Teamsters demand action at Swift

The Teamsters warned investors today that Swift Transportation’s board of directors has allowed its CEO Jerry Moyes to pledge nearly 25 percent of all outstanding shares as collateral for personal loans—putting shareholders at risk. Citing “material risks” and potential conflicts of interest associated with the pledged stock, the country’s largest proxy voting advisor, ISS, is recommending shareholders withhold votes from the five directors who serve on the Board’s Audit Committee including the Independent Chairman of the Board.

“Allowing the company’s CEO and controlling shareholder Jerry Moyes to gamble nearly 25 percent of Swift’s total outstanding shares as collateral for his personal loans is indefensible,” said Ken Hall, Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer, who called on the board to take immediate action. “It is vital that this board exercise its independence and authority to protect the interests of public shareholders.”

Swift Transportation will hold its annual shareholders' meeting on May 8 in Phoenix, Ariz. The Teamsters Union will be there to demand that the board put a stop to Moyes' risky behavior.

In 2003, a Teamster proposal calling for an independent chairman of the board at Swift received majority support by outside investors after the Teamsters highlighted the massive web of interlocking financial dealings between Swift and other Moyes-owned businesses. At the time, founder Jerry Moyes served as Swift’s Chairman of the Board, President and CEO.

In 2005, Moyes paid $1.5 million to settle an SEC insider-trading investigation at Swift and resigned from all of his leadership positions. He took the company private in 2007 and then public again in 2010—this time with a dual-class stock structure, providing himself 54.5 percent of the voting power for his 40.4 percent holdings of common stock.

“There needs to be meaningful board oversight and management accountability at Swift,” Hall said. “Someone needs to tell Jerry Moyes to stop using Swift’s corporate coffers as his own personal piggy bank.”

 

Interview: Tom Morello Talks to Teamsters, May Day 2013

Every year on May 1, workers around the world celebrate the trials and triumphs of working people. This year, May Day comes with a bold soundtrack thanks to Tom Morello, the Nightwatchman.

While May Day is not a national holiday like Labor Day, it celebrates workers across the globe. It began in the United States in 1886 to commemorate the martyrs of the Haymarket riot and the fight for the eight-hour workday. But what good is a working-class holiday without good working-class music?

This year, Morello, the pioneering guitarist behind the politically charged rock group Rage Against the Machine, has partnered with the Teamsters to promote songs from his union-inspired album, “Union Town.” He is giving away his music on the Teamster.org website in honor of May Day 2013. Morello has worked with the Teamsters in the past, performing at the 2011 Teamster rally in Los Angeles and the Teamster Convention that year. Accompanying the May Day 2013 “Union Town” giveaway, the following Teamster Nation interview with Morello gives us a look at his inspiration and insights on music and the labor movement.

Question: Through your music you've been involved in many different movements and social justice causes. But you've been especially involved in labor and union activism. Why?

Morello: I come from a coal mining family in central Illinois and unions were always a big part of the life and fabric of the town. It was always ingrained in me from the time I was a little kid that it's the solidarity of workers that is a crucial counterbalance to corporate greed. And if we don't stand up together, we will certainly be taken advantage of individually. I've been a member of Los Angeles [American Federation of Musicians] Local 47 since 1989 and a member of Industrial Workers of the World as well. I think in a time when the working class and unions are being assailed in the United States, I do my best to fight back with my music.

Given your labor upbringing, had you always aspired to dedicate an entire album to labor and union songs or was that more inspired by recent events?

It was more inspired by recent events. Some of the songs, specifically “Union Town,” were written in response to the labor uprising in Madison, Wisconsin. “Union Town” is a combination of original compositions of mine and classic labor songs that are set with a Rage Against the Machine attitude – including “Solidarity Forever,” Woody Guthrie's “This Land is Your Land,” and “I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night.” Since that music is an important part of the history of labor struggle in this country, I wanted to compile my own vision of labor songs with some of the union classics into one cohesive record – and then give it away!

Workers have been facing a tremendous corporate and political assault in states around the country. Do you see any bright spots for labor right now?

I definitely see a lot of bright spots because despite this relentless one-sided class war that the business elite have been carrying out against labor, we're still here. Whether I'm playing at the anti-Wal-Mart rallies, at your Teamster Convention a couple of years ago, or standing in the streets of Madison in the freezing cold, you see there's still a labor movement that is very much alive and well. It's certainly under assault and they're doing everything they can to undermine our power. Corporate America wants to run roughshod over us and enact their agenda without the rights of working people getting in the way. They want to make the whole world into a Wal-Mart sweatshop and one thing that stands in the way of that are unions like the Teamsters.

What do you think it's going to take to turn the tide against the war on workers?

I think as workers we need to stand together in these tough times. I've been a part of the Coalition of Immokolee Workers to the janitors here in Los Angeles. My music has been a part of some historic labor victories in this country. I don't want to paint too rosy a picture because we are under a dire attack. But in times like these, the key thing is solidarity. We have to remember that we're all in this together.

We also need stand by our principles. One thing I see a lot is, in the name of getting the right Democratic congressman in office, we'll sometimes compromise our core values. Just look at the example of Wisconsin. The last thing in the world either political party wanted was a working-class uprising in Wisconsin and they did everything they could to head it off. One thing I want is a working-class uprising on a national scale – on a global scale. That's what my songs are about. So I don't think we should sell ourselves short. We should aim high and shoot for the moon.

We've seen a lot of inspiring flashpoints of labor struggle in recent years, including the Republic Windows and Doors factory occupation, the protests in Wisconsin, the Verizon strike and the recent Chicago teachers strike. But these are also defensive battles. Now workers at Wal-Mart and fast food chains are going on the offensive by organizing and striking. What do you think of the potential these new struggles have for organized labor?

I think it's crucial that, rather than just trying to barely hold as our rights are slowly eroded, we recognize the correct strategy is to go on the offensive. And it's really key to have each other's backs. Again, Madison is a good example. There was an opportunity there to shut down much of lower Wisconsin, demanding the governor's resignation and a 10-point workers' bill of rights. Everybody from junior high school students to firefighters were in the capital. We need to realize that we really are in this together. If one ship starts sinking, the rest of us have to buoy it up. And if one of our ships starts to turn the cannons on the enemy, we all have to turn our cannons at the enemy.

