Teamster Power on and off the job!

Local 25 Teamster Leslie Russell

Every year at the Teamsters Women’s Conference, one local woman is presented with an award for her activism. This year, Leslie Russell, a nine-year member of Local 25 in Boston, was recognized for her involvement in union activities in support of her Teamster sisters and brothers.

At the conference, Teamsters took time to remember sisters who passed away this year, including Clara Day, a longtime member, and union and civil rights activist. They also remembered Barbara Liddy, a woman who wore many hats in the union and is remembered for her commitment and dedication to her fellow Teamsters.

For the first time this year, the annual award that Russell received was named the “Barbara Liddy Teamster Woman Activist Award.” Among her countless roles, Liddy was Recording-Secretary and Political Coordinator for Local 396 in Covina, Calif., and had previously spoken at the conference.

Ron Herrera, IBT International Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer of Local 396, said:

She was a great example of a strong, outspoken woman in the Teamsters. She had courage beyond belief and fear never stopped her.

Russell is also a strong, committed Teamster woman, who was honored this year for her work in her union and community. Russell counsels Teamsters with stress and sleep issues, mental health issues, addiction, health and wellness and other concerns.

Upon receiving the award, Russell said:

I work with the belief that no one should suffer in silence, and this conference rejuvenates me to do the best that I can. I really enjoy working with and helping the members. I’m so grateful to be a Teamster.

Through the Local 25 and Joint Council 10 women’s committees, Russell takes part in a variety of community projects, including outreach to homeless women and walks to benefit multiple sclerosis research, among others. She works on the Local 25 Autism Committee, which plans a hugely successful annual gala to raise funds for autism research. And she volunteers at the Boston Marathon medical tent as part of a mental health team.

After Katrina: the power of 1.4 million helping hands

In the final installment of our week-long coverage of Hurricane Katrina on the 10th anniversary of the disaster, today's post looks at Teamsters around the country who donated their time, resources and even their holidays to help those affected by the storm. From New England to the New Mexico, Teamsters from numerous locals donated and drove supplies by the truckload to Gulf Coast communities.

It didn’t take Teamsters long to respond to Hurricane Katrina. Within ten days after the worst natural disaster in United States’ history, Teamsters from across the country had come from all over with semi tractor-trailers -- filled to the brim with bottled water, emergency medical supplies, canned goods and school supplies to distribute to thousands of members living in hurricane- and flood-stricken areas.

A trio of UPS drivers from Local 597 in South Barre, Vermont ferried supplies more than 1,500 miles to sites in Jackson and Purvis, Mississippi. The drivers, Douglas Cleveland, Gary Dustin and Mark Gagnon, volunteered to go as part of “Operation Special Delivery,” an effort launched by Vermont Governor Jim Douglas.

According to Cleveland:

We hung signs on our trucks that read, "From Vermont to Mississippi." People cheered us on by honking and waving at us all the way down.

The trucks contained more than 145,000 pounds of supplies amassed through donations, including essential goods such as water and even dog food. Once in Jackson, the supplies were quickly unloaded, repackaged on pallets and sent out to distribution sites in the worst-hit areas of the region.

Cleveland explains:

There were a lot of trucks coming in, but the organization of the unloading process was something to see. We were joined by volunteers from all walks of life -- church members, school children and businessmen. It was wonderful to be able to help. We would all gladly do it again.

UPS driver Walter Mott from Local 492 in Albuquerque, New Mexico also helped in the relief efforts, driving a load of supplies to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to distribute to displaced hurricane victims from the New Orleans area:

I had concerns about what was going on in the Gulf, and I really wanted to help. I was born in Louisiana, and my family has a house in Galveston, Texas. I knew what they are going through.

In Boston, members from Local 25 collected and delivered supplies to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, donating a cargo trailer and community service trailer from the union's fleet to transport supplies to an area that received up to 100-mile-per-hour winds during the hurricane and had yet to be reached by the American Red Cross. The Local 25 tractor trailer, driven by volunteers Paul Newman and Rick Anderson, was loaded with mattresses, bedding, sheets, towels, and toiletries.

