More on the election: Ballot questions

When it comes to reporting on ballot questions, we've barely scratched the surface. Yes, Michigan rejected the Protect Working Families question, and yes, California rejected Prop 32, but there were 186 other initiatives. Close to $1 billion was spent on them (including that $11 million the Koch brothers laundered to support Prop 32). 

Our friends at the Center for Media and Democracy provided a terrific summary of some of the most important questions -- including legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Washington and Colorado!

There was some good news in Michigan, after all: Voters rejected the Emergency Manager Law:

Michigan's controversial Emergency Manager Law, 2011 Public Act 4, allowed the governor to appoint emergency managers to take over local municipalities like Benton Harbor in place of officials elected by residents. Volunteers collected over 200,000 signatures to get a referendum -- Proposal 1 -- on yesterday's ballot to overturn the law. 

The measure to keep the law in place failed, with 48 percent voting for and 52 percent against, successfully overturning the law.

Michigan voters also defeated a proposal to require a supermajority to increase state taxes. It was sponsored by the corporate front group ALEC.

CMD tells us Colorado and Montana voted against Citizens United:

Colorado's Amendment 65 and Montana's Initiative 166 are ballot propositions designed to challenge the Supreme Court decision on Citizens United v. FEC that lifted bans on corporate political spending (see CMD's reporting for more on Citizens United). 

Colorado's measure passed with 73.7 percent voting for and 26.3 percent against, while Montana's passed with 74.9 percent voting for and 25.1 percent against.

Voters in five states cast ballots for and against banning parts of Obamacare, another ALEC initiative. CMD reported the proposal succeeded in four states:

Voters in Alabama, Florida, Missouri, Montana, and Wyoming weighed in on propositions to block aspects of 2010 federal health care legislation, the Affordable Care Act or "ObamaCare."  ALEC has been pushing similar laws nationwide. 

The measures fared as follows:it failed 52 percent to 48 percent in Florida, but passed 59 percent to 41 percent in Alabama, passed 61.8 percent to 38.2 percent in Missouri, passed 66 percent to 34 percent in Montana, and passed 77 percent to 23 percent in Wyoming.

Gay marriage was approved in Maryland, Maine and Washington, while Minnesota voters defeated a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Minnesota voters also rejected a voter suppression amendment.

New for-profit corporate schools were approved in Georgia and Washington:

Georgia voters weighed in on a proposal to give the state legislature the right to create public charter schools, another part of the ALEC wish list. The measure passed, with 58.5 percent voting for and 41.5 percent voting against. 

Washington State voted on a proposition to allow the creation of 40 charter schools in the next five years. It has been called the "billionaires initiative" because its signature drive was primarily funded by Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and the parents of Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos. The measure passed, with 51.24 percent voting for and 48.76 percent against.

Teachers lost in South Dakota but won in Idaho:

In another loss for labor, voters in South Dakota failed to pass a referendum repealing 2011 House Bill 1234, which provides bonuses for high performing teachers but bans teacher tenure, with 32.77 percent voting for and 67.23 percent voting against. 

However, in a win for labor, voters in Idaho rejected two referenda to uphold 2011 education laws that had limited collective bargaining for teachers. Proposition 1 to limit teacher contracts failed, with 43 percent voting for and 57 percent against. Proposition 2 also failed, with 42 percent voting for and 58 percent against. 

Over at BISC, the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, we learn a little more about public services spending. Justine Sarver, executive director, wrote:

...voters supported critical revenue for public services - preventing devastating education cuts and tuition hikes in California, closing a corporate loophole in Oregon and rejecting the crippling and arbitrary spending limit known as TABOR in Florida.

Read about the state-by-state results here.

Howard Dean: 'Loved the Teamsters ground game!'

Our Ohio brothers waiting for President Obama in Hilliard, Ohio this morning.

President Obama is speaking at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Hilliard, Ohio, this morning, and our brothers and sisters are there to greet him. So is General President Jim Hoffa. Our in-box, in fact, is flooded with photos of Teamsters hitting the campaign trail in a ground game that won praise from former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.