One of the things that struck a lot of people about the protests in Madison was the amount of young people involved. While you do tend to see more young people involved in campaigns against sweatshops and the like, unions have really struggled to bring more youth into the labor movement as active rank-and-file union members. How do you think that can be changed?

That is something which I think we have to look at very hard. One thing to remember about Madison is that it came on the heels of the Egyptian uprising in Cairo, which was also a social media event. People across every age and ethnic group halfway around the globe were standing up against a tyrannical power. Madison was also the first big occupation, claiming the capital building – and it predated the Occupy movement by some six months. That's important because I think young people are drawn to bold action, not to politics as usual – not to backroom deals in smoke-filled rooms with compromise politicians.

What Tahrir Square and Madison had in common was old direct action against clear injustice and it galvanized entire regions. And then it got diluted by politics as usual. The air got let out of that balloon and it wasn't because the other side pushed back too hard. It was because our side was afraid of how big that balloon might get. That's why I think the next time the historical circumstances line up, we need to really take matters into our own hands and have a real grassroots leadership.

You've picked May Day as a day to give away some of your music on the Teamster website this year. You sing about May Day in your song “A Wall Against the Wind.” It's an international working-class holiday that began in the U.S. and has been all but forgotten. What's the significance of this day?

Well, it wasn't forgotten. It was intentionally moved off of May 1 to disassociate United States workers from workers around the globe. Part of the reason of doing this record and giving it away on May Day is to re-educate people in this country about the importance of May Day as a day that celebrates our struggles and celebrates our victories. It celebrates the long history of people in this country boldly standing up and sometimes sacrificing their lives for things that we take for granted. Things like the weekend, the fact that children are not working in coal mines, and the protections we have on the job. Those are things they fought tooth and nail against and we only have them because of the historic struggles of the labor movement. Hopefully future generations will be able to look back at us and those coming after us as people who stood proudly for rights that are unimaginable in these times – rights many don't even dream of yet.

There's also been a resurgence of May Day actions in recent years specifically because of immigrant rights protests. How do the struggles of undocumented workers relate to the spirit of May Day?

A good deal of the labor force now and throughout American history is comprised of immigrants. This country is wholly made up of immigrants and their descendants, except for the Native Americans. We should be paying a great deal of respect to the people who immigrate here. Reform is long overdue, but not just reform. The basic respect and dignity that all people deserve need to be afforded to people who immigrate here. And our May Day parade here in Los Angeles is now tens of thousands strong thanks to the labor movement and the immigrant rights movement recognizing that they are one and the same.

You’ve chosen music as your medium to further social justice and labor issues, whether it’s through Rage Against the Machine or as the Nightwatchmen. What’s the connection between music and these struggles?

There’s never been a successful social justice struggle without a great soundtrack. From the Civil Rights Movement to the anti-war movement to the labor movement, songs have been a great unifier of the working class. Often people of disparate cultural backgrounds can unite around a love of music, and when it contains a potent class-conscious message, those songs have been an important part of steeling the backbone of those involved in labor struggles throughout American history. I am one more link in that chain – a proud link in that chain that goes from Joe Hill to Woody Guthrie to Pete Seeger to Lead Belly, Public Enemy, the Clash and Rage Against the Machine. Music of various genres can put the extra wind in the sails of people who are standing up for their rights.

What’s your message to Teamsters and workers everywhere on May Day 2013?

My message to Teamsters and workers around the globe on May Day is a message of solidarity and pride in the countless accomplishments, victories, and struggles of workers around the globe, especially here in the United States. I will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with my brothers and sisters on the frontlines of workers’ struggles, social justice struggles, and do it all with a rocking soundtrack.

Member goes from HVAC to legal department

Mark Torres joined the Teamsters in 1990 when he became employed at New York University (NYU) in the HVAC department. Now, after two decades of hard work, he’s the general counsel for New York’s Local 810.

A few years after starting his job at NYU, he became the shop steward in his department. His business agent with Local 810, based in Long Island City, N.Y., was among the first to notice Torres’ potential, so he appointed Torres chief steward where he would assist in grievance processing and collective bargaining.

“When I first met him, he stood out because he seemed very intelligent. I knew he’d make a good head steward,” said John Mascali, Local 810 business agent. “As head steward, Mark did an incredible job.”

As he continued to work, Torres pursued a higher education and in 2003, he received a bachelor’s degree, with honors, from NYU. He then proceeded to law school where he earned his law degree from Fordham Law School in 2008. Torres earned both of these degrees while working full time, serving as a shop steward and raising a family.

Shortly after graduating with his law degree, Torres left his job at NYU to work at Proskauer Rose LLP where he practiced in that firm’s renowned employee benefits department. Then in 2009, he was offered the position of General Counsel at Local 810 where he represents the local on all labor matters and represents the local’s three employee benefit funds.

Torres has a tireless work ethic and is dedicated to the labor movement. As a former member of the union he now serves as counsel, Torres relies heavily on his personal life experience to represent the many members of Local 810.

“Without a doubt, I owe all of my success to my affiliation with the Teamsters which gave me the job security to allow me to pursue a higher education and become what I am today. I particularly with the thank Louis Smith and Michael Smith, along with the rest of Local 810, for their foresight, tutelage and leadership,” Torres said. “Most of all, I am eternally greateful that they have put their undying trust in me to represent thousands of members in the position I have always wanted.”

Torres’ story is a fine example of being part of the Teamster family.

“He’s really an asset. Our local is lucky to have him. All Teamsters are lucky to have him on their side,” Mascali said.

“I am an attorney in practice and title, but at heart I am a Teamster with a law degree and that’s something that I will always be.”