By December, trucks from Local 63 had made four cross-country trips to the hurricane-ravaged Gulf of Mexico. With the holiday’s approaching, a special trip was planned for Gulfport, Mississippi. Long after most service organizations and humanitarian efforts had left the Gulf, Team­sters from Local 63 pulled into Gulfport, driving a truck packed with bicycles, wrapped Christmas presents, and the jolly "Ho, Ho, Ho!" of Local 63's own Santa Claus (business agent Dallas Wimer):

So many of them came up to me, sat on my knee and told me that all they really wanted for Christmas was for their families to be safe. They wanted their old houses back, or their lost dogs. Most of all they wished the hurricanes hadn't happened.

Wimer noted that Local 891 members' impromptu North Pole decorations helped him in his leading role as Old Saint Nick.

Members of Local 891 helped unload the Teamster truck filled with presents from Local 63 families and exchange gifts, including more than 140 bicycles for the children of Local 891 members who had been affected by the storm. In the end, the children and their parents celebrated the Christmas they thought they wouldn't get.

Ten years later, Local 891 President Willie Smith still recalls the smiles on the faces of Local 891's children -- kids who thought their Christmas had been washed away with the floods, rain, and wind: 

The looks of joy on those kids' faces were enough to lift the spirits of all our members. It meant so much to know that we can count on our fellow Teamsters in times of need. They could have celebrated the holidays with their own Christmas party, but instead they selflessly gave it up for the Teamster families of Local 891.

It should be noted that countless more Teamster locals and members also answered the call to help by donating to charities, collecting needed items and driving to the affected areas to assist their brothers and sisters in need.

As Teamsters, we are blessed and privileged to be part of a brotherhood that cares so deeply about its members.

Today's Teamster News 07.10.15

Teamsters
Local 330 PACE Bus Drivers Secure Strong Contracts  The Teamsters  ...Full- and part-time PACE River Division bus drivers represented by Teamsters Local 330 recently ratified separate collective bargaining agreements guaranteeing new raises and enhanced job security. The Teamsters voted overwhelmingly to approve new seven-year contracts, which provide fair and equitable wage increases...
Teamster Magazine: About, For and Printed By Teamsters  Teamster.org  ...Recently, the printing operation of the magazine was awarded to a company near Milwaukee, the Arandell Corporation. Arandell employs hundreds of employees at their facility, many of whom are members of the IBT’s Graphic Communications Conference Local 577m. Quality workmanship is what Arandell is known for and the Teamsters Union has already received compliments on the improvement...
New Contracts For Niles Police, Fire  Journal and Topics ...Niles village trustees approved five-year retroactive union contracts with patrolmen and firefighters Tuesday, July 2. Both groups have been working without contracts since 2012. The deals, both with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 700, expire in 2017...
Cranesville Truckers Picket In Scotia  Albany Times Union   ...Unionized truck drivers walked the picket line at Cranesville Ready Mix in Scotia Wednesday in a dispute over who would pay for health insurance in their new contract. Bill Latulipe, shop steward for Teamsters Local 294, which represents about 20 drivers at the plant and another in Albany, said the company "gave us a final offer," telling the union "to take it or leave it"...
Teamsters Local 357 Files Lawsuit Against Republic Airways  Teamster.org   ...Today, Teamsters Local 357 in Plainfield, Ind., filed a lawsuit against Republic Airways for unilaterally changing pilots’ working conditions regarding “open time” flying without first agreeing with the union about those changes. More than 2,200 Republic pilots are members of Local 357 and have been seeking a fair contract from the company since 2007...
Medford Mayoral Candidate Stephanie Muccini Burke Scores Two More Union Endorsements  Medford Transcript   ...“Teamsters Local No. 25 officers, agents and the entire membership is pleased to support your campaign for mayor of Medford with a donation from our DRIVE political action committee,” wrote President Sean O’Brien. “Teamsters Local Union No. 25 is an organization made up of 11,000 members from across Greater Boston including nearly 400 active and retired members that live in the city of Medford...
In Rare Step, Workers At California Group Home Unionize  ProPublica   ...Workers at a former orphanage in San Francisco that now functions as a large group home for troubled children have unionized -- a rare step by frontline employees who work at facilities that can be both demanding and dangerous...
Hoffa Statement On State Department's Upgrading Of Malaysia On Trafficking List  Teamster.org   ...Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa in response to reports that the State Department is about to upgrade the Malaysian government’s standing in its annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report in an effort to smooth the approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): “For years, we have heard from TPP supporters that this 12-nation deal will improve labor conditions for workers around the world. Yet the public can now see there are no obstacles Pacific Rim trade supporters are unwilling to push aside in order to get this agreement done."...

