NY Teamsters donate pay to fired brothers

This is what solidarity looks like today at Local 584.

More than 300 members of Teamsters local 584 in New York City voted just now to make a one-hour-per-month contribution to support 42 Elmhurst Dairy members who were fired.

The laid-off Teamsters are skilled, experienced and have seniority at the Jamaica, Queens-based dairy. Owner Henry Schwartz replaced them last month by lower-paid workers -- in violation of the contract.

It looks like this, too.

The Teamsters filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board to get them their jobs back.

Teamsters Joint Council 16 President George Miranda said the union would not allow its members to be treated like that:

Teamsters have made this plant a success for years only to be dismissed at the whims of management bent on increasing their own profits on the backs of workers. Their dismissal violates the collective bargaining agreement we had with Elmhurst Dairy and the rights of these 42 Teamsters. This is worse than bad faith from Henry Schwartz – It’s an attack on these employees and their families...There is no excuse for these actions.

Teamster Local 584 President Frank Wunderlich said it was a disgrace for Schwartz to hurt working families in such hard economic times. Two members of the New York City Council issued statements saying they support the workers.

Once again, Teamsters write the book on solidarity.