Today's Teamster News 04.30.13

Texas Blast Recalls Chemical Safety Bill Sunk by Business Lobby  Bloomberg   ...Guess who fought against a 2009 bill aimed at tightening “security standards of chemical factors, fertilizer depots and water-treatment plants.” None other than “Mining companies, refiners, paint makers, explosive fabricators and fertilizer plants...the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and American Farm Bureau...”
How Austerity Is Literally Killing People (opinion)  Think Progress   ...Austerity in the United States and Europe isn’t just placing an unnecessary drag on economic growth that has harmed the global economic recovery from the Great Recession...
Banking group says new regulations could push consumers into risky payday loans  The Hill   ...A leading banking group says tighter guidelines on deposit advance loans could push consumers into higher-risk payday credit...
US electricity giant rejects privatization plan  Financial Times ...Push-back. President Obama recently floated the notion that it might be time to privatize the TVA. TVA’s Chief Executive says “the authority ‘isn’t broke’ and could fund the investment it needed while staying in the public sector.” TVA’s electricity prices are “significantly below the US average...”
Wealth Gap Among Races Has Widened Since Recession  New York Times   ... Millions of Americans suffered a loss of wealth during the recession and the sluggish recovery that followed. But the last half-decade has proved far worse for black and Hispanic families than for white families, starkly widening the already large gulf in wealth between non-Hispanic white Americans and most minority groups, according to a new study...
Bill to end sequester's air travel delays flies through Congress   Los Angeles Times ...Lawmakers, among the nation's most frequent fliers, OK a bill allowing the FAA to transfer $253 million to stop furloughs of air traffic controllers...
But the sequester could hurt federal tax collections, IRS says  Washington Post   ...The head of the Internal Revenue Service is warning that the government-wide spending cuts that took effect last month could hurt federal tax collections...
Push to Require Online Sales Tax Divides the G.O.P.  New York Times   ...Legislation that would force Internet retailers to collect sales taxes from their customers has put antitax and small-government activists like Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform and the Heritage Foundation in an unusual position: they’re losing...
Sanford, Colbert Busch Campaign Day After Debate  Associated Press   ...Republican Mark Sanford and Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch planned to hit the campaign trail a day after a spirited debate in their race for a vacant congressional seat along the South Carolina coast. "I rocked it," Colbert Busch said…
Citations drop for child work violations in Mass.  Boston Globe   ...Child-labor laws in Massachusetts were tightened then following on-the-job deaths of several teenagers, including a 16-year-old who was killed after losing control of a golf cart at a Salem country club. But enforcement citations appear to have dropped ...
Minimum wage hike goes to Minnesota House for vote   Associated Press   ....Many Minnesota workers would get a pay hike, extra time to spend with newborns and recently adopted children and more overtime pay in the minimum wage bill that is headed to the House floor.
Tax Shuffle Could Shake Up Missouri  St. Louis Post-Dispatch   ...Missouri’s Republican-led legislature is poised to send Gov. Jay Nixon a bill that would cut the state income tax, especially for small businesses, while raising the sales tax to benefit three legislative priorities…
Right-to-work will lower wages and weaken the economy (opinion) Southeast Missourian   ...Currently, Missouri Republicans are bent on passing so called "right-to work" legislation. Even though the president pro tem of the Senate said it isn't a priority of the Senate and it faces veto by the governor, they press on while they could be working to modernize our economy...
Feds approve New Jersey's plan to spend $1.8 billion in Sandy aid  New Jersey Star-Ledger   ...The federal government has approved New Jersey's plan to spend more than $1.8 billion in disaster aid, Gov. Chris Christie announced yesterday...
Sandy credited for rise in NY construction jobs  Crain’s New York   ...Thanks, in part, to a boost from post-Sandy work, employment in New York state's construction industry is inching its way back to its pre-recession peak...
Art Pope Groups Push Extreme ALEC Tax Agenda in North Carolina  PR Watch …An array of right-wing organizations in North Carolina are arguing loudly for Gov. Pat McCrory to radically alter how corporations and people pay taxes in the state -- and the not-so-hidden hand behind the effort is North Carolina millionaire Art Pope, a close ally of the Koch brothers, who funds the groups…
Airport Privatization Takes Off in Puerto Rico  Truth-Out   ...About 17 years ago, lawmakers slipped an obscure section of text into the annual federal aviation bill. In February, the intent of that law was enacted for only the second time when the FAA approved the privatization of Puerto Rico's Luis Munoz Marin International Airport. Numerous elected officials, lawyers and economists have denounced it as a bad bargain...
Virginia can block out of state use of FOIA, Supreme Court rules  Associated Press   ...The Supreme Court ruled Monday that it's legal for a state to limit use of its Freedom of Information Act to its own residents...
Marvel filming most of latest 'Captain America' movie in L.A.  Los Angeles Times   ...Disney-owned Marvel Studios is producing most of 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' in L.A., a region that has seen the steady exodus of big-budget features. Teamsters Local 399, represents the film’s casting directors, location managers and drivers...

One World Trade Center

The spire of One World Trade Center was scheduled to be placed atop the under-construction building, but bad weather forced workers to reschedule. But that didn’t put a damper on the spirits of thousands of union men and women, including many Teamsters, who built the 104-floor skyscraper that replaces the fallen Twin Towers.

High winds forced the postponement, but when the spire is in place, the building's official height will be 1,776 feet. One World Trade Center is scheduled to open for business in 2014.

More than 1,200 Teamsters work on the site on any given day, mainly delivering materials. They have played a big role in the construction of the skyscraper and in 2011, Teamster magazine covered the progress. Here are some highlights from that story:

In World War I, Teamsters taught soldiers to drive trucks when the military was moving from a cavalry to motorized units. During a polio outbreak in the 1950s, Teamsters jumped into action to make and deliver vaccinations to the entire American population. In World War II, Teamsters raised money for war bonds, started scrap metal and rubber drives to assist the war effort, and more than 125,000 Teamsters served in the military during the war. The union immediately worked to help families, communities and employers who were devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Sept. 11, 2001, was a day like no other in our nation’s history, but Teamsters reacted with characteristic solidarity. Local unions and Joint Councils in the metro areas of New York City and Washington, D.C. all played a part in the rescue, recovery and cleanup efforts, and the International Union also took action to make sure members were protected from the economic fallout and health risks of the terrorist attacks. Teamsters from across North America donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Teamsters Disaster Relief Fund to help those in need. Today, Teamsters are working on rebuilding the site.

