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Unionization Key to Improving Jobs at the Bottom
Moving Forward at the 27th International Convention
Delegates Nominate Candidates, Major
Announcements on Contracts
"Today, we are united, strong and on the move," Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa told delegates. "Today we have a strong strike fund, Today we have resources to run large scale organizing campaigns against global employers. Today we have $100 million in the bank."
Hoffa announced that the union has won an agreement from UPS to open negotiations on a new contract and secured a card-check neutrality agreement at UPS Freight, triggering a thunderous ovation. "We have been working hard on winning UPS Freight workers a strong voice on the job." Hoffa said. "UPS Freight workers all over the country are telling UPS and freight members that they want to be Teamsters."
"UPS knew that the entire leadership of the union was meeting this week in Las Vegas," said Parcel and Small Package Division Director Ken Hall. "They knew that we would either ramp up our campaign or they could come up with an agreement such as this that the union had been seeking."
Freight Division Director Tyson Johnson announced a tentative agreement on a USF Bestway freight contract. The Agreement boost wages immediately by $1.57 an hour, to $20.57, and includes a card-check / neutrality clause that will make it easier to organize new members.
Constitutional Changes, Delegates & Guest Speakers
According to the Teamsters Constitution, the International Convention is the supreme policy-making body of the union, with the power and authority to modify the Constitution, establish programs, address fiscal issues and set priorities. International Conventions are held every five years.
Delegates also had the important task of nominating candidates for the International offices of General President, General Secretary-Treasurer, Vice Presidents and Trustees.
A number of distinguished guests addressed the gathered Teamsters, including Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE), Rep. Pete Hockstra (R-MI), former Senator and Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards, actors Danny Glover and Kiefer Sutherland, and radio host and comedian Al Franken. Change to Win federation leader Anna Burger, SEIU President Andy Stern, UFCW President Joe Hansen, LIUNA President Terry O'Sullivan and UNITE HERE President Bruce Raynor also addressed delegates.
"I'm here to tell every single one of you that I am with you in this cause every step of the way," said former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC). "If you have a strike, I want to be on your picket line. If you're organizing, I want to organize with you. This isn't your struggle, it's my struggle."
The International convention, titled "Moving Forward Together," was preceded by conventions of the Graphic Communications Conference, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. Also, the more than 300 organizers from across the country attended the third organizing conference, titled "Organizing to Dominate Industries."
Copies of resolutions, videos and photographs of the 27th International Convention can be accessed at www.teamsters.org
Much has been written about the misplaced priorities of President George W. Bush, especially when it comes to workers.
To make his $3 trillion in tax cuts for the
rich permanent, Bush wants to slash $65 billion from health care,
education, job training, child care and other programs that help
families that aren’t so wealthy. This fact has so outraged other
lawmakers U.S. Senator Arlen Spector (R, PA) declared: “It is scandalous
to provide insufficient funding for our nation’s two greatest capital
investments: health and education.” One area hit hard by Bush’s cuts is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA is the agency empowered to protect our health and safety on the job. For 2006, the president’s budget fails to fund increased enforcement of OSHA safety standards or the Mine Safety and Health Administration, even in the wake of recent coal mining tragedies. These tragedies highlight the dangers faced by workers and the weakness in job safety laws that are supposed to protect them. More than 30 years ago, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, promising every worker the right to a safe job. Unions and our allies have fought hard to make that promise a reality, winning protections that saved hundreds of thousands of lives. However, the fight for safe jobs has gotten more difficult as corporate interests, joined by the Bush Administration and anti-worker politicians (of both political parties) have moved to roll back and weaken protections. Since 2001, the Bush administration has blocked or withdrawn dozens of important safety rules. Voluntary compliance has been favored over getting tough with safety violators. Industry officials have been put in charge of government safety programs – much like having the fox guard the hen house. Meanwhile in
Congress, Republican leaders have ignored calls to strengthen mine
safety laws, and instead are rushing to pass legislation that would
further gut OSHA enforcement.
Right to
Work - For - Less
Times are
tough, and every community is desperate for new jobs--and new ideas to
bring new jobs. In Kentucky, Gov. Ernie Fletcher has resurrected a
tired, old idea: right-to-work-for-less. Everywhere else, people must live up to their responsibilities. In his recent State of the Commonwealth address, Gov. Fletcher said: "I recommend we give our workers the choice that has led to greater economic prosperity for families in our competitive states. Nearly half of those companies looking to build new plants won't consider closed-shop union states. We must take Kentucky off their 'No-Call' List." The current push for right-to-work-for-less isn't about pursuing a trend. Most states have been one or the other for decades. A few states are trying to sell this old saw as the remedy for the disappearing-jobs blues. No one really believes that right-to-work-for-less states get the jobs. Businesses seriously pursuing a low-road strategy are running to China. What does bring and keep jobs in America is an educated workforce and technology. But now, several states, including Kentucky, are being urged to go right-to-work-for-less. Right-to-work-for-less is temptation. It says to a working person: "Here's something for nothing. You can get union wages, union benefits, union service, union protection, all the benefits of being union and you don't have to pay for it. Let the good-hearted chump that works next to you pay for it." The law shouldn't allow or encourage that. Plus, working people, right-to-work-for-less isn't the "good deal" they are trying to sell us. When you get something for nothing, you get what you pay for. As economist Milton Friedman famously said, "There's no such thing as a free lunch." A union without members and money is a weak union with weak wages, weak benefits and weak protection. Take a look around you; the good jobs are the union jobs. Those jobs didn't get to be good jobs with weak unions. Strong unions get working people what we deserve. No one should be forced to work for free. Businesses won't. Business people, ask your insurance carrier to cover you without premiums. Ask your trade association to speak for you without dues. Ask your doctor, lawyer, or accountant to take care of you without a bill. You know the answer: they'll say they can't, and so they won't. But union people can't say no. If more states change their laws to right-to-work-for-less, more union members will have to provide for people who work next to them but refuse to help out! Right-to-work-for-less is outrageous. The Commandment says, "Thou shalt not steal." Working people who take union wages expecting their co-workers to foot the bill are stealing from their co-workers. The Bible says, "Anyone unwilling to work should not eat" (II Thess. 3:6-13). Working people who even think about being free-lunch free-loaders ought to be ashamed. Shame on governments and business that tempt working people into sin. Chris Sanders is political counsel for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union in Kentucky and member of Highland Baptist Church in Louisville. Previous column: LOCAL 89 MEMBERSHIP PASSES RESOLUTION CONDEMNING ANTI-UNION ACTIVITIES. RESOLUTION AND POLICY STATEMENT WITH RESPECT TO TEAMSTER SUPPORT FOR INDEPENDENT PILOTS ASSOCIATION APWA FINDS SUPPORT FROM TDU'S ANTI-UNION ACTIVITES Hoffa Appoints Kentucky Union Leader to Head Carhaul Division Headline NewsYahoo - Labor & Workplace News
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