Local 639 members in Virginia.

We have photos of Maryland and District of Columbia Teamsters visiting UPS hubs and YRC barns in hotly contested Virginia. Wisconsin Teamsters hitting work sites in that battleground state. New Hampshire Teamsters handbilling at a First Student yard in Nashua (and photos of President Obama dropping by Local 633 in Manchester). Hoffa and General-Secretary Treasurer Ken Hall talking to Teamsters at the Marzetti's Salad Dressing plant and UPS work sites yesterday.

Pittsburgh Teamsters were rewarded for their hard work last weekend with 14 free tickets to a Bruce Springsteen concert. Local 249 President Joseph Rossi asked building maintenance director, Teamster Mark Hilgarner, to install a 4-foot-by-8-foot campaign sign in front of the Teamster Temple -- immediately upon delivery.  It was installed within one hour.

Last week Pittsburgh Teamsters phonebanked at the Obama Greensburg campaign office alongside the former Vermont governor. Brother Tim Dunn, IBT field representative, forwarded Dean's comment:

GST Ken Hall talking about the election with Mike Nichols,
a 27-year Teamster, in Columbus yesterday.

Loved the Teamsters ground game!

Dunn also shared this about a Pittsburgh sister who phonebanked:

Teamster Jan Foley and her husband Roger are committed Democratic crusaders who are in an elite group of voter registration activists. Their voter registration crusade generates thousands of new Obama voters.

Action Truck.

We have photos of Colorado Teamsters heading out to hear President Obama speak in Denver. Nevada Teamsters visiting work sites and attending membership meetings to learn about the election. And photos of Local 117's Teamsters Action Truck. It's a tractor-trailer transformed into a high-tech mobile phonebank and election command center. Teamsters used the truck throughout the state of Washington to campaign on behalf of candidates who support working family issues.

Hundreds of Teamster boots are on the ground in Michigan, Ohio, California and Minnesota. They're working for crucial ballot questions, President Obama and worker-friendly candidates.

President Hoffa visited Local 299 in Detroit last weekend to rally members for President Obama and Proposal 2, which protects collective bargaining rights.

State coordinators Mike Ciaccio and Jeff Crabtree with
 Paul Digrazia and Eduardo Farrara
at a UPS barn in South Milwaukee.

He and Hall are barnstorming Ohio, leading rallies in Cincinnati, Toledo and Cleveland and visiting dozens of work sites. Hundreds of Ohio Teamsters are campaigning for the president, for a fair redistricting ballot question and for Sen. Sherrod Brown's re-election.

Cleveland rally.

California Teamsters registered 23,000 voters and are now getting them to the polls to vote against Prop 32.  The measure grants billionaires the right to influence elections but not unions.  And in Minnesota, Local 638 Teamsters are reaching thousands of people in their fight against a constitutional amendment that would eliminate free, fair and accessible elections.

North Carolina Teamsters have been deeply involved in the campaign for President Obama's re-election since before the Democratic National Convention was held in Charlotte.

The Massachusetts race for U.S. Senate is especially important, and Bay State Teamsters have gone all out for Elizabeth Warren. Our Hoosier brothers and sisters are intent on taking the state back for workers after an anti-worker law passed last year. They're campaigning hard for President Obama, gubernatorial candidate John Gregg and Senate candidate Joe Donnelly.

We're still waiting for photos from some of our brothers and sisters in other states. (We know you've been busy.) And though we don't have photos of Florida Teamsters, we have this picture of their handiwork:

Mont. congressional candidate comes from Teamster family

We're paying close attention to political candidates who are Teamsters, used to be Teamsters or are close Teamster friends. Between now and Nov. 6, we'll be presenting one candidate a day to you, courtesy of Teamster Magazine. Read about other Teamster candidates here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, 
here, here, here, here, here and here.

Running for Montana’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Kim Gillan understands why having elected officials that fight for working families is so important.

Gillan is a former member of Local 853 in California. As Minority Whip for the Montana State Senate, Gillan helped develop job training programs, increase funding for road construction and close corporate tax loopholes.