“I have heard our members describe their work on the World Trade Center site as an honor,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “We have never taken on a challenge that we can’t conquer. The World Trade Center project is a testament to the courage of our members on the day of the tragedy, and their commitment to the vision the planners have for making the site a crowning jewel of the nation’s largest city. As we work side by side with operating engineers, carpenters, electricians and more, the solidarity and strength of belonging to a union brotherhood shines ever brighter.”

“Our city suffered a devastating blow on Sept. 11, but I am so proud to know that our union brothers and sisters stepped up, dove in and worked to first excavate the site, dig the foundations for the new structures and now are helping raise the structures up into the air,” said George Miranda, International Vice President and President of Joint Council 16…

Teamster members have not stopped working at the Ground Zero site since the day of the attacks 10 years ago, and they now have a huge part in the rebuilding of the neighborhood.

“I believe the strength of our union brotherhood has been a good counter-balance to the despair and pain borne by the families of the victims of Sept. 11,” said Tom Gesauldi, President of Local 282, which is actively involved in construction at Ground Zero. “Our members are deeply committed to the rebuilding, or actually, the rebirth of the World Trade Center. Their commitment began on the first day of cleanup and continues today.”

“I worked on the cleanup, the excavation, of this site,” said John Mazzola. “Before my work here I was a concrete driver for 20 years. On 9/11 I was working on a construction site nearby.” Mazzola is an on-site steward for Local 282 and coordinates the deliveries to Towers 2, 3 and 4.

Teamsters also bring equipment to the site, such as mobile or crawler cranes. Kenny Montoux is a 28-year Teamster who has worked as a crane driver for 16 years. “I started work here two days after the towers came down,” Montoux said. “The construction here is a tribute back to New York. Bringing back the glory of what it once was.”

“It’s a shame what happened here, but I think we are building something beautiful,” said Billy Petrino, the on-site steward for Tower 3. “My father was a Teamster, too. I’m glad to be working here.”

 

Casey Jones, iconic engineer and American hero, represents best of BLET



The United States Postal Service put Casey Jones on a three-cent stamp.

Next week, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) will celebrate its 150th anniversary at a May 8 event in Detroit. We've been counting down great moments in the history of North America’s oldest union, but April 30 marks a different kind of event—the anniversary of the death of John Luther "Casey" Jones, an American hero and one of the BLET’s most legendary figures.

Jones, an engineer and member of the union’s Division 99 in Water Valley, Miss., sacrificed his own life in 1900 to save his train full of passengers from a horrific crash. There was a stalled freight near Vaughan, Miss., and conditions were wet and foggy. As Jones’ train, No. 382 (the "Cannonball Express"), rounded a bend, the train’s fireman Sim Webb spotted several cars on their train’s track. Brother Jones told Webb to jump, but Jones stayed aboard to try and slow down the train.

Facing certain death, Jones stayed behind the throttle and was able to reduce the speed of his train enough to save many lives--except his own. Reports of the accident state that a bolt or a piece of splintered lumber hit Jones in the throat, leaving him mortally wounded. Crewmen from the other trains carried Jones on a stretcher for half a mile to the depot. There, lying on a baggage wagon, Jones died. While a few passengers were slightly injured, no other deaths resulted from the accident thanks to the bravery and self sacrifice of Casey Jones.

The Illinois Central railroad tried to pin the accident on Jones, but others—including his fireman Webb—fought that claim. In the minds of Americans, Jones was a hero, and newspaper reports hailed him as one. "The Ballad of Casey Jones," written by his friend and fellow railroad worker Wallace Sanders, became a folk music standard. It was later re-recorded by such artists as Mississippi John Hurt, Pete Seeger and Johnny Cash. There was also a movie, a television series and even an animated cartoon based on his life.

None of these projects resulted in a financial windfall for Jones’ wife and three children. However, they received payments from two union life insurance policies from the Brotherhood's Locomotive Engineers Mutual Life & Accident Insurance Association, and eventually a settlement from Illinois Central. There was no pension, as the Railroad Retirement system was not established until 1937.

BLET honors the legacy of Casey Jones as a shining example of the steps its members have and continue to take to keep their passengers, cargo and the public safe. It is this kind of exemplary service we will be celebrating in Detroit next week.

Observing Workers' Memorial Day

Workers’ Memorial Day was on Sunday and while Teamsters nationwide honored their fallen co-workers in a variety of ways, other locals are gearing up for their own events now. Every year the labor movement commemorates Workers’ Memorial Day as a day to remember those who have suffered and died on the job and to renew the fight for safe workplaces.

On Tuesday, April 30, Workers’ Memorial Day will be observed in New York City at the site where Anthony Nahr, a Teamster parking attendant and member of Local 272, drowned during Hurricane Sandy. The event will be an opportunity to mourn the loss of Nahr as well as the many others who lost their lives at work or because of the work they do, but it will also highlight the continued need for regulations protecting workers and ensuring that when the workday ends, every worker returns home safe and healthy.

The event will take place from 1-2 p.m. on April 30 at 92 Laight St. (at West St.) in New York City, 10013. Participants include the New York City Central Labor Council, the New York Committee for Occupational Safety & Health (NYCOSH), AFL-CIO and the Greater New York Labor Religion Coalition.

Other events were held within the last few days, including one event at Teamsters Local 404 in Springfield, Mass. Here’s more from a story written on the Massachusetts events:

Union officials and other labor leaders gathered Thursday to remember fallen police officers, firefighters, soldiers and others killed in the line of work on Workers’ Memorial Day.

The event is an international day of mourning for those who have died in the workplace, although some take the occasion to commemorate the passing of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which was approved by Congress in 1970.

Speakers read the names of 41 workers in Massachusetts who died on the job in 2012 and early 2013. They included Springfield police officer Kevin Ambrose, a 36-year veteran of the force who was shot to death in June 2012 while responding to a call for a domestic disturbance at an apartment on Lawton Street.

Firefighters and fishermen made up a good part of the list, along with several tree workers. It also included three members of the armed services who died in Afghanistan.