Global Labor &Trade
Japan, U.S. resume working-level TPP talks  Japan News ... Japanese and U.S. government officials resumed their talks related to Trans-Pacific Partnership multilateral free trade negotiations in Tokyo on Thursday, seeking breakthroughs on differences over “sensitive” rice and auto parts trade. Tokyo and Washington will hold the working-level talks through Friday, ahead of the upcoming ministerial meeting of the 12 TPP-negotiating countries...
Obama To Upgrade Malaysia On Human Rights Despite Mass Graves  Huffington Post  ...The Obama administration will remove Malaysia from its official list of the world's worst human trafficking offenders, according to Reuters, a move human rights advocates fear will damage U.S. credibility. The maneuver would allow the administration to continue negotiating a controversial trade agreement with Malaysia and 10 other Pacific nations...
Are Human Rights Violations Already Being Trumped By Corporate Trade Deal?  Common Dreams  ...The Obama administration is reportedly poised to upgrade the ranking it gives Malaysia on its efforts to stamp out human trafficking.  The move is being criticized as an affront to human rights that could help move forward a pending controversial trade deal. The State Department gives the ranking it its annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report...
Radical austerity’s brutal lies: How Krugman and Chomsky saw through dehumanizing neoliberal spin  (opinion) Salon  ...The referendum in Greece refuting the European Union’s unbending insistence on radical austerity as the medicine Greeks must continue to swallow is simply not to be missed for its multiple layers of significance. To put the core take-home first, we are all Greeks as they stand against the neoliberal orthodoxy. Their battle is perfectly of a piece with one that needs to be called by its name and waged in our great country...
Sharing the Voices of Marginalized People in Pakistan  Solidarity Center  ...“Our problem is that since we are the residents of [the] riverside and known as ‘Boat People,’ our children are suffering,” says a man who lives along the Indus River in Pakistan. The residents of his community make baskets and sell fish, and transport people along the river with boats they spend months making by hand. Some say “these sailors are self-dependent, they are not a burden on the Pakistan economy,” explains politician Zartaj Gul. But in reality, she says, “we have cornered them and made them the untouchables of Pakistan"...
Possible Greece Bailout Deal Emerges As Pro-European Greeks Rally In Athens  Vice   ...The proposals are currently being evaluated by the European Commission, European Central Bank, and International Monetary Fund. On Friday morning, French President Francois Hollande described them as "serious and credible," but stressed that nothing was final...

