

As a nonunion worker at Passavant, Malloy had to pay a $500deductible when he had lab work and surgery last year.

“It’s like I took a $500 pay cut,” he said. “I’ve heard so manystories of single mothers with children—a lot of them refuse togo to the doctor because they can’t afford it. That’s why I wanteda union.”

Neutrality and Card-CheckLocal 926 won a neutrality and card-check agreement with Passa-vant in November 2004.

“I explained to the company’s lawyer that we have a protectionrights clause, which allows us to honor a picket line,” said CharlieByrnes, Local 926 Secretary-Treasurer. “I think the fear of know-ing that we had the power to shut them down on the organizedend was the motivating factor. They didn’t want that problem.”

“Having a neutrality agreement made this campaign mucheasier,” said Gwen Helms, a union steward at Passavant. “But it’snever been about the money for me. It’s always been about beingtreated fairly, and having a say how we take care of people.”

Taking Care Of Business395 Residential Assistants Join Local 926

TEAMSTER NEWS

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When Congress began its2005 legislative session,the Teamsters put

together a plan aimed at get-ting the House and Senate tofinish a job they had begunthe year before: protectingmultiemployer pension funds.

These funds—which cover10 million working Ameri-cans, including 750,000Teamsters—suffered signifi-cant losses due to the stockmarket slump of 2000through 2002.

As part of that effort, theTeamsters worked with agroup of unions, trade associ-ations and employers whoalso had a stake in protecting

multiemployer pensionfunds—the MultiemployerPension Plan Coalition. Themembers of the group shareda goal of achieving pensionlegislation that would mod-ernize accounting rules forpensions and give funds thetools they needed to recoverfrom stock market swings.

The International alsoengaged Teamsters across thecountry in the fight for pen-sion protection, resulting inover 100,000 members sign-ing the Teamsters’ PensionProtection Petition.

In response to thatgroundswell of support, theHouse and Senate began work

on a number of measuresrelated to pension protection.

More Harm than GoodThe Teamsters withheld sup-port for those proposals

because none responded ade-quately to the needs of multi-employer pension funds—anda number of them would actu-ally have done more harmthan good.

The Fight For PensionsHoffa, Union Lead Effort to Protect Vested Benefits

In a recent victory, more than2,000 pilots at NetJets Inc.—

represented by Local 1108 in

Columbus, Ohio—ratified a five-year contract by a more than a 4-1 margin. The new agreement

raises wages by 40 to 60 percent,strengthens job security andimproves scheduling-relatedissues for pilots at the airline.

“This is an excellent con-tract,” said J.B. Cockrell, a four-year pilot who flies out of the SanFrancisco gateway. “It’s obvious—84 percent voted in favor of it.”

“This agreement assures abetter future for pilots and theirfamilies,” said Bill Olsen, Local1108 President. “NetJets will nolonger be a stepping stone to acareer in the aviation industry,but rather a company wherepilots make their careers.”

In addition to significant

wage increases, the new contractalso features strengthened“scope” language, which preventsthe company from farming outLocal 1108 pilots’ work. In addi-tion, the pact grants pilotsgreater ability to choose how theybuild their schedule.

“This takes the workers up tothe level of the legacy carriers interms of wages, working condi-tions and benefits,” said Don Tre-ichler, Teamsters Airline DivisionDirector. “This is an unprecedent-ed contract.”

Four-Year StruggleRecognized as the safest in the

Sunny SkiesNetJets Pilots Ratify “Unprecedented Contract”

Some members of Con-gress were pushing a proposalcalled the “red zone” provi-sion, which would haveallowed fund administrators toreduce a participant’s vestedbenefits.

In the hope that these prob-lems would be resolved andresult in a positive bill, theTeamsters cautiously support-ed the process moving for-ward. But after months ofwork, many of the Teamsters’concerns had still not beenaddressed—including the so-called “red zone” language.

With the legislative sessiondrawing to a close it becameunlikely that Congress could

pass a bill to provide meaning-ful relief for multiemployerplans while protecting Team-sters’ vested benefits.

No Cut in Vested Benefits“The final weeks of a legisla-tive session are typicallymarked by backroom dealsand limited transparency,”said Government AffairsDirector Mike Mathis. “If youpush Congress to take actionon an important issue underthose circumstances, you runthe risk of ending up with abill that does more harm thangood.”

Given that reality, GeneralPresident James P. Hoffa

informed Congress that it wasno longer in the best interestof Teamster members toactively support efforts to passpension legislation in the2005 session. At the sametime, the Teamsters withdrewsupport for the Multiemploy-er Pension Plan Coalition’sproposal—due in part to dis-agreements over the “redzone” provision.

“Our members work hardand are entitled to receive the

pension that they earned,”Hoffa stated in his letter toCongress, “and no one shouldbe able to take that away from them.”


“Our members work

hard and are entitled to

receive the pension that

they earned, and no one

should be able to take

that away from them.”— JAMES P. HOFFA,

TEAMSTERS GENERAL PRESIDENT

fractional-airline industry, Net-Jets pilots had been in contractnegotiations with the company’sownership since their last con-tract became amendable onOctober 1, 2001. The unionmembership rejected a tentativeagreement presented in August2004 by 82 percent.

In late April 2005, the pilotsdid something no group had everdone before: picket the annualshareholder meeting of BerkshireHathaway, Warren Buffet’s con-glomerate, in Omaha, Nebraska.

“At the time, our pilots werebeing paid around half the indus-try average for flying the same

equipment,” said Alan Hayes, athree-year NetJets pilot. “Whileall of these investors are enjoy-ing the fruits of our labor, ourpilots were struggling to makeends meet. Mr. Buffett hasalways had a reputation of pay-ing exceptional employees whatthey deserve. We only asked forthe same consideration.”

Fractional-ownership airlineslike NetJets fly some of theworld’s wealthiest and mostinfluential individuals to destina-tions on-demand. With over halfthe market share, NetJets domi-nates the industry.

Once again, UPS Teamsters answered the call this holidayseason by delivering millions of packages on time, includ-

ing the peak day of December 20, when more than 20 millionpackages were delivered worldwide.

The peak day figure translates into 230 packages deliveredevery second.

The next day, Decem-ber 21, brought anotherhigh: more than 5 millionair express packagesdelivered worldwide.

“Our members at UPSare the best workers inthe package-deliveryindustry, and this pastholiday season theyproved it once again,”said Jim Hoffa, TeamstersGeneral President.

UPS Teamsters—The Best In The BusinessParcel Members Deliver During Holiday Season

TEAMSTERSCELEBRATE

BLACKHISTORYMONTH


When Ferline Buie joined Local 922 inWashington, D.C in 1966, she didn’texpect to be a member for very long.She viewed her job at Hertz as “an in-between position.” She didn’t knowmuch about the Teamsters, but as ayoung black woman, she did not

think there was much in it for her. After attending a few meet-ings, she was pleased to discover there was much more to theunion than she thought. In fact, she could envision herself as alocal union officer.

That aspiration started her on a path she never imaginedpossible.

“I went to the president of the local at the time, a mannamed Ed Monahan, and told him my ambition. To my sur-prise, he took me seriously,” Buie said. “He said my race andgender didn’t matter if I was consistent, loyal and as involvedas possible in the union. It changed my life.”

Today, Buie is the President of both Local 922 and JointCouncil 55.

The Teamsters Union has always been ahead of otherunions in terms of its treatment of minority members.Women and minorities were part of the membership from thebeginning, with black Teamsters in attendance at the foundingconvention.

Pioneer of DiversityEarly on, leadership in the union believed in “no color line” andwas strongly against separate unions for African-Americans. A1903 group portrait of the first New Orleans local shows thathalf of the officers were black. And in a 1906 issue of the Team-ster magazine, there was an impassioned call for all local unionsto organize black workers, particularly in the South.

General President James R. Hoffa was strongly opposed tosegregation of any kind and chose to forfeit prospective mem-

bers rather than abandon the principles of the union. At onepoint in the 1950s, he and Vice President Harold Gibbonstraveled to New Orleans to lead an organizing campaign at achemical plant but were stonewalled by white workersdemanding a separate local for black workers. Hoffa refused,knowing they would lose the election because of the decision.Hoffa was angry about the loss but felt the union was betteroff without such racist attitudes. “We don’t need ‘em,” he said.“Their way is not the Teamster way.”

Joe Nero, who became a member of Local 272 in New YorkCity in 1941, remained a proud Teamster until his death in2004 at the age of103. He alwaysmaintained thatunions were thebest thing to hap-pen to blackworkers.

“The Team-sters did me rightand gave me agood life. Theydidn’t care if I wasblack or white,” hesaid. “Being in the union was the difference between a goodlife and a tough one. Always was, always will be.”

Fighting for EqualityFrom its earliest days, the Teamsters fought for racial equality.Part of a contract for female laundry workers in 1917 includ-ed a non-negotiable provision that black women must be paidthe same as white women doing the same job.

By World War I, the Teamsters were on their way to beingone of the most diverse organizations in the country. Duringthe war, African-American workers patriotically stepped into

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jobs previously held only by whites, but still faced unjust prac-tices from employers. In numerous cases, the Teamstersstepped in and offered the workers the protection of theunion, ensuring fair treatment. In 1919, the union adopted thenational slogan, “Equal pay for equal work,” a signal that theTeamsters were strongly supportive of all their members.