 

 

Today's Teamster News 04.29.13

Report: Hidden overseas accounts quietly rising to surface  Washington Post   ...The IRS has recouped more than $5.5 billion under a series of programs that offered reduced penalties and no jail time to people who voluntarily disclosed assets they were hiding overseas. In all, more than 39,000 tax cheats have come clean. But there’s more...
Bangladesh factory collapse: police detain owners, as death toll exceeds 350  The Observer   ...Police in Bangladesh have detained two factory owners for criminal negligence over the deaths of at least 352 workers at an eight-storey building that collapsed on Wednesday – a day after warnings had been given that it was unsafe...
Who really pays for our cheap clothes? (opinion)  CNN   ...The sad fact behind the building collapse in Bangladesh is that it isn't an isolated problem. The story will leave the headlines at the end of this week but today, hundreds of thousands of workers will return to factories that are frankly further tragedies waiting to happen, and will keep producing clothes for high street brands...
Bill to boost California minimum wage approved by panel  Los Angeles Times   ...AB 10, which would give California its first minimum wage increase since 2008, was approved by the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee on a party-line vote...
Pa. beer laws add juice to liquor privatization debate  Associated Press   ...Where you can buy beer in Pennsylvania will be the subject of debate in the coming weeks in the state Senate, pitting profit-seeking businesses against one another and perhaps even against beer drinkers’ wishes...
Anti-Worker "Paycheck Protection" Bills Moving in Missouri  PR Watch   ...Missouri is the latest front in the attack on organized labor with so-called "paycheck protection" bills moving through the legislature, with backing from the usual array of corporate interests. But according to the Washington D.C.-based Economic Policy Institute, the bills primarily disadvantage workers while preserving privileges for corporations...
New York City Employee Pension Funds Sue BP Over Gulf Oil Spill  Bloomberg News   ...New York City pension funds sued BP for at least $39 million in investment losses, saying the oil company failed to disclose the risks and safety issues leading to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico...
Primacy of pensions in city bankruptcy may be issue for U.S. court in July  Reuters   ...A U.S. judge in July could take up the issue of whether a bankrupt city can shield workers' pensions while inflicting heavy losses on bond holders and other creditors, a lawyer for California's pension fund for public employees said on Friday...
Moody's, S&P settle lawsuits over debt ratings Associated Press ...King County, WA and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank sued Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Morgan Stanley, accusing “them of hiding risky investments” (this goes back to the mortgage crisis). There has been a settlement; details were not disclosed...
Teamsters Urge "Special Pay Issue" Raises For Florida Correctional Officers  IBT   ...The following is a statement from Teamsters International Vice President Ken Wood recalling a Presidential Proclamation on Correctional Officers issued on May 5, 1984...
Teamsters Local Win $5M for Department of Aviation Members  IBT   ... Teamsters Local 700 has recouped approximately $5 million in lost wages for City of Chicago workers who were sent home early without pay while working snow removal shifts at area airports from 2009-2011...

Today's Teamster News 04.28.13

Lawmakers Weigh How to Curb Mortgage Interest Tax Break Bloomberg News ...While pledging a “careful, thoughtful review,” House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp asked witnesses at a hearing yesterday for ideas on how to transition to a new, still- unspecified system...

Loans Borrowed Against Pensions Squeeze Retirees New York Times ...In lean economic times, people with public pensions — military veterans, teachers, firefighters, police officers and others — are being courted particularly aggressively by pension-advance companies, which operate largely outside of state and federal banking regulations, but are now drawing scrutiny from Congress and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau...
Another mediocre GDP report: is this the new normal? Econbrowser ...Strong growth in consumption spending was offset by declines from the public sector, with lower defense spending subtracting 0.6% from the growth rate by itself, and declines in other categories of federal, state, and local spending subtracting an additional 0.2%...
Senate Finance Committee Holding Hearing On Trans Pacific Partnership WNAX ...The United States Senate Finance Committee is holding a hearing ... looking at the ongoing negotiations over the Trans Pacific Partnership...
Paul Begala: Government to the Rescue in Boston (opinion)  Newsweek   ...don’t denigrate government workers. Along with some heroic civilians, it was government workers who ran toward the blast zone. And they were unionized government workers...
Big clothing brands, retailers reject union safety plan as Bangladesh factory deaths mount Associated Press ...As Bangladesh reels from the deaths of hundreds of garment workers in a building collapse, the refusal of global retailers to pay for strict nationwide factory inspections is bringing renewed scrutiny to an industry that has profited from a country notorious for its hazardous workplaces and subsistence level wages...
The Corrections Corporation of America's Latest Shady Business? Tax Evasion Alternet ...To save millions in money they would have to pay to taxes, the CCA is now claiming to be a "Real Estate Investment Trust."...
Rising Costs Have Sandy Victims Contemplating Walking Away Ocean City Patch ...Elevate, pay thousands more in flood insurance premiums or simply walk away from homes? That is the question on the minds of some Hurricane Sandy victims...
West Virginia Republican Proposes Making Kids Work For Food  Huffington Post   ...A West Virginia lawmaker floated the idea during floor debate in the state's House of Delegates of having school children work as janitors...

This is what we union THUGGS do after the Boston Marathon bombing

Teamster THUGGS today in Boston.

We hold a drive to replenish the area's blood supply in the wake of the marathon attacks.

Local 25 in Boston reports a packed house at the union hall in Charlestown today as people came in droves to donate blood. The Teamster Horsemen came to lend their support -- as they always are for a good cause!

The blood drive, which benefited the American Red Cross, took place from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 pm.

The Charlestown Patch tells us:

It's among our first impulses when disaster strikes: the rush to donate blood. Truth is the best time to donate blood is in the weeks or months after a disaster. Boston hospitals treated more than 180 patients after the marathon, making now the time to give blood. 

“Giving blood is free and only takes a few minutes but could help to save a life,” said Sean M. O’Brien, president of Local 25. “Saturday’s blood drive is one way we all can help our fellow mankind.”

And if you're wondering, these are the same THUGGS who protected marathon victims' funeral services from disruptions by the Westboro Baptist Church hate group.

Remember, THUGGS stands for Those Helpful Union Guys and Gals.