State & Living Wage Battles
The Struggle For Fairness For Transgender Workers  New York Times   ...Americans’ understanding of transgender people has been shaped recently by the riveting, glamorous lives of the former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner and the actress Laverne Cox. The two, though, are far from representative of an economically disadvantaged community that continues to face pervasive employment discrimination, partly as a result of lagging legal protections...
NLRB Backs Off -- For Now -- From Undermining State Right-To-Work Laws  Business Journals   ...The NLRB suspended a request for briefs on whether it should allow unions to collect fees in right-to-work states from non-union workers who are represented by unions in grievance procedures. That’s because the case that prompted this request has been settled...
Chris Christie Looks Likely To Veto New Jersey Voting Reforms  Huffington Post   ...The Democracy Act was passed out of the state Senate on June 29 and sent to Christie's desk. The bill would introduce online voter registration, establish in-person early voting, require that election materials be available in more languages, allow pre-registration for 17-year-olds and enact automatic voter registration when voters apply for driver's licenses. It would also require the governor to appoint temporary U.S. senators from the same party as outgoing senators...
Slay Proposes Compromise Setting City Minimum Wage At $11 Per Hour By 2020  St. Louis Post Dispatch   ...Mayor Francis Slay is proposing a compromise bill setting a city minimum wage of $11-an-hour by 2020. Slay and Alderman Shane Cohn had originally proposed instituting a $15-an-hour minimum wage within the same time frame, but the bill was met with opposition and a series of delays...
Florida Court Finds Politics Determined District Lines  New York Times   ...The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday rejected political gerrymandering by state legislators and ordered eight congressional districts redrawn within 100 days, a decision likely to complicate preparations for next year’s elections...

U.S. Labor
The Real Problem With Jeb Bush’s Claim That People Need To Work Longer Hours  Think Progress  ...Bush claimed that if workers were able to get scheduled for more hours, they would “through their productivity gain more income for their families.” Obviously more hours would equal a larger paycheck. But Bush’s suggestion that being more productive will produce individual prosperity for American workers in the 21st century is flat wrong...

Miscellaneous
Organizing for Affordable Housing in the South  Truthout  ...Stagnant wages, ballooning rental costs and the shrinking supply of affordable housing are heaping an ever-growing burden on low-income families. "Out of Reach," a new study by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, found minimum-wage workers can no longer afford an average one-bedroom apartment in any state in America. Since 2009, the federal baseline wage has remained stagnant, but rents have jumped 15.2 percent...
Are Uber And Lyft Driving Recalled Cars?  American Prospect   ...It turns out that despite Uber and Lyft’s public rhetoric about safety, consumers that use these services may be riding in vehicles with unfixed safety recalls. Neither company requires its drivers to repair recalled cars; in fact, the mandatory safety inspections do not even involve checking to see if a car has been recalled...
The Arne Duncan Era Has Not Been Good For Students  Common Dreams   ...When Obama was elected, many educators and parents thought that Obama would bring a new vision of the federal role in education, one that freed schools from the test-and-punish mindset of George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind. But Arne Duncan and Barack Obama had a vision no different from George W. Bush and doubled down on the importance of testing...
Feds: Hackers Stole Data Of 21.5 Million People  Politico   ...Hackers stole sensitive information on 21.5 million people in a recently disclosed cyber-attack that breached the federal government’s database of security background checks, the Office of Personnel Management disclosed Thursday...
George W. Bush Charged $100K For Speech At Wounded Veterans Event  The Hill   ...Former President George W. Bush billed a charity for wounded military veterans $100,000 in speaking fees three years ago, a new report says...
Marking Historic Moment, South Carolina Removes Confederate Flag  NPR   ...During an emotional ceremony and amid popular cheers, the Confederate battle flag was brought down from a 30-foot flagpole that sits on the grounds of the Statehouse in Columbia, S.C. The historic ceremony marked the end of an era and was conducted by South Carolina state troopers, who marched in formation in front of a cheering crowd of hundreds...
New York City To Relax Bail Requirements For Low-Level Offenders  New York Times   ...New York City officials announced a plan on Wednesday to change bail requirements for some low-level offenders in an effort to keep thousands of people accused of nonviolent crimes and misdemeanors out of the troubled Rikers Island jail complex...

Teamster magazine sneak peek: Local 25 raises $350K for autism charity

Liam Fitzgerald, 9, takes the stage at Light Up the Night Gala for Autism. 

Here's a story that's sure to touch Teamster hearts everywhere. Appearing in the upcoming issue of the Teamster magazine, an article on Local 25's annual gala for autism shows the softer side of the tough Beantown Teamsters. 

In the presence of Academy Award winners, smiling kids