“I have always been treated fairly and been allowed toadvance as my skills developed with no hindrance because ofmy race or gender,” said Sheryl Allen, a superintendent withNew York City Housing and member of Local 237 in NewYork City since 1984. “The Teamsters are the reason that free-dom and opportunity exists. In fact, the strength and support

from our local hashelped make mydepartment one ofthe most progressivein the city govern-ment.”

A New EraThe 1960s brought anew era to theunion—especiallyinvolving social justice.In April 1961, Team-

sters collected four tons of food and clothing for evicted share-croppers in Tennessee. In addition, General President Hoffaannounced that locals across the country would help providefood and clothing to black families who were being punished forregistering to vote in the 1960 presidential election.

Teamsters did more than send supplies to help fight racialinjustice. On August 28, 1963, hundreds and hundreds ofTeamsters were among the more than 250,000 people takingpart in the historic March to Freedom in Washington, D.C.where they heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic “I Havea Dream” speech.

“When I went to work for ETWC Trucking in 1970, every-one knew about the Teamsters’ role in civil rights and also howthe Teamsters National Master Freight Agreement of 1964changed lives,” said Henry Perry, an International Trustee andPresident of Local 667 in Memphis. “Black workers were mov-ing into the middle class for the first time, not having to scrapethe barrel just to survive, gaining rights they were entitled toby law. The differences were unbelievable—everyone wanted aTeamster job. Jimmy Hoffa and the Teamsters were hailed asheroes in my neck of the woods—and they still are today.”

Battle ScarsThe Teamsters’ involvement in social causes was not withoutconsequences. On the morning after the Teamsters adopted acivil rights resolution to contribute money to Dr. MartinLuther King Jr. in 1965, a civil rights activist who was the wifeof a business agent from a Detroit local was murdered. Viola

Liuzzo had been among Teamsters participating in a civilrights march in Alabama. The night of the march, on a stretchof Interstate 80 between Montgomery and Selma, Liuzzo wasshot by a segregationist. Teamsters and civil rights activistsfrom around the country, including James R. Hoffa and Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr., gathered for her funeral.

Teamsters were not always praised for their views on work-er equality. Companies bent on dividing members have used itas a union-busting tactic as have race-baiting politicians benton proving unions to be a scourge on society. Despite theseattacks, the union has remained firm in its belief in equalityfor all members.

“As black members, we have done much to improve ourown situation in the union and in the workplace over the lastfew decades,” said Antonio Christian, Recording Secretary ofLocal 853 in Oakland, California and Deputy Commissionerof the Teamsters Human Rights Commission. “Forming theTeamsters National Black Caucus and learning to speak up forour interests were important steps. But one of the mostimportant steps has been to educate ourselves on the true mis-sion of the union and to actively implement that mission.”

A Mighty ForceEarly on, the Teamsters recognized the need to push for equal-ity and justice in arenas beyond the workplace and used theirstrength to shape progressive legislation. In 1959, the uniondeveloped a political action group called DRIVE (DemocratRepublican Independent Voter Education) to advance a pro-worker agenda at all levelsof government.

Many black members,particularly women,became actively involvedin DRIVE. Throughoutthe 1960s, hundreds ofblack Teamster women(members and spouses)joined in “storming Capi-tol Hill” every spring inWashington, D.C. Thewomen called on their rep-resentatives and askedpointed questions aboutvoting records and supportfor pro-labor legislation.

African-American members are still very active in Teamsterpolitical action efforts and are part of many different caucuseskeeping an eye on inequality in the workplace and in Wash-ington. Groups such as the Teamsters National Black Caucusand the Teamsters Women’s Caucus are all hard at work tosupport the importance of Teamster diversity.

“The key to a successful experience in the union is partici-pation. I know this from experience. At a low point in my life,


1903: The International Brotherhoodof Teamsters is formed by the amalgama-

tion of two teamdriver unions.Black and whitedelegates attendfirst meeting.

1906: Team-sters speak outagainst other

unions where separate locals are formedfor black members.

1916: Teamsters represent womenlaundry workers. A non-negotiable part ofthe contract is that black women must bepaid the same wages as white women.

1917: During World War I, Teamsterspush employers to hire men and women ofall races to take jobs traditionally held bywhites.

1919: Teamsters take on the officialslogan “Equal Pay for All.”

1920: Teamsters takeon more crafts, includingdockworkers, constructionworkers and warehouse-men, increasing the numberof black members.

1932: Teamsters dis-avow the official practice ofmaking sure white mem-bers were given jobs firstheld by other union members.

1934: Teamsters oppose Jim Crowlaws in the South.

1942: DuringWorld War II, manyAfrican-Americansbecome membersof the union asjobs open up inwar productionareas.

1950: Black leaders receive more official recognition, including awards andstories in the union magazine.

Man With A MissionThe Life of John H. Cleveland

Abook on the life of John H. Cleveland, the first black International Vice President ofthe Teamsters Union, is being published by the Teamsters. The book, “A Biography

of John H. Cleveland: A Man with a Mission,” was developed to educate members onone of the union’s most important black leaders and will be released to locals andJoint Councils this month as part of the celebration of Black History Month.

Cleveland became a member of Local 730 in Washington,D.C. in 1937 and served as the principal officer for more than 30 years. He also served as President of Joint Council 55 and theEastern Conference Director of the Warehouse Division. Cleve-land, born in Georgia in 1912, was a veteran of World War II and alifelong activist for civil rights as a member of the NAACP.

Cleveland was a pioneering organizer of black workers in thesouth during the 1950s and early 1960s and fought hard to endJim Crow laws in the region. He also led the way for black workersin the nation’s capital to achieve respect and a better standard of

living. His wife, Eula, was also a lifelong Teamster activist who received a LifetimeAchievement Award at the union’s Centennial celebration in 2003.

A Great Leader“John Cleveland was a great man, a great Teamster and a great leader,” said Jim Hoffa,Teamsters General President. “Sharing the story of his achievements with our members islong overdue. I am pleased that he is getting the recognition he deserves in this book.”

Cleveland’s biography was written by Joy Copeland, a professional writer living inNorthern Virginia. Copeland, born in Harlem, was inspired by her subject.

“Working on the John Cleveland biography was a wonderful assignment,” Copelandsaid. “The enthusiasm of the interviewees for the biography inspired me. It was conta-gious. They wanted John’s story told and talked about him as if he were still alive.”


1961: Team-sters send sup-plies to FreedomVillage in Alabama.

1963:Teamsters give

$25,000 to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’scivil rights organization. Teamsters fromacross the country attend the March onWashington.

1965: ViolaLiuzzo is murdered.Teamsters and civilrights leadersattend funeral.

1975: Team-sters NationalBlack Caucus isformed.

1976: John Cleveland becomes thefirst black International Vice President.

1985: Local 237 in New York sup-ports Columbia University students intheir rally against Apartheid, giving mon-

etary dona-tions andother support.

1986:Clara Dayhelps foundthe TeamstersWomen’s Caucus.

1999: Chester Glanton elected Inter-national Vice President At-Large.

2001: Carl Haynes appointed Interna-tional Vice President. Ron McLainbecomes International Trustee.

2004: Ferline Buie elected first blackwoman Joint Council President.

2005: Henry Perry becomes Interna-tional Trustee. Black Caucus Celebrates30th Anniversary.

Chester Glanton: Teamster TrailblazerAdvancing the Role of Black Members a Priority

Chester Glanton, International Vice President At-Large from 1999 until his death in2001, loved the union and all it stood for—particularly in terms of equality for

all workers.“The Teamsters are leaders because they were willing to

give black workers recognition and a chance to move forwardlong before anyone else did,” Glanton said.

Glanton began his career as a Teamster shop steward forLocal 743 in Chicago. His skills earned him the notice of thelocal’s officers and he was brought on to the staff as an orga-nizer. Through hard work and involvement, he was elected Presi-dent of the local in 1995. Glanton was always centrally involved

in efforts to meet the needs of black members, includingparticipation in the fledgling Black Caucus in 1976. He also served as an officer inthe Coalition of Black Trade Unionists.

“Chester Glanton was a leader who inspired members—black and white—todevote their lives to improving the standard of living for all workers,” said TomKeegel, Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer. “He is sorely missed.”


getting involved with the local gave me hope,” said MiltonLewis, Vice President of Local 70 in Oakland, California.“When I decided to run for office, people told me a black officer in the local was unheard of and would never happen. Itried anyway and won. I realized then that the only reasonthings are unheard of is because no one pushes hard enoughto make them happen.”

Hope for the FutureRoy Gillespie, a 29-year member of Local 600 in St. Louis, seesparticipation as the key to strengthening the power of theunion in society as well. “There is a lot of apathy out thereabout the labor movement and its importance and we asmembers don’t do enough to counter that attitude,” he said.

“The Teamsters are initiating great new programs that will provide opportunities for black members to becomeeven more involved in the union,” said Al Mixon, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 507 in Cleveland. “The new leadership ofthe Change to Win federation embodies diversity in the labormovement to the fullest, which will help encourage blackmember involvement from those not sure how valued they

are by unions.”The momentum

sparked by the civilrights movementcontinues today.One example wasthe Teamsters sup-port for the October2005 Millions MoreMovement March inWashington, D.C.Some of the march’sgoals includedreforming health care and the pension system as well as fightingto bring a living wage to all Americans.