Today's Teamster News 04.27.13

PBS Drops Another Bombshell: Wall Street Is Gobbling Up Two-Thirds of Your 401(k) Wall Street on Parade ...If you work for 50 years and receive the typical long-term return of 7 percent on your 401(k) plan and your fees are 2 percent, almost two-thirds of your account will go to Wall Street...
Error Claims Cast Doubt on Bank of America Foreclosures in Bay Area NBC Bay Area ...Despite recent settlements with state and federal regulators and a new California law that tightens rules for the mortgage industry, banks and their subsidiaries continue to file invalid documents and foreclose on properties to which they appear to have no legal right, an analysis of thousands of pages of property records and wrongful foreclosure lawsuits shows...
US Lets Swiss Banks, Accused of Aiding Tax Fraud, Avoid Prosecution with Fines The Real News ...this notion of paying money, it kind of reeks of the U.S. justice for sale...
Obama Budget Plan Results In 'Back Door' Tax Increase For Middle-Class Households: Analysis Huffington Post ...With Obama’s budget change, taxpayers would move into higher income tax brackets and face higher tax rates more quickly than they would have before...
The Decline of Emergency Care The Atlantic ...Trauma centers and emergency departments across the U.S. have been closing at alarming rates. The people who stand to lose the most are those already put at a disadvantage by the health-care system...
Putting Water Back in Public Hands The Real News ...Paris and other cities have remunicipalised water that had been privatized saving users money and introducing more democracy and transparency...
290 dead as high street fashion chains told to put lives before profits after Bangladeshi factory collapse The Independent ...Death toll passes 290 as staff describe how they were ordered to continue production despite raising concerns over huge cracks in the eight-storey structure...

Report by Progress Missouri Highlights ALEC Infiltration in MO Center for Media and Democracy ...More than forty bills introduced in the Missouri state legislature echo American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) model legislation, and at least 60 legislators are ALEC members, according to a new report from Progress Missouri...
Appeals panel asks state Supreme Court to take up union bargaining law Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ...An appeals panel asked the state Supreme Court on Thursday to quickly take up a case over Gov. Scott Walker's controversial law on collective bargaining, saying the high court should decide the issue without an appellate ruling on it...
For foreign land investors, Wisconsin's not yet wide open for business The Cap Times ...A Gov. Scott Walker budget proposal to lift restrictions on the purchase of state land by foreigners — an idea critics said would drive up rural land prices — was removed from the budget Thursday by the Joint Finance Committee...
Why is Scott Walker skipping the big Koch conference? The Cap Times ...This weekend, industrialist billionaires Charles and David Koch are convening a group of conservative power brokers in Palm Springs, Calif., to discuss what went wrong in the 2012 election...
Pennsylvania Think Tank Plans to 'Slay' Unions, Like in Wisconsin The Nation ...The Commonwealth Foundation, a right-wing think tank in Harrisburg, is plotting to go after public sector employee unions...
Fla. House passes 'wage theft' bill 71-45 Tampa Bay Times ...Opponents have blasted HB 1125 as a “Tallahassee power grab” that protects big corporations and business owners who withhold wages from their workers...
Teamsters approve 'optimization' plan with YRC Freight Central Pennsylvania Business Journal ...YRC Freight, a division of Kansas-based trucking company YRC Worldwide Inc., this week said it has received approval from the Teamsters union that represents its employees to move forward with an “optimization plan” that will result in the closure of some facilities around the country...
Teamsters Urge "Special Pay Issue" Raises For Florida Correctional Officers IBT ..."One important way the Florida Legislature can observe National Correctional Officers' Week this year is to enact "special pay issue raises" for employees of the Florida Department of Corrections…"
Teamsters union chides Allegheny County over negotiations Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ...The union that represents about 600 Allegheny County employees said the administration is "taking a hard line" and not properly negotiating with it...
UPS’s New Contract With Teamsters Removes Strike Threat Bloomberg ...United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) and the Teamsters union agreed to a new five-year contract covering 250,000 employees, erasing the risk that some business might be lost through just the threat of a strike...

How to talk about Right to Work

Here’s how to argue about Right to Work with people who think they know what it is.

Tell them (nicely) that they don’t know what Right to Work really is. Tell them it’s a confusing, complicated and controversial proposal that damages the working class.

It was cooked up decades ago by greedy billionaires. They named it Right to Work to fool people into thinking it means more freedom. It doesn’t. Right to Work means less freedom for workers – much less.

It puts more pressure on struggling working-class families. It eliminates job security, lowers pay, forces workers from full-time jobs to part-time, and gives workers less freedom and flexibility to spend time with their family or do whatever is important to them in life.

Corporate interests want to pass Right to Work so they can destroy unions that stand up for workers. Getting rid of unions would let them ship more jobs overseas, continue to rig the tax system in their favor and demand more work from employees while treating them with less respect.

Right to Work is being pushed in state capitols by ALEC, the escort service for corporations and state lawmakers. ALEC is supported by CEOs of multinational corporations who only care about profits and mistreat the workers that generate them; by the Benedict Arnold Koch brothers; and by predatory Wall Street banks.

Right to Work has had far-reaching consequences in states where it has been enacted. It has delivered lower pay for employees and higher unemployment rates in the states that passed it. And it threatens public safety by making it harder for nurses, police officers and firefighters to do their jobs. It guts workplace safety laws and eliminates protections for people who blow the whistle on threats to public safety.

So tell your misguided friends who think they know what Right to Work is that it does far more harm than good. It’s a risky, divisive, unfair and politically motivated attack on the working class.

And here’s a final tip: Don’t be too harsh on the CEOs. After all, some of them are good employers who create jobs. Be sure to distinguish them from overpaid and out-of-touch CEOs who care more about their bonuses than the workers who made their companies profitable. 

From West, Texas to Bangladesh

Workers’ Memorial Day, on Sunday, April 28, is an international day of remembrance, mourning and action for workers killed, disabled or injured on the job. With the West, Texas tragedy followed so closely by the collapse of an eight-floor building in Bangladesh, Workers’ Memorial Day has taken on increased significance this year.

The Economic Policy Institute posted a thoughtful story about how the two tragedies tie into Workers’ Memorial Day, also called the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured. But their story reminded us why unions are so essential. At a time when the federal government can’t afford to inspect every workplace in a timely fashion, most corporations are not going to go out of their way to make workers’ jobs safer.