She worked her way through college at a Unified Grocers warehouse. But her Teamster background didn’t start there.

“My mother was a member of the Graphic Communications International Union before it became part of the Teamsters, and my father was a union dockworker and also worked for some time as a Teamster,” she said. “That’s why supporting labor for me is not just an election issue, it’s a Gillan family value.”

“I’m a product of the working class and when I get elected in Montana, I’ll be a champion of the working class,” she said.

2012 a big year for Teamster candidates

Nearly two dozen Teamsters are running for office this November, including an international vice president who wants to be a New Hampshire state representative and a former Teamster (and astronaut) seeking a congressional seat from California.

Cross your fingers. A win for Teamster candidates is a win for all working people.

We're not just saying that. A recent report showed politicians with roots in organized labor are reliable friends of working families. Writes Cole Stangler in The Huffington Post

Politicians who come of age with the labor movement in their lives are more likely to advocate on behalf of worker-friendly policies, regardless of their political leaning, the makeup of their district and financial support from labor, according to a new study on union members and voting behavior. 

Gary McDowell

Pro-worker advocacy extends far beyond issues that directly affect labor unions, and includes stronger support for policies such as family and medical leave or paid sick days, according to the study. It puts numbers on an ephemeral but intuitive notion: that having direct experience under a boss in solidarity with other coworkers shapes people's worldview in lasting and profound ways, even after they've moved up the class ladder. 

At the same time, the report, which was funded by the pro-labor group American Rights At Work, helps explain the disconnect between working-class America and Congress, where working people are barely represented. Recruiting more union members to run for office would be an effective way of finding reliably worker-friendly legislators, the study implies.

Teamsters are already serving in high office, including Lynn, Mass., Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy, Missouri state Treasurer Clint Zweifel and Missouri Rep. Tim Meadows.

Here's a partial list of the Teamsters now running for office (forgive us if we've left anyone out):

California:

Jose Hernandez

• Jose Hernandez, former member of Teamsters Local 601 and a former astronaut, is running as a Democrat for U.S. House of Representatives from the 10th Congressional District.
• Dr. Lee Rogers, affililiate member of the California Teamsters Public Affairs Council, is running as a Democrat for U.S. House of Representatives from the 25th Congressional District.

Indiana

• Jim Cahill, president of Teamsters Local 716, is running as a Democrat for state Senate from District 37.
• Brad Thompson, president of Teamsters Local 1070, is running as a Democrat for state Senate from District 7. 
• Jerod Warnock, business agent for Teamsters Local 135, is running as a Democrat for the state House of Representatives from District 5.

Steve Sodders

Iowa

• Steve Sodders, member of the Teamsters Law Enforcement League, is running for re-election as a Democrat for state Senate from District 36.

Michigan 

• Gary McDowell, former UPS package delivery driver, is in a rematch against the incumbent Republican congressman from District 10.

Missouri

Kim Gillan

• Bob Burns, Teamster retiree from Local 600, is running as a Democrat for state House of Representatives from District 93.
• Raymond Kinney, a carhaul member of Local 41, is running as a Democrat for state House of Representatives from District 51.
• Terry Lesinski, a 30-year ABF member from Local 600, is running as a Democrat for state House of Representatives from District 104.
• Jim Sweere, ABF member from local 41, is running for state House of Representatives from District 16.
• Clint Zweifel, member of Teamster Local 688, is running as a Democrat for re-election as state Treasurer.

Montana

• Steve Bullock, state attorney general and former Teamster attorney, is running as a Democrat for governor.
• Kim Gillan, state senator and former Teamster member, is running as a Democrat for the U.S. House at large.

New Hampshire

John Murphy

• John Murphy, international vice president for the IBT, is running as a Democrat for state House of Representatives for House District Rockingham 8.

New York

• Thomas L. Quackenbush, business agent, Teamsters Local 294, is running for the state Assembly from District 111.  

Pennsylvania

• Osman Kamara, member of Teamsters Local 776, is running for the state House of Representatives from District 106. 

Wisconsin

• Dave Hansen, member of Teamsters Local 662, is running as a Democrat for reelection to the state Senate from District 30.