“The Million Man March was missing the voice of labor in1995,” said Chris Silvera, President of the Teamsters NationalBlack Caucus. “I am very glad that we were here to representlabor, and I want to thank General President Hoffa for hissupport, which is a bold step and bodes well for the future ofour organization.”

Teamster magazine recently spoke with Inter-national Vice President Carl Haynes and

International Trustee Henry Perry—both mem-bers of the General Executive Board—about thehistory of African-American members in theTeamsters and their contributions to the union.

Q: How has union membership affected the

lives of black members?

HAYNES: Teamster mem-bership gave black workersrights and opportunitiesthat were not available tothem in other areas of soci-ety. As a Teamster, a blackworker could count on thesame wages as white workers doing the samework and those wages offered him a far betterstandard of living than nonunion workers.

Q: Over the years, what do you see as the

most significant contributions from African-

American members?

PERRY: Individual black Teamsters have made

significant contributions inmany areas in the last cen-tury—including great orga-nizing victories and improv-ing conditions in their work-places. But as a group, themost significant contribu-tion was by their very presence in the union. Bythat I mean an integrated union providedopportunities for barriers to be broken, forunderstanding of different cultures to occurand for lasting friendships to form that neverwould have happened if black members hadnot been included in the union. The Teamstersare much stronger because of it.

Q: What advice would you give to a young

black member starting out in the union?

HAYNES: My advice would be the same toyoung members of any race: get involved, knowyour representatives and make sure they knowyou. Know your contract, know your rights andknow what the union can and cannot do for

you. I would also say talk to older membersand find out what the union means to thembeyond their contracts and what the values ofthe union are. These steps are particularlyimportant for black members because theymay not have the family traditions in unionmembership that white members may have.

Q: How can the union help encourage more

black members to get involved in shaping

the union’s future?

PERRY: I see great changes ahead for blackmembers on many levels. More black mem-bers have become active in the union inrecent years and they have now gained theskills and experience to move into leadershiproles in greater numbers. The Change to Winfederation and new strategies for organizingwill give black members the chance to helpbring more minorities into the union and raisetheir living standards through better wagesand benefits. Black members will have moreopportunities to educate their communitieson the importance of unions—especially aslarger numbers of women and minoritiesenter the workforce. We need to help youngpeople, especially in urban areas, see thatthere are many paths to a successful life andthe Teamsters can help them get there.

Q&A: Carl Haynes and Henry Perry

Since the passage of the North Ameri-can Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),more than a million jobs have been

lost—many of them good-paying unionjobs. Most of those jobs ended up in sub-poverty sweatshops in Mexico and now inChina, where workers are regularly deniedthe right to form unions, much less earn adecent wage.

The loss of these jobs is just the mostvisible tip of NAFTA’s impact on the U.S.economy. NAFTA has also contributed to

rising income inequality, suppressed realwages for production workers, weakenedworkers’ collective bargaining powers andability to organize unions, and reducedhealth and pension benefits. How can U.S.workers compete in this global race to thebottom? The answer is, they can’t.

Rather than learn from NAFTA and 10years under the rules of the World TradeOrganization (WTO), the U.S. continuesto move in the same direction—pushingfor the same trade rules and policies thathave proven a disaster for U.S. workersand the economy. When it was establishedin 1995, the WTO’s preamble stated thatits purpose was to bring about greaterprosperity, increase employment, reducepoverty, diminish inequality, and promotesustainable development around the worldthrough greater free trade.

Since then, unemployment has climbedaround the world and the quality of exist-


TRADEU.S. TRADE DEFICIT REACHES RECORD HIGHS AS GOVERN

“The Teamsters believe trade agreements can actually producebenefits for workers, but in order for that to happen they must bebased on the principles of fair trade. It is time for the UnitedStates to once again take the lead in spreading prosperityaround the globe, instead of promoting the exploitation of bothforeign and domestic workers.” — JACK CIPRIANI, TEAMSTERS INTERNATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT

ing employment has eroded. As a directresult of the WTO’s policies, many work-ers are driven into this informal, unpro-tected and unregulated economy.

Even worse, the WTO has been usedto advance the interests of internationalcorporations beyond trade. The tenta-cles of the WTO now reach into theareas of development, investment, com-petition, intellectual property rights,public services, environmental protec-tion, immigration and government pro-curement. The expanding role of theWTO means that the march of unre-stricted free trade no longer affects justmanufacturing workers, it harms allworkers.

“No” to FTAAIn November 2005, the Bush administra-tion attempted to jumpstart the FreeTrade Area of the Americas (FTAA) at a

summit in Mar de Plata, Argentina. Fortu-nately, this plan was thwarted by aresounding “no” from workers around theworld.

“The Teamsters led the way in scuttlingthose talks,” said Jim Hoffa, TeamstersGeneral President. “We stood togetherwith our allies in Congress, union leadersand workers from all over the hemisphereto prevent the administration fromextending NAFTA throughout the Ameri-cas with the stroke of a pen.”

Unfortunately, while the FTAA may bedead at the moment, the passage of CAFTAand the Chile Free Trade Agreement hasemboldened the administration to movefull steam ahead with its hemisphere-widefree trade agenda. The administration’s planis to attempt to enact piecemeal what itcould not accomplish as a whole, negotiat-ing trade agreement after trade agreementusing the NAFTA model as its template.

The NextBad IdeaAs part of thisplan, the admin-istration is already inthe process of negotiating afree trade deal with Panama. It is alsoworking on another agreement with sev-eral Andean countries, including Peru,Ecuador and Colombia, known as theAndean Free Trade Agreement (AFTA).Along with human rights advocates acrossthe Americas, the Teamsters are outragedthat the Bush administration would evenconsider granting free trade status toColumbia given its record of persecutingtrade unionists.

In November, the Teamsters joinedlabor leaders from South America at arally to spell out the case against AFTA.

“The Teamsters call on the administra-tion to stop the global race to the bottom


MARKS MENT PURSUES MORE DESTRUCTIVE TRADE AGREEMENTS

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and instead begin to negotiate tradeagreements that benefit all workers,” saidJohn Murphy, Teamsters InternationalVice President. “We call on the adminis-tration to abandon a trade model that is aproven failure.

“The Teamsters believe trade agree-ments can actually produce benefits forworkers, but in order for that to happenthey must be based on the principles offair trade,” said Jack Cipriani TeamstersInternational Vice President. “It is timefor the United States to once again takethe lead in spreading prosperity around

the globe, instead of promoting theexploitation of both foreign and domesticworkers.”

The long-term vision of the free tradecamp extends beyond agreements withcountries in this hemisphere to Asia,Africa and the Middle East. In December,the administration passed a free tradeagreement with Bahrain, and is in discus-sions with Oman, the United Arab Emi-rates, and possibly Qatar and Kuwait.Given the instability in the Middle East asa whole, along with the horrendoushuman rights records of certain nations in

the region, some question the timing ofmoving forward with the negotiationsprocess right now.

“My son, Gary, was deployed to Iraq insupport of Operation Iraqi Freedom andis still serving in the United States MarineCorps, so I have a personal interest inMiddle East issues,” said Gary LaBarbera,President of Local 282 in Lake Success,New York. “I just can’t understand howthe administration would even thinkabout turning the Middle East into a freetrade zone while so much of it remains amilitarized zone.”


Going GlobalTaking the Trade Fight Across International Borders

The debate over global tradepolicy is no longer a matter of

U.S. jobs versus foreign jobs. It isnow about the ability of workersaround the world to join forcesagainst the rising tide of multina-tional greed and exploitation.

The Teamsters will continue touse the record of past trade dealsto bolster the case that free tradedoes not work for U.S. workers orthe U.S. economy. However, justas corporate America has takenits quest for profits overseas, the

Teamsters are taking the fight forworkers’ rights to the globalarena.

Mirroring the new spirit ofcooperation among the world’sunions when it comes to majororganizing campaigns, the Team-sters are enlisting our brothersand sisters from other countries inthe battle against free trade.

Teamster StrategyThis past November at a Changeto Win conference on organizingand politics, union leaders from

China, Australia and Brazil calledfor a global response to the glob-al assault on workers’ rights.

In addressing the conference,Teamsters International Vice Pres-ident Chuck Mack spoke of theneed for unions to retool in orderto be better prepared for the chal-lenges of the global economy.

“More than ever before, wehave to look and think beyond ourown borders,” Mack said. “And weneed to strengthen the linkbetween our political action and

our strategy to grow the labormovement.”

The Teamsters Union hasalready begun to incorporate thisinternational approach to its leg-islative strategy. Last fall, theBush administration began itseffort to garner support in Con-gress for the Andean Free TradeAgreement, or AFTA. At the sametime, the Teamsters showed up onCapitol Hill with a delegation oflabor leaders from South Americato lobby against the pact.

Broken PromisesShowing a level of shamelessness thatwould make a snake oil salesman blush,the administration and its allies in Con-gress are trying to sell the American pub-lic on the prospect that the next trade dealwon’t be as bad as the last one.