Unions are among the only groups actively fighting for safer work environments, and not just for their members. Unions fight for safer workplaces for everyone. From the Economic Policy Institute:

If you think we can rely on businesses to self-regulate, think again. West Fertilizer, the small business that blew up and killed fourteen people in Texas last week, declared itself safe and estimated the chance of a catastrophic explosion at zero. They needed someone with authority and the power to change behavior to look over their shoulder, to look out for the workers and first responders who were most at risk, and to look out for the school children whose schools were within the blast radius. But no agency had or exercised that authority.

As a society, we need to pay more attention to the safety and health of our workers. Nearly 5,000 workers were killed on the job in the United States in 2011, and an estimated 50,000 or more died from illness or disease they contracted from on-the-job hazards such as breathing chlorine fumes or periacetic acid and exposure to silica dust, asbestos, beryllium and hundreds of other hazardous substances. The cost of these illnesses and deaths is about $250 billion—more than the cost of all cancers. Inadequate regulation kills workers, and it costs our economy plenty.

Workers Memorial Day is Sunday, April 28, and I hope you’ll take a moment to think about the tragedies in Bangladesh and Texas. Take a moment to think about what kind of a country you want and which problem you think is more serious, that regulations kill jobs or that unregulated work kills workers.

 

Okla. Teamsters mobilizing to stop ALEC's corporate takeover of state capitols

Our brothers and sisters at Local 886 in Oklahoma City are mobilizing hundreds of Teamsters to march FOR the middle class and AGAINST ALEC in early May.

ALEC, the billionaire-backed escort service for corporations and state lawmakers, will hold its annual meeting on May 2-3 in the Oklahoma state capitol. Behind closed doors they will plan ways to eradicate the middle class by weakening workers' rights, eliminating consumer and environmental protections, empowering corporations and privatizing education.

Local 886 President Ron Cobb put out the call:

Make plans now to attend the Rally and March against the actions of ALEC. ALEC and its followers directly affect you, Union or not. Bring your family and friends, this will be a great opportunity to support what YOU believe.

They'll begin the march at 4 pm at the Coca-Cola Event Center. It will go through Bricktown, to a rallying point at Cox Convention Center where ALEC is meeting. Speakers will include Harold Schaitburger, president of the International Association of Fire Fighter, state Sen. Connie Johnson and state Reps. Richard Morrissette and Anastasia Pittman. There'll be hot dogs and live music afterward.

If you can't make it, you can sign a pledge here to tell your friends and neighbors about ALEC's attempt to turn your state government over to big corporations. The pledge, along with detailed information about the event, can be found here.

ALEC's latest attack in Mo. deceives and silences workers

Look carefully at the "paycheck protection" bills passed this week by the Missouri Legislature. You'll see ALEC's fingerprints slathered all over them. These bills are part of the Koch group’s continuing effort to muscle the working class out of politics and government.

The passage of SB 29 and HB 64 threatens to destroy workers' ability to donate to candidates and causes as a group. Employers would be unaffected.  If the bills are enacted, unions couldn't make political donations. But guess who could: the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and its powerful friends such as the Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses.

The legislation is part of ALEC's continuing effort to shift policymaking away from the people and put it in the hands of employers, according to an Economic Policy Institute report released this week,  Gordon Lafer, a University of Oregon professor who authored the report, said this about the legislation:

The argument advanced in Missouri and elsewhere is that it will save workers money … and expand workers’ rights. Neither of these bills extend new rights to employees that Missouri law already doesn’t allow.

Professor Lafer said the arguments for this legislation are baseless. For example, the bills state that union workers shouldn’t have to pay dues to support political candidates they oppose. However, union workers already can opt out of paying a portion of their dues allocated for political spending. Meanwhile, corporations can use monies they receive to lobby for whatever cause or candidate they support.

The measures also would require workers to fill out paperwork each year affirming their approval to have part of their dues used for political purposes. Unions, in turn, would have to devote sparse resources toward making sure their members comply with the burdensome law.

Professor Lafer said the legislation would create two different sets of laws, one for workers and another for employers. He said:

It is important to note that ALEC and the Chamber and other organizations have opposed similar obligations being placed on corporations.

Our brothers and sisters in Missouri should contact the office of Gov. Jay Nixon and tell him to veto this deceptive legislation.

Tell NJ Assembly: Crack down on abusive employers (like FedEx Ground) now!

Someday...

New Jersey's Assembly is poised to vote on a bill that would prevent FedEx Ground from illegally misclassifying its workers as independent contractors. Please join the effort to end this abusive practice in the Garden State once and for all. By clicking on this link here, you can send an email to your representative urging him or her to vote for Assembly Bill 1578.

Here's the message the Teamsters are sending to our activists:

On Monday, Assembly members in Trenton will vote on Assembly Bill 1578, legislation that would crack down on employers who illegally misclassify drivers in the motor trucking industry. Under this practice, employers, like FedEx Ground, call their workers independent contractors despite treating them as employees. These misclassified workers are denied basic workplace rights, like protections under OSHA and the Federal Labor Relations Act, and are forced to pay out-of-pocket for all the costs of their jobs, like uniforms and equipment. And, despite being called independent, these drivers even have to ask employers for vacation time. 

These bad-acting employers get the best of both worlds; control of abused workers while saving millions of dollars in worker expenses like workers' compensation and unemployment benefits. And when these employers are allowed to cheat, they put law abiding companies at a competitive disadvantage and bring down standards for all workers. 

That’s why we need your help – we’re asking all New Jersey Teamsters to contact their Assembly members today and tell them to support Assembly Bill 1578, a bill that would crack down on those employers who are abusing their workers. Join thousands of other Teamsters today and tell your Assembly member to support AB-1578!