Today's Teamster News 09.07.12

Payrolls in U.S. Rose 96,000 Jobless Rate Declined  Bloomberg   ...Payrolls rose less than projected in August and the unemployment rate declined as more Americans left the labor force, indicating the U.S. labor market is stagnating...
U.S.-China Trade Deficit Cost More than 2.1 Million Manufacturing Jobs  Trade Reform   ...Between 2001 and 2011, the trade deficit with China eliminated or displaced more than 2.7 million U.S. jobs, over 2.1 million of which (76.9 percent) were in manufacturing...
Judge's Ruling Stops Wisconsin Capitol Police From Arresting Sign Holders  DailyKos   ...Yesterday a judge issued a decision in a first amendment suit brought by some protesters regarding an incident that happened last year...
Teamsters General President Hoffa Appoints Warehouse Director  IBT   ...Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa announced today the appointment of Steve Vairma to Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division...
Surrogates Then—And Defenders Now  Wall Street Journal   ..."People remember, oh yeah, you're the guy out there promoting Obama, and people seek you out," according to Roy Gross, a former trucker and recording secretary of Teamsters Local 299 in Detroit...
For arena supporters, conflict over Port CEO’s board position is nothing but net  Seattle Times   ...A letter last week from 13 state Legislators questioning Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani’s new board position at Expeditors International was drafted by Heather Weiner, the state political director for the Teamsters...

Today's Teamster News 09.06.12

Wage Statistics Paint a Bleak Picture for Working America  Economic Populist   ... 50% of all wage earners in the United States earned less than $26,363.55 annually. That's poor...
Hoffa Says Tea Party and John Birch Society Are One and the Same  US News   ...When James Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, looks at the Tea Party today, he flashes back to 1964 and sees the John Birch Society...
Unions ready to move past Charlotte  Politico   ...James Hoffa, head of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said that Big Labor is looking past Charlotte to the bigger prize in November. “Union leaders are not going to let it diminish our efforts past the convention,” Hoffa told POLITICO...
Appeals court blocks Minnesota law on corporate political spending  Reuters   ...A Minnesota law that requires companies to track and disclose the amount of money they spend on political campaigns likely violates the U.S. Constitution, a federal appeals court ruled on Wednesday...
After Bucking Federal Judge On Early Voting, Ohio Secretary Of State Ordered To Appear In Court  ThinkProgress   ...Judge Peter Economus has set a hearing for September 13 to address Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted’s refusal to comply with the court’s ruling that the state must allow early voting on the three days leading up to the general election...
County, Teamsters Reach Nursing Home Agreement  PennLive.com   ...The contract calls for no pay increases for 2011 and 2.75 percent increases each year for 2012, 2013, and 2014, she said, with workers being paid retroactively for this year's salary increase. The new agreement also provides a second, less-expensive health insurance plan available to existing employees who choose it and mandatory for all new hires...

Indiana Teamster running hard for state rep

Brother Jerod Warnock, business agent for Teamsters Local 135 in Indianapolis, has a good shot at winning his race for state representative in Indiana's 5th District.

Warnock, a Democrat, spends his off hours at events such as a church rummage sale, a police breakfast (at 4:30 a.m.), tailgate parties at Notre Dame football games and the Elkhart Labor Day parade. He knocks on doors three times a week. His big brother Bob, president of Teamsters Local 364, accompanies him on his walks around the district.

(Their dad, Bob Warnock, Jr., is a Teamster retiree now. The South Bend Tribune just ran a nice story about him.)

Warnock is one of three Teamsters running for the state Legislature in Indiana. It's part of a concerted effort by working people to reclaim the state and repeal the right-to-work-for-less law enacted earlier this year. But it won't be easy.

"It's going to be work," Warnock said. "We're good at that."

The two other Teamsters running for the Indiana Legislature are Local 1070 President Brad Thompson and Local 716 President Jim Cahill. Thompson is running for state Senate from the 7th District. Cahill is running for state Senate from the 37th District.

Check out Warnock's website here and give his Facebook page a Like.