However, facts refute their rhetoric. Inevery case in which the U.S. has concludeda comprehensive free trade agreementwith another country, the trade balancehas gotten worse, not better.

Our combined trade deficit with Cana-da and Mexico alone is now more than 10

times what it was before NAFTA went intoeffect, going from $9 billion to $95 billionin the last decade. And, since grantingChina Permanent Normal Trade Relationsin 2000, the U.S. trade deficit with thatcountry has continued to increase. In2004, it hit a record high of $162 billion.

“The definition of insanity is doing the

same thing over and over but expecting adifferent result,” Hoffa said. “The Team-sters are going to make sure that membersof Congress know that AFTA is just thesame old failed trade model wrapped in anew set of lies. We’re going to return somesanity to the trade debate.”


No MásIn Colombia, a Union Worker is Killed Every Week

Colombia is the most dangerouscountry in the world to be a

trade unionist. In the last 10 years,more than 2,000 trade unionistshave been killed. In 2004 alone,99 unionists were murdered and445 were threatened. In 2005, anaverage of one union worker aweek was killed.

Those murdered were unionleaders and activists fighting fordecent wages, the right to orga-nize and job security. They weredemanding a better life for theworkers they represent, and paidfor it with their lives.

So far there has not been asingle case in which those respon-sible for these murders have beentried or convicted, despite numer-ous pleas from national and inter-national organizations.

The Colombian government’sfailure to investigate such crimesand bring the perpetrators to justiceencourages further human rights vio-lations against unionists and sendsa message to paramilitary groupsthat they can kill with impunity.

Preparing for AFTAThose who are waging this cam-paign of terror and intimidation

against unions enjoy the tacitapproval of the Columbian govern-ment. Federal officials have madeit clear that they place a muchhigher value on investment frommultinational corporations thanthe lives and livelihoods of theirown citizens.

The government fears thatstrengthening labor rights will pushcompanies to countries with evencheaper and more exploitableworkforces, such as China.

“In preparation for the debateover AFTA, the Teamsters areworking with our brothers and sis-

ters in the South American labormovement to raise public aware-ness about Columbia’s dirty littlesecret,” said Jim Hoffa, TeamstersGeneral President. “We will callon members of Congress to rejectany effort to include Columbia inany free trade agreement untilthey reverse their record on laborrights, or else they risk beingaccused of aiding and abettingthe murderers of Columbia’sunion leaders.”

Our combined trade deficit with Canada and Mexico alone is nowmore than 10 times what it was before NAFTA went into effect,going from $9 billion to $95 billion in the last decade.

ORGANIZINGORGANIZING

16 TEAMS T E R | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 6 | w ww . t e am s t e r. o r g

For Drema Madera, a 20-year employee of HavenHealth Center of Wind-

ham, Connecticut, the laststraw came when manage-ment took away affordablehealth insurance for her andher coworkers whose job it isto make sure others arehealthy.

“Our administrator told us,‘you had better plan on notgetting sick,’” Madera said ofthe nursing home manage-ment’s callous attitude. “Theyinformed us of the cut inhealth insurance by putting amemo inside our paycheckenvelopes.”

The cuts made health insur-ance too expensive by estab-lishing a $2,500 deductible foremployees who are single, a$5,000 deductible for marriedemployees and a $7,500deductible for employees with

children.“It became completely

unaffordable,” Madera said.

Overwhelming VictoryAs a result, Madera and hercoworkers recently voted 71-6to join Local 493 in Uncasville,Connecticut. There are 106members in the bargainingunit.

“In addition to seekingaffordable health coverage, theworkers are concerned aboutadequate staffing,” said MikeHogan, an organizer with JointCouncil 10 in Boston.

The housekeeping andlaundry workers at HavenHealth Center voted 10-0 tojoin Local 493, while the certi-fied nurses’ assistants andkitchen employees at the cen-ter voted 61-6 to join theunion.

“I assisted Local 493 Secre-

tary-Treasurer Tom Schlink inthe campaign, but Tom reallyled the charge,” Hogan said.“He kept the workers united intheir fight for respect.”

Bevan Sweet, the local’sPresident, was also instrumen-tal in the campaign.

“This is just the latest orga-nizing victory under theumbrella of Joint Council 10,”Hogan said. “Joint Council 10Secretary-Treasurer DaveLaughton has made organiz-ing a top priority and it’sshowing.”

Negotiations Under WaySchlink said Local 493 hasformed a 10-member negotiat-ing committee made up ofworkers, which has met sixtimes. They hope to wrap up afirst contract shortly.

Schlink said two otherunions besides the Teamsters

were interested in organizingthe workers,“but the workerswere adamant about joining theTeamsters. They realized theTeamsters provide the strongestrepresentation,” he said.

Madera said managementchanges a few years ago haveled to many of the recent prob-lems. Regarding the staffing,two housekeepers used to han-dle the 40-bed wings, but man-agement cut that to one house-keeper per wing. Workers alsoare concerned because manage-ment recently took over controlof the employees’ 401(k) plansso that it is more difficult toaccess the accounts, Maderasaid.

“We want better retirementsecurity in general,” Maderasaid. “Many of us have workedhere for a long time and weneed to know our retirementswill be more secure.”

Health Workers Stand UpNursing Home Employees Fight Insurance Cuts

M U L T I P L E L O C A L S

North American Airlines

Flight attendants at NorthAmerican Airlines Inc., acharter carrier that pro-

vides service to civilian andmilitary passengers, have votedto join the Teamsters. Approxi-mately 230 members are in thegroup.

“Flight attendants deserveindustry standard pay andworking conditions. We alsowant job security,” said SarahMill, a flight attendant based inOakland, California. “Onlywith a united front can wesecure these rights and ensurea better life for our families.The strength of the Teamsterscan help us do that.”

“These flight attendantshave shown that they want usto represent them in theirstruggle for fairness and digni-ty on the job,” said GeorgeMiranda, International Repre-sentative for the Airline Divi-sion and Secretary-Treasurerof Local 210 in New York City.“They understand that onlythrough collective bargainingcan they achieve those goals.”

North American Airlines isowned by World Air Holdings,Inc., and based at John F.Kennedy International Airportin Jamaica, New York, LoganInternational Airport inBoston, and Oakland Interna-tional Airport. The flightattendants join more than30,000 Teamsters in the airlineindustry, including approxi-mately 150 pilots at NorthAmerican Airlines, and 600flight attendants and 400 pilotsat World Airways.

“This is a great success formembers of the flight atten-

dants group who want a strongcollective voice,” said Don Tre-ichler, Teamsters Airline Divi-sion Director.

L O C A L 5 3 3

Lithia Motors

Tired of being mistreated bymanagement, workers at acar dealership in Sparks,

Nevada overwhelmingly votedto join Local 533 in Reno. The10-member unit at LithiaMotors consists of lot atten-dants, parts department work-ers and service departmentemployees.

Before the election, all 10workers approached the Team-sters and immediately signedcards for representation. Lithiais the first Reno-area car dealer-ship with unionized employees.

“These workers had notreceived a raise in seven years,”said Mark Tracy, Local 533Secretary-Treasurer. “They arealso tired of being mistreatedby management. The employ-ees were constantly beingthreatened with their jobs, andthey were being forced toreport to work and stay thereall day without pay if there wasno flat rate work available.”

L O C A L 1 1 8

Palmer Food Service

Drivers at Palmer Food Service in Rochester,New York voted to join

Local 118.There are 21 workers in the

bargaining unit.“The workers really wanted

meaningful dialogue with thecompany,” said Paul Markwitz,a Local 118 business agent.“The workers said that pay rel-

ative to other distribution cen-ters in the area and pensionswere key issues that they want-ed to address.”

The workers held strong inthe face of an aggressive, anti-union campaign to form theirunion.

“I want to welcome theseworkers as the newest membersof our local,” said Steve Mazza,President of Local 118.“Weplan on dedicating unprece-dented resources to organizingso that we can continue on ourpath to growth.”

L O C A L 2 5 2

Yelm Public Works

Twelve employees of theYelm, Washington PublicWorks Department are

now members of Local 252after all 12 signed unionauthorization cards.

“The public works employ-ees had the opportunity to seethe representation we providedto their colleagues in the policedepartment,” said Gary John-ston, a business agent withCentralia, Washington-basedLocal 252.

“The workers are seeking astrong voice to address theirissues: wages, hours and work-ing conditions,” said Johnston,who works in the local’sOlympia office.

Support for forming aunion with the Teamsters wasunanimous. As a result, thevictory was through cardcheck, thus avoiding a formalelection. The state’s PublicEmployment Relations Com-mission certified the bargain-ing unit.

L O C A L 9 1 1

Ampco System Parking

Tired of low wages, highhealth-insurance premi-ums and rampant

favoritism, 55 cashiers, parkingattendants and traffic directorsat Ampco System Parkingjoined Local 911 in LongBeach, California.

Support for forming aunion at Ampco System Park-ing at the Long Beach Airportwas unanimous. As a result,the victory was through cardcheck, thus avoiding a formalelection.

Now, Eden Correa and hercoworkers at the airport arenegotiating a first contract.

“Right now, I only earn$7.50 an hour as a cashierwhen the company is payingnew hires $8 an hour to start,”Correa said.