Today's Teamster News 04.26.13

Everything Is Rigged: The Biggest Price-Fixing Scandal Ever  Rolling Stone   ...The second huge financial scandal of the year reveals the real international conspiracy: There's no price the big banks can't fix...
Executive-Pay Tax Break Saved Fortune 500 Corporations $27 Billion Over the Past Three Years  Citizens for Tax Justice   ...One “single tax break, for executive stock options” allowed Fortune 500 corporations to avoid paying $11.2 billion in income taxes in 2012. The top 25 benefiting during 2010-12: Apple $3.2bn, Facebook $1.6bn, JP Morgan $1.1 bn, etc...
The West, Texas, explosion shows the deadly effect of profit before safety   The Guardian ...Poor regulation of the West Fertilizer plant likely contributed to 15 deaths – just as 13 US workers die at their jobs every single day…
Bangladesh Factory Disasters Will Become ‘More And More’ Common   Talking Points Memo   ...Walmart, H&M, Sears, Gap, etc. outsource to Bangladesh because of its low wages and labor standards. It also lacks safety regulations, resulting in the recent factory collapse which left at least 250 dead and more than 1,000 injured...
Four Reasons to Worry About the Potential Koch Takeover of Tribune Co. Newspapers (opinion)  The Nation   ...If their bid is successful, the Koch brothers won’t just have a strong influence over the laws we all live under and the climate we pass on to the next generation, they’ll be publishing the news we read...
Labor Department: Florida Unemployment Regime Violates Civil Rights Requirements  Huffington Post   ...Florida violated federal civil rights law with its new and unusual requirement that unemployment claimants file online and take math and reading tests before they can receive benefits, the U.S. Labor Department determined this month...
California Lawmakers Consider Soda Tax  KTLA5 ...A bill that would impose a tax on sugary drinks in California is in front of lawmakers in Sacramento this week. The state law would tax sugary drinks such as sodas, energy drinks and sweet teas one cent per fluid ounce.
Anti-Worker "Paycheck Protection" Bills Moving in Missouri   PR Watch   ...Missouri is the latest front in the attack on organized labor with so-called "paycheck protection" bills moving through the legislature, with backing from the usual array of corporate interests. But according to the Economic Policy Institute, the bills primarily disadvantage workers while preserving privileges for corporations...
Cincinnati city council votes no on right-to-work law  Business Courier   ...Cincinnati City Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing right-to-work laws and the “workplace freedom” amendment being pushed by some groups in Columbus...
Maine lawmakers kill right-to-work, dues bills  Associated Press   ...The Maine Senate has killed a pair of bills labeled by opponents as anti-union. Senators voted 21-13 Thursday against a right-to-work bill, which would have made it illegal for a private employer to require employees to join a labor organization or pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment...
Oregon lawmakers pass law to lower pension COLAs  Pensions & Investments   ...The Oregon House of Representatives passed a pension reform bill Wednesday that lowers the maximum cost-of-living adjustment for retirees of the $61.1 billion Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund...
Ind. lawmakers reach deal on tax cuts, road funds  Associated Press   ...Gov. Mike Pence and Indiana's Republican legislative leaders have reached a budget deal that increases spending on roads and schools while giving the governor a piece of the income tax cut he has arduously sought this session...
Teamsters Reach Tentative Agreements Covering 250,000 Workers at UPS, UPS Freight  IBT   ...The Teamsters Union announced last night that it has reached tentative agreements with UPS on new five-year national contracts for package and freight workers that protect their health care benefits, provide substantial wage increases and significantly raise contributions to pension and health and welfare benefits...
Hudson Valley Teamster School Bus Drivers Return To Work At Durham  IBT   ...After engaging in an unfair labor practice strike today, Teamsters Local 445 has given Durham School Services an unconditional offer to return to work at the beginning of the work day on Friday morning, April 26, 2013...
Torres Adds Teamsters To Trove of Union Endorsements  City & State ...Bronx City Council candidate Ritchie Torres continues to pick up support from organized labor in a crowded to replace City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera, winning the endorsement of the Teamsters Joint Council 16, one of the largest unions in the city with roughly 120,000 members...
Striking Thorn Creek Basin workers to return Friday  NWI Times   ...A two-month picket by Teamsters members of the Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District will come to an end this week...

Wells Fargo annual meeting disrupted by protesters for oh, so many reasons

Teamsters Local 814 protests Well Fargo in New York City on
Oct. 20, 2012

Wells Fargo had to go into hiding for its annual meeting Tuesday in Salt Lake City because of protests against its predatory lending, illegal foreclosures and disgraceful treatment of the homeowners who paid the taxes that helped bail the bank out.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports:

For the first time in about 15 years, banking giant Wells Fargo held its shareholders meeting away from its headquarter city of San Francisco, gathering Tuesday under a heavy security presence at The Grand America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City. 

At least two dozen protesters, some carrying signs criticizing bank mortgage policies, marched peacefully outside the hotel under the watch of about a half-dozen police officers, but it was a far different scene than last year’s mass demonstration in San Francisco. Inside, about half-a-dozen people were escorted out of the meeting at one point after directing heated questions at CEO John Stumpf about the bank’s loan modification improprieties and its high-interest lending that disproportionately affect black, Latino and low-income mortgage borrowers...

At one point, several in the audience stood up and started yelling comments at Stumpf. Security guards hustled them from the meeting as a chant arose, "Racist lending is a crime. John Stumpf should be doing time." No arrests were made. 

Those attending the meeting were met by metal detectors, handheld security wands and more than a dozen police and other officers. One accompanied a bomb-sniffing dog. 

Here's a partial (very partial) list of Wells Fargo's many sins:

• ... the bank engaged in systematic, large scale alteration of mortgage notes and fabrication of related documents in preparation for foreclosure, the naked capitalist reported.
• "Although its own representatives have admitted that it routinely misapplied payments on loans and improperly charged fees, they have refused to correct past errors," wrote U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Elizabeth Magner.
• The bank fired Richard Eggers, a 68-year-old Vietnam veteran, from his $29,795-a-year job for  putting a cardboard cutout of a dime in a washing machine in Carlisle, Iowa, on Feb. 2, 1963.
• The U.S. Justice Department found that mortgage brokers working with Wells Fargo had charged higher fees and rates to more than 30,000 minority borrowers across the country than they had to white borrowers who posed the same credit risk, according to firedoglake.
• The bank recklessly issued mortgages and then lied about their condition to the Federal Housing Administration, a government agency that insured them, the federal prosecutors' complaint said.

No wonder they had to hide.