“The union is fighting formajor improvements in wagesand benefits,” said Jose Mon-jaras, a Local 911 organizer.“Under the current companyplan, there are single motherswho need medical coverage fortheir children but can’t affordit. We plan to change that.”

“I tell the other workers,‘don’t be afraid to speak up, toask questions.’ The union hastaught us that we have rights,”said Martha Moncada, acashier and member of thenegotiating committee.

The majority of the work-ers are recent immigrantsfrom Mexico, El Salvador andGuatemala. What happened inLong Beach reflects an impor-tant victory for immigrantworkers fighting for fair treat-ment and a voice in the work-place.


The night of December 18, Tyra Johnson showed up atthe Allied Waste/BFI center in Lawrenceville, Georgiaaround 11 p.m. There were nearly eight hours beforeshe had to report for her morning shift as a containerdelivery driver. But first, Johnson had a different job

to do—winning approval for her first Teamster contract.A leader in the organizing campaign at Allied Waste’s

Lawrenceville/Gainesville site in April of 2004, Johnson was backto finish the job. From 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., she and the lead organiz-

er shuttled between the two sites to convince workers to vote infavor of the contract.

WASTE WORKERS WIN FIRST CONTRACT IN GEORGIA, FLORIDA AND ALABAMA



“I had to let them know what was at stake with this contract,”Johnson said. “Hearing from one of their coworkers—that really

pumped them up.”The overnight marathon of worker-to-worker contact paid off—

members at Lawrenceville/Gainesville approved the contract by amore than 4-1 margin, 83-18.

“To see all the joy from my coworkers—that’s what I got the bestfeeling from,” Johnson said. “And to know that we accomplished

something we really wanted to get accomplished. We’ve done it.”

Landslide VictoriesFrom Atlanta to Pensacola, to Mobile and Brewton,

Alabama, Allied Waste/BFI members votedoverwhelmingly in favor of their

contracts, winning wage

increases, improved wage structures and a voice on the jobfor the first time. The wins came after a year and a half of

negotiations, during which the company constantly tried toundermine support for the union; management granted rais-

es to nonunion shops and harassed strong union supportersby giving them extra work, or punishing them for minor

infractions.“This company thinks they can do whatever they want, that

drivers are a dime a dozen,” said Ronald Finch, a 12-year driverin Atlanta. “But the contract gives us a way to fight back. Now

we have rights instead of just having a job.”One of the biggest things workers were fighting to change at

BFI was the “zero tolerance policy,” which allowed managementto fire people for minor mistakes. Work rules changed from

day-to-day, and favoritism often determined who was fired.“If you had a backing accident, regardless of how it happened

and how much or how little it cost, you were fired,” said DavidRider, a steward and roll-off driver in Mobile, Alabama. “Getting

rid of the zero tolerance policy was one of our biggest goals, andwe did get rid of it.”

A New DayWith the grievance procedure included in the contract, more

than 450 Allied Waste/BFI workers across the South are no longerat-will employees; they have the right to challenge the unfair

or meaningless charges supervisors have used to intimidate, oreven fire them.

“Having our union with the Teamsters has lightened the load

and I don’t think we will be takenadvantage of anymore,” said RobertMcCall, a 19-year driver in Mobile.“I don’t have to wonder what todayis going to be like when I go intowork anymore. Now I know I canhave a good day.”

Besides increasing wages for allemployees, “roll-off drivers,” whodeliver large construction dump-sters to area landfills, wanted tochange the way in which they werepaid. Allied Waste’s notorious “zonepay” paid a flat rate for certain dis-tances, regardless of how long it actuallytook drivers to get from point A to point B. A short “pull” to the landfill couldtake hours because of traffic or securitychecks, but drivers received the same payregardless—they could be stuck in theirtruck, essentially working for free. Thenew contract forces the company to bumpup the pay rate to a longer distance fordrivers who encounter large delays.

“This contract is a foundation,” saidNeal Zam, a steward and eight-year resi-dential driver in Pensacola, Florida. “Thenext one may be better, and the next one

even better, but we got a voice at work,seniority rights and a decent cost of livingraise, because we all stuck together andfought the company.”

Southern SolidarityWith seven different units spread outamong 11 locations, solidarity among thesouthern units, and with Teamster wastemembers across the country, was criticalto succeeding at the bargaining table.

At the Lawrenceville/Gainesville loca-tion, workers voted for union representa-tion in April of 2004, but the company

refused to recognize them until theweek contracts were ratified. Aftercompany appeals to regional andnational labor boards and circuitcourts, the 130Lawrenecville/Gainesville workerswon recognition and a contract atthe same time.

“The workers in Tyrone andBankhead never gave up on us,” saidJohnson.“In negotiating meetingsthey made sure to keep bringing usup, they would call us to keep usinformed. They waited till we got

straight, and stuck with us until manage-ment stopped fighting our decision to formour union.”

Local 667 members at Waste Manage-ment in Memphis, Tennessee had a similarvictory the same week, fighting off adecertification vote 21-12, and ratifying anew contract at the same time.

Power of a UnionAs negotiations dragged on, organizersand workers constantly fought off AlliedWaste/BFI’s attempts to discourage them.They held frequent meetings and coordi-nated job actions to remain focused ontheir goals. The week of Thanksgiving,waste locals in Ohio, Illinois, Michigan,New York, Massachusetts, West Virginia,Washington D.C., Texas, Washington andCalifornia joined Local 728 in Atlanta andLocal 991 in Mobile in picketing the com-pany—an action that rattled managementand demonstrated a network of Teamstersupport stretching across the country.

“These workers are militant,” said JimHoffa, Teamsters General President. “Theywere acting like a union before they evenhad a union, they’ve proven to themselvesand the world the true power of workersolidarity.”

As a final plum, the waste workers wonLabor Day as a paid, non-working holi-day—a symbolic nod to the power theywon through forming a union.

“Watching my back at work every day,missing time with my wife and my kids, Idid all of this to fight for my rights,” saidTyrone residential driver Rafael Castelan.“We worked very hard, but it was worth it because we were compensated with acontract. It is always worth it to fight foryour rights.”


Keeping The Dream AliveMemphis Victory is a Continuation of MLK’s Fight for Rights

For many African-American workers at Allied Waste/BFI, their recent contract victory feltlike the continuation of a struggle that began a long time ago—1968 in Memphis to be

exact. It was black sanitation workers, marching for union recognition, who brought MartinLuther King Jr. to Memphis in April of that year.

His murder there enshrined their struggle in the annals of American history.More than 30 years later, BFI workers stood side-by-side with many of the civil rights

leaders who knew and worked with Dr. King, making their own demand for dignity and rightson the job.

Tyra Johnson, an Allied Waste driver, recently spoke at a rally and march to the StateCapitol in Atlanta to commemorate International Human Rights Day. She was joined by civilrights heavyweights U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), Rev. Joseph Lowery, Rev. James Orange andAtlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin.

Labor Rights are Civil Rights“I talked about how our fight at Allied Waste was the same fight Martin Luther King wentthrough,” said Johnson. “All the things we went through in trying to organize, we had to fightfor our rights in the workplace.”

Johnson, whose family is from Mississippi, its too young to have lived through the civilrights era, but she has long heard stories from her mother and grandmother. At the rally, shestood side by side with the people she had heard about growing up as a child.

“Knowing that they were helping us and on our side, that was beautiful,” she said. “I have pictures to put in my children’s books, so they can see what their momma did.”


ATTENTION ALL TEAMSTERS!

Article VII, § 10 of the Rules for the 2005-2006 IBTInternational Union Delegate and Officer Election (the“Rules”) permits accredited candidates for Internationaloffice to have their campaign literature published in theTeamster magazine. The purpose of this rule is to promotefair, honest and open union elections.

To become an accredited candidate for Internationaloffice, an otherwise eligible member had to obtain signa-tures on petitions of at least 2.5% of the IBT membershipeligible to vote for that office and submit those petitions tothe Office of the Election Supervisor by December 15,2005. For further information about the accreditationprocess, and to view or print certificates of candidateaccreditation, go to the Election Supervisor’s website,www.ibtvote.org.

Candidates on a slate may pool the magazine spaceallotted to each candidate. The order of presentation ofeach slate or candidate’s material in this magazine wasdetermined by lot, as the Rules provide.

Nominated candidates will have the right to publishcampaign literature in the August 2006, September 2006,and October 2006 Teamster magazine.

The ideas expressed in these materials are solely thoseof the accredited candidates. They do not reflect, in anyway, the views of the International Brotherhood of Team-sters, any affiliated Unions, nor the Election Supervisor.Neither the IBT or the Election Supervisor altered any ofthese candidate materials. They come directly from theaccredited candidates to the Teamster membership.

Richard W. MarkElection Supervisor

Accredited Members of the Tom Leedham Strong Contracts, Good Pensions Slate

Tom Leedham is working with leaders across the country to put together a diverse leadership team of strongcandidates to lead our union.We will nominate an expanded slate at the 2006 Teamster Convention.

TomLeedhamSTRONG CONTRACTS

GOOD PENSIONSSLATE

Tom LeedhamSecretary-Treasurer Local 206, Oregon–General President

Dan ScottSecretary-Treasurer Local 174, Seattle–Vice President At-Large

Sandy PopePresident Local 805, New York–Vice President At-Large

Scott WebberRecording Secretary/Business Agent Local 728

Atlanta–Vice President At-Large

Tim BubanSecretary-Treasurer Local 200, Milwaukee

Vice President Central Region

Bill GibsonPresident Local 96, Washington DC–Vice President Eastern Region

Chris RoosSecretary-Treasurer Local 1035, Connecticut

Vice President Eastern Region

T.C. BundrantPresident Local 549, Tennessee–Vice President Southern Region

Millie GonzalezLocal 901, Puerto Rico–Trustee

Additional Slate Members

Eunice RodriguezLocal 237, New York

John ThyerSecretary-Treasurer Local 604, St. Louis

Teamster members deserve leaderswho can bargain strong contracts,protect their benefits and rebuild

our union’s power. Hoffa has failed thattest. As your General President, I willmake our union stronger by puttingmembers first. Together, we can:

■ Win Strong Contracts and Enforce Them

■ Fight Cuts in Teamster Pensions & Benefits

■ Increase Our Bargaining Power by Organizing the Nonunion Competition

■ Eliminate Dues Waste and Corruption

Tom Leedham Strong Contracts, Good Pensions Slate ■ 320 7th Avenue #338, Brooklyn, NY 11215 ■ www.leedham2006.org

Tom Leedham WillFight For Strong

Contracts HOFFA HAS FAILED THE TEST

“We can’t let Hoffa negotiate anotherUPS contract.”

“He had the best bargaining position ever in2002 on the heels of the 1997 strike—but hesettled short. Hoffa gave UPS managementa six-year deal and a free pass on their 100-year anniversary. But he stuck Teamstermembers with pension and healthcare cuts.Excessive overtime and subcontracting gounchecked. Tom Leedham will work withUPS members and local officers to win realprotections in 2008.”

—Dan Scott Vice President At-Large, Secretary-Treasurer Local 174, Seattle

“Hoffa has no plan to rebuild Teamster Power in freight.”

“Tom Leedham has a vision for rebuilding Teamster Power in freight. We will put teeth in the grievance procedure and enforce our contract. We will fight to reverse the pension and benefit cuts.And we will organize the nonunion competition by training 1,000Teamsters as organizers. Hoffa has failed to live up to the task. It’s time for change.”

—Scott Webber Vice President At-LargeRecording Secretary Local 728, Atlanta

Help Rebuild Teamster Power! Get involved in the Tom Leedham Campaign today. Contact us at: www.leedham2006.org ■ (201)234-9211

“As your General President, I will launch anational campaign to reverse the pensioncuts and improve Teamster pensions.”

Tom Leedham’s Action Plan for Good Teamster Pensions

■ Launch a national campaign to reverse the pension cuts andimprove Teamster pensions.

■ Immediately audit all major funds. End the lies and secrecy and give members the straight story about your pension funds.

■ Increase funding for pensions and health benefits. Use contractmobilizations to win higher employer contributions to the funds. Organizenew members into the funds to improve benefits for all.

■ Hold trustees accountable to Teamster members. No more rubber-stamping management’s proposals for pension cuts.


“Hoffa Lied and Cut Our Benefits.”“Hoffa promised in writing that our benefits would be secure if we voted for thecontracts he negotiated. That was a lie. Hoffa knew at the time the trustees werealready considering pension cuts. Hoffa cut our pension and health and welfarebenefits—and rolled back 25 & 30 & Out benefits. Tom Leedham has a positiveplan to protect our pensions.”

—Rick SatherLocal 638, Minneapolis

Tom Leedham Will Fight for Your Pension


Hoffa Hype— Hoffa Reality—Taken Directly from Teamster Magazine...

HOFFA PROMISES A LOT IN THIS MAGAZINE,BUT WHAT HAS HE DONE

FOR WORKING TEAMSTERS?

ABANDONED OVERNITE“I worked on the Overnite drive as anOrganizer. Hoffa called a strike with nostrategy to win, then abandoned the campaign. We

need a leadership with a plan and ability toorganize Overnite and protect Teamster jobsin freight and UPS.”

—Tim Sylvesterformer IBT Project Organizer, Local 804, New York

FAILED TO GET THE GOVERNMENT OUT“Hoffa’s own anti-corruption director denounced himand resigned after Hoffa refused to act againstallegations of organized crime influence in Chicagoand embezzlement in my local. Thanks to Hoffa, weare farther than ever from getting the governmentout of our union.”

—Tim PagelYellow Freight, Local 988, Houston

PENSION CUTS“Under Hoffa, hundreds of thousandsof Teamsters have lost our 25 & Outand 30 & Out retirement benefits.Our pensions have been cut and thecost of our retiree healthcare hasbeen raised.”

—Nichele FulmoreUPS, Local 391, North Carolina

RECORD DUES INCREASE“Hoffa said No Dues Increase. Then, he forcedthrough a massive dues hike with no vote ofthe members. Hoffa didn’t balance thebudget, Teamster members did, by paying thebiggest dues increase in Teamster history.”

—Ernesto Perez USA Waste, Local 396, Los Angeles


These Teamster LeadersBacked Hoffa in 2001

But They’re Running WithTom Leedham in 2006!

“Hoffa has lost touch with the members and cut local union officersout of the loop. I see a lot of talk out of the International, but the

reality is our contracts aren’t being enforced, benefits are being cut and ourunion is shrinking. I don’t care how much PR you put out, Teamsters knowwe’re headed in the wrong direction. Hoffa is still trying to get by on his lastname, but at some point you have to deliver results. We need Teamsterleadership that believes in accountability to the members andcommunication with the locals. This emperor has no clothes.”

—John Thyer, Secretary-Treasurer Local 604, St. LouisCandidate, Tom Leedham Strong Contracts, Good Pensions Slate

“Ibacked Hoffa as a local officer and Convention Delegate in 2001. Hoffaknew where to find us when he wanted our vote. But when 23,000 public

employees were in tough negotiations with the City of New York, we got nobacking from Hoffa whatsoever. Too many Teamsters feel like theInternational Union does nothing for them. I’m running with Tom Leedhambecause I want a General President who will use our International’s clout tohelp Teamsters at the local level win strong contracts.”

—Eunice Rodriguez, Local 237, New York CityCandidate, Tom Leedham Strong Contracts, Good Pensions Slate

Get involved in the Tom Leedham Campaign today! Call (201) 234-9211

our Union was on the verge of bankruptcy,hopelessly divided and facing employers whowanted to cut our contracts and destroy our Union.

We fought back and won! We have added nearly200,000 new members, negotiated the bestcontracts in all of labor, restored our financialhealth and created a real strike fund andorganizing fund so members can win goodcontracts in the future.”

“When you elected me President five years ago,

HOFFA DELIVERS!

We Are Growing Into A More Powerful Union

As President, Jim Hoffa has putorganizing at the top of theagenda because successfulorganizing makes the Teamsterseven stronger.

We added 31,000 members fromBrotherhood of Maintenance ofWay Employes, 36,000 from theBrotherhood of LocomotiveEngineers and 61,000 from theGraphic CommunicationsInternational Union.

Thousands of DHL employeesacross the United States, schoolbus drivers in North Carolina,city workers in HuntingtonBeach, California; waste workersacross the South and AmericaWest airline workers are amongthe thousands of proud newmembers of the Teamsters.

New members add to all our financial and political

strength. Growth gives us greater bargaining power

with employers on behalf of all members.

Hoffa Created A Real Strike Fund

“Five years ago, we had no real strike fund. Employersknew they could dictate contract terms because theyknew we couldn’t carry off the threat of a long strike.Jim Hoffa made the strike fund real again.

It now has more than $60 million and can pay weeklyout-of-work benefits of 10 times your hourly wage.

Employers now know we can take them on and win astrike if we are forced to.”

— John Freeman, Shop Steward, Waste Management, Local 701, Trenton , NJ

Go to www.Hoffa2006.com to join Hoffa2006 and help re-elect Jim Hoffa President

Hoffa and the TeamstersHave Delivered StrongContracts for Members

“The NMFA five year freight contract was $1.7 billion, $700 million

more than our last contract. One of the things I like best is that it

restored “the Hammer” provision we lost during the last negotiations

when Carey was President. Hoffa got us back our hammer, which

gives the union the right to strike over deadlocked grievances.”

— Mark Mehling, USF Holland, Local 200, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Go to www.Hoffa2006.comto join Hoffa2006 and help re-elect Jim Hoffa President

“The recent UPS contract is worth ten billion dollars more than the

previous contract. It increases wages and includes a new cost

of living formula that protects members from inflation.

It creates 10,000 new full-time jobs, which makes a big difference.

It makes it harder for UPS management to force our employees to

work brutal hours, to use supervisors to do Teamster work and to

outsource feeder jobs.

We've shown that with the support of the members we can take on

UPS and win.”

— Jim Hoffa and Ken Hall

UPS Director Ken HallAnd Jim Hoffa Fight ForUPS Teamsters

“3-Time Loser”Tom Leedham

Leedham Trying toWreck Teamster Unity

“3-Time Loser” Tom Leedham spends every day tearingdown our union on his TDU website. Leedham is hurtingthe union. When we try to organize new members,employers go to TDU’s website and print out his anti-Teamster material to hand out to their workers.

Shareholders in anti-union corporations dedicated todestroying the Teamsters are bankrolling the Tom Leedhamcampaign!

Investigators have discovered that TDU/TRF receives thousandsof dollars in funding from the mysterious “New WorldFoundation,” which in turn owns millions of dollars in stock in companies such as:

Wal-Mart, the number one anti-union employer in North America.

Safeway Corp., which tried to break SouthernCalifornia Teamsters in a prolonged strike over

healthcare cuts.

Leedham’s only job is to weaken theTeamsters internally so that the bigcorporations can take back what the Unionhas fought so hard to achieve.

Loser LeedhamLinked toEmployer Funding

Unpaid balanceUnpaid Balance Grants Change of September 30,October 1, 2001 Authorized Sponsor Reverted Payments 2002

$0 $15,000 $0 $0 $15,000 $0

Teamster Rank and FileEducation and Legal Defense FdnP.O. Box 10303Detroit, MI 48210

NEW WORLD FOUNDATION GRANTS — for the year ended September, 30, 2002

Tom Leedham is losingmembers at an alarming ratein his own local.

Department of Labor recordsshow Leedham’s Local 206dropped from 3,500 membersto 2,900 in just five years.

Members have even votedto decertify from his localdue to his weak leadershipand poor representation.

If Leedham’s own local isfalling apart can you imaginethe disaster he would berunning the InternationalUnion?

The last three times Leedhamhas run for national office hehas been soundly rejected bythe membership. Don't let thisweak complainer wreckTeamster unity.

Leedham Lost 17% Of Members In His Own Local!

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Don’t Support “3-Time Loser”Tom Leedham Or TDU!

Union Detail 042-547 TEAMSTERS LOCAL UNION 2061860 NE 162ND AVENUE, PORTLAND, OR 97230

DATE RECEIVEDFILING TYPE FISCAL YEAR ASSETS LIABILITIES RECEIPTS DISBURSEMENTS MEMBERSHIP

Mar 23, 2005 LM-2 2004 Report $1,139,790 $0 $1,622,646 $1,652,107 2,900

Mar 22, 2004 LM-2 2003 Report $1,168,149 $0 $1,653,624 $1,643,583 2,800

Mar 18, 2003 LM-2 2002 Report $1,116,669 $0 $1,517,964 $1,498,182 3,200

Apr 09, 2002 LM-2 2001 Report $1,144,713 $12 $1,380,274 $1,530,052 3,200

Apr 02, 2001 LM-2 2000 Report $1,232,796 $0 $1,387,242 $1,442,218 3,500

Randy Cammack Local 63/Los Angeles, CAVP-At-Large

Robert Bouvier Local 1999/Montreal, QE VP-Canada

Jack Cipriani Local 391/Greensboro, NC VP-East Region

Chuck Mack Local 70/Oakland, CA VP-West Region

Fred Gegare Local 75/Green Bay, WI VP-At-Large

Tom FraserLU 419/Mississauga, ONVP-Canada

John Murphy Local 122/Boston, MA VP-East Region

Jim Santangelo Local 545/Los Angeles, CA VP-West Region

Ken HallLU 175/South Charleston, WVVP-At-Large

Don McGillLU 213/Vancouver, BC VP-Canada

Tyson JohnsonLocal 745/Dallas, TX VP-South Region

Frank Gallegos Local 890/Salinas, CA Trustee

Carl Haynes Local 237/New York, NY VP-At-Large

Pat Flynn Local 710/Chicago, IL VP-Central Region

Ken Wood Local 79/Tampa, FL VP-South Region

Henry PerryLU 667/Memphis, TNTrustee

Ralph Taurone Local 222/Salt Lake City, UT VP-At-Large

Walt Lytle Local 414/Wayne, INVP-Central Region

Al Hobart Local 760/Yakima, WAVP-West Region

Jim HoffaLocal 614/Pontiac, MI General President

Tom Keegel Local 120/Minneapolis, MN General Secretary-Treasurer

SLATE

For Hoffa Gear (shirts, hats, etc.) go towww.Hoffa2006.com

or call 1-800-562-5766.

Name _________________________________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________________________________

City_________________________________________ State _______ Zip __________________________

Local________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________

Send me campaign updates at my email address: ________________________________________________

Mail to: Hoffa-Keegel 2006, PO Box 77131, Washington, DC 20013-7131

I want to help re-elect the Hoffa 2006 team!�

I R B R E P O R T 9 1


REPORT 91 TO ALL MEMBERSOF THE INTERNATIONALBROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS

FROM: Independent Review BoardBenjamin R. CivilettiJoseph E. diGenovaWilliam H. Webster

DATED: December 7, 2005

I. INTRODUCTIONThis is the Independent Review Board’s (“IRB”) Nine-

ty-first Report to you on its activities conducted pursuantto the Consent Order. In this Report, we will discuss mat-ters that have currently come before us, including a mem-ber’s action prior to IRB proposed charges and the statusof pending charges about which we have previouslyinformed you. We will also discuss the status of an Infor-mation Report which does not contain charges but wasissued to the IBT as a means of providing information onirregularities requiring action by the IBT.

II. MEMBER ACTION PRIOR TO IRB PRO-POSED CHARGES

JOSEPH YANNUCCI–LOCAL 813, LONGISLAND CITY, NEW YORK

Before formal charges could be recommended by theIRB to the IBT on his not appearing for a sworn examina-tion, Local 813 member Joseph Yannucci submitted anagreement to the IRB. The Chief Investigator had plannedto question Mr. Yannucci regarding, among other things,his membership in Local 813 and whether he had anycontact with individuals who have ties to organized crime.In the agreement Mr. Yannucci agreed to permanentlyresign from Local 813 and the IBT. The IRB found theagreement served to resolve the matter. On November 10,2005, United States District Judge Preska approved theagreement.

III. STATUS OF PREVIOUS IRB CHARGES

A. JOHN KIKES–LOCAL 78, HAYWARD,CALIFORNIA

We have previously informed you that John Kikes,International Representative and Local 78 President,allegedly brought reproach upon the IBT when, subse-quent to William T. Hogan, Jr.’s permanent bar from theIBT, he had knowing and purposeful contact with him.General President Hoffa filed the charges against Mr.Kikes and appointed a hearing panel. A hearing was heldSeptember 15 and 16, 2005.

By decision of October 20, 2005, Mr. Hoffa acceptedthe recommendation of the hearing panel and permanently

barred Mr. Kikes from holding membership in, contractingwith, consulting with and/or seeking or holding office,position or employment, directly or indirectly, with the IBTor any other IBT-affiliated entity or Fund; permanentlybarred him from seeking or accepting money or other com-pensation from the IBT or any other IBT-affiliated entity orFund; permanently barred him from participating in theaffairs of the IBT or any other IBT-affiliated entity orFunds or any of its sponsored benefit plans; and perma-nently barred Mr. Kikes from contact and association withofficers, members, employees, representatives and agentsof the IBT or any other IBT-affiliated entity or Fund.

Counsel to Mr. Kikes notified the IRB that Mr. Kikeswished to appeal the decision of the IBT. The IRBapproved the request and asked counsel to submit hisappeal and the Chief Investigator to submit his memoran-dum on the appeal to the IRB. The appeal documents areunder review by the IRB.

B. SERGIO SALCEDO–LOCAL 714, BERWYN,ILLINOIS

We have previously informed you that Local 714 mem-ber Sergio Salcedo allegedly brought reproach upon theIBT by failing to appear for his scheduled in-person swornexamination. The charge was filed, a hearing was heldand the Local 714 Executive Board found Mr. Salcedoguilty as charged. On October 27, 2005, the ExecutiveBoard suspended him from the Local for one year. Afterthe IRB questioned the one-year penalty, the ExecutiveBoard revised its decision and permanently barred himfrom the IBT and all IBT Entities. The IRB has asked theExecutive Board whether it intended to include the stan-dard language regarding employment and other benefitsthat the IRB has previously instructed the IBT to includein sanctions relating to those suspended or permanentlybarred.

C. JOSEPH L. BERNSTEIN–LOCAL 781, DESPLAINES, ILLINOIS

We have previously informed you that Local 781 Presi-dent and Joint Council 25 Vice President Joseph L. Bern-stein allegedly brought reproach upon the IBT and violat-ed his membership oath when, subsequent to William T.Hogan, Jr.’s permanent bar from the IBT, he had knowingand purposeful contact with him. The IBT hearing panelfound Mr. Bernstein guilty as charged. General PresidentHoffa adopted the hearing panel’s recommendation andprohibited Mr. Bernstein from ever reclaiming member-ship in the IBT or participating in the affairs of any IBTaffiliates but he was not prohibited from contact and asso-ciation with IBT officers, members, employees, represen-tatives and agents with respect to matters that do notinvolve union business.

The IRB notified Mr. Hoffa that given Mr. Bernstein’sconduct the IRB found the sanction imposed upon him

I R B R E P O R T 9 1


inadequate. In its decision of October 11, 2005, the IRBfound that the proper sanction for Mr. Bernstein’s undis-puted conduct was a permanent bar from all IBT associa-tions. Therefore, Mr. Bernstein has been permanentlybarred from holding membership in or any position withthe IBT or any IBT-affiliated entity or Funds; he may nothereafter obtain employment, consulting or other work,directly or indirectly, with the IBT or any IBT-affiliatedentity; and Mr. Bernstein is barred from contact and asso-ciation with IBT officers, members, employees, represen-tatives and agents. The IRB decision is with United StatesDistrict Court Judge Preska for review.

D. ROBERT D’ANGELO–LOCAL 813, LONGISLAND CITY, NEW YORK

In the last issue of the Teamster magazine we informedyou that the IRB issued an Investigative Report to GeneralPresident Hoffa concerning Local 813 member RobertD’Angelo. Mr. Hoffa adopted and filed the chargesagainst Mr. D’Angelo for knowingly associating withmembers of organized crime and he referred the chargesback to the IRB for a hearing. An IRB hearing scheduledfor December 6, 2005, has been rescheduled, pursuant toa request by counsel to Mr. D’Angelo, to January 13,2006.

IV. INFORMATION REPORT

LOCAL 445 ALLOCATION OF EXPENSES TOBENEFIT FUNDS

We have previously informed you that the IRB issued anon-charge Report to IBT General Counsel Patrick Szy-manski concerning the allocation of Local expenses to theLocal’s Benefit Funds. For years, despite the IBT’s direc-tives that cost-sharing agreements be well documented,the Union Trustees, who are Local officers and employees,permitted the Benefit Funds to reimburse the Local forexpenses that were unsubstantiated by any written docu-mentation. The evidence indicated that the Trusteesbreached their fiduciary duties to the Funds in permittingunjustified payments to the Local.

Local 445 implemented a revised cost-sharing agree-ment which is being administered by an independent

accountant. The reimbursement amount from Local 445to the trust fund was determined to be $21,923.54 andrepayments should start in January 2006.

V. TOLL-FREE HOTLINESince our last report to you, the hotline has received

approximately 55 calls reporting alleged improprieties. Asin the past, all calls which appeared to fall within IRBjurisdiction were referred for investigation. Activitieswhich should be reported for investigation include, butare not limited to, association with organized crime, cor-ruption, racketeering, embezzlement, extortion, assault, orfailure to investigate any of these.

To assure that all calls are treated confidentially, thesystem recording hotline calls is located in a cipher-lockedIRB room on a dedicated line and accessed by IRB staffonly. It is not manned by an investigator; however, therecorded information if complete and within IRB jurisdic-tion is forwarded directly to the Investigations Office.

Please continue to use the toll-free hotline to reportimproprieties which fall within IRB jurisdiction by calling1-800-CALL-IRB (1-800-225-5472). If you are callingfrom within Washington, DC, dial 202-434-8085.

VI.CONCLUSIONAs always, our task is to ensure that the goals of the

Consent Order are fulfilled. In doing so, it is our desire tokeep the IBT membership fully informed about our activi-ties. If you have any information concerning allegations ofwrongdoing or corruption, you may call the toll-free hot-line noted above, you may use the IRB facsimile number202-434-8084, or you may write to either the IRB ChiefInvestigator or the IRB office:

Charles M. Carberry, Chief Investigator17 Battery Place, Suite 331New York, NY 10004

Independent Review Board444 North Capitol Street, N.W.Suite 528Washington, DC 20001


ROSA PARKS,a quiet womanwho ignited thecivil rights move-ment by refusing togive up her seat ona bus in 1955, diedon October 24 atthe age of 92. Parkswas an inspirationto a generation of

young activists as her simple act of defi-ance awoke the conscience of the nation.

Local 922 in Washington, D.C. was ableto honor Parks in a special way. Foursenior drivers from the Washington Met-ropolitan Area Transit Authority—allmembers of Local 922—were selected toparticipate in the memorial processionand other ceremonies honoring Parks inWashington, D.C.

Three of the drivers, Rudy Gardner,Robert Miles and Willie Lawrence, accom-panied Parks’ body and her family as partof a large motorcade from the airport intoWashington, D.C. As the motorcadeneared the Capitol, a special bus driven by

James Washington joined them. This 1957restored ceremonial bus fell in behind thehearse, with no riders as a symbolic trib-ute to the civil rights pioneer. As themotorcade progressed, this bus was filledwith flowers and wreaths from mourners.

A Moving Experience“This experience marks the height of mycareer,” said Washington, a 40-year mem-ber of Local 922. “It was an honor to bechosen. I was also honored to drive thebus on December 1 when the bus was offi-cially dedicated to Mrs. Parks. I waspleased that Teamsters were the ones toferry Mrs. Parks to the ceremonies honor-ing her. With our civil rights history itseemed fitting.”

“I have never seen anything like theturnout for Mrs. Parks at all the events—and I have driven in inaugural parades andother big occasions,” said Gardner, VicePresident of Local 922 and a 19-year mem-ber. “There were more than 50 vehicleswith us in the motorcade and the Parkwaywas closed for us all the way through. Butpeople did not get angry. Instead, they got

out of cars and lined the road, bridges,everywhere to see the procession pass by.In the city as we traveled near the Capitol,people came out of their houses, schoolchildren were brought out and there wassinging and cheering for her. I will alwaysremember this as one of the most movingexperiences of my life.”

Equality, Dignity and RespectThe vintage bus, which now has a memor-ial plaque on its side and a silhouette ofParks in her famous seat, will be used inthe future for special events and parades.

After Parks passed away in October,the Teamsters and all the unions in theChange to Win federation lowered theirflags in her honor. For those in the labormovement, honoring Rosa Parks meansmuch more than saluting the brave act ofa woman 50 years ago. Her actions stillreverberate because she always shared thesame beliefs that the labor movementholds dear. Her fight for equality, dignityand respect is the same fight of the Team-sters Union as civil rights and workers’rights go hand in hand.

LOCAL 922 CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF ROSA PARKS

“We Shall Not Be

Moved”

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Open Season for Delegate Nominations andElections – Hundreds of IBT locals held conven-tion delegate nomination meeting in January. Forinformation on the results of those meetings, goto the “Dates, Times, and Places” chart under“Delegate Elections” on Election Supervisor’swebsite, www.ibtvote.org. There, you can findout if there is a contested election for delegateand alternate delegate in your local, and dateswhen ballots will be mailed out and counted. Ifthe number of candidates nominated was thesame as the number of delegates to be elected, thenominees are deemed elected and the “Dates,Times, and Places” chart will note a “White Bal-lot” for the local union. There is no mail ballotafter a “White Ballot.”

Delegate candidates are conducting campaignsnow, and campaigning will continue through atleast April 30, 2006 when the election periodends. All union members have the right to cam-paign actively for delegate and alternate delegatecandidates and candidates for IBT internationaloffice, without fear of reprisal or retaliation. Basi-cally, the Rules protect the rights of candidatesand their supporters to distribute information,and the rights of members to receive campaigninformation. The Rules provide candidates withthe right to distribute campaign material usingthe local union mailing list (at the candidate’sexpense), to display literature on tables or bul-letin boards at local union meeting halls, to getinformation about collective bargaining agree-ments and worksite locations, and to campaign inemployer parking lots. Read Art. VII of the 2006Rules for a description of the political and cam-paigning rights of members and candidates. Vio-lation of candidate or member rights protected bythe Rules can be protested, and may subject the vio-lator to sanctions.

As delegate election results are certified, thename and local union affiliation of each electeddelegate will be posted to the list of CertifiedConvention delegates and alternate delegates on

the Election Supervisor’s website. Each delegateand alternate delegate certified as elected willreceive a letter from the Election Supervisor con-firming that fact. Any member may contact a del-egate or alternate delegate to the IBT convention.A member needing contact information for a del-egate may ask the delegate’s local union, or mayobtain that information from the Election Super-visor’s Office.

New Rule on Candidate Forums – A new rule,applicable for the first time in the 2006 IBT Inter-national Officer Election, requires the ElectionSupervisor to hold “at least one candidate forumfor all nominated candidates for the office ofGeneral President.” You can read the new rule(Article VII, Sec. 6) in the version of the Rulespublished at www.ibtvote.org. The new rulerequires a candidate forum for all candidatesnominated at the IBT International Conventionfor the office of General President, and requiresthat the forum to be held between August 14 andSeptember 1, 2006. Details of the required Gener-al President candidates’ forum – including loca-tion, time, format, and how it will be made avail-able to the IBT membership – remain to be decid-ed and will be addressed later this year. Any sug-gestions you have about the required GeneralPresident candidates’ forum may be sent to theElection Supervisor’s office by mail or email.

Rules Booklets – A pocket-sized version of theRules is available on request. Multiple copies ofthe booklet have been sent to each local union.You may obtain one from your local or request acopy from the Election Supervisor’s office. Span-ish and French pocket-sized versions of the Rulesare also available on request from the ElectionSupervisor’s office.

Up-to-date information for both the ElectionSupervisor’s headquarters and the RegionalDirectors may be found at www.ibtvote.org.

Richard W. MarkElection Supervisor

ELECTION SUPERVISOR’S REPORTCONVENTION DELEGATE NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS ARE HAPPENING NOW

NEW RULE REQUIRES IBT GENERAL PRESIDENT CANDIDATE FORUM

RULES BOOKLETS AVAILABLE NOW

Teamsters Celebrate Black History Month

Documents

Transcript of Teamsters Celebrate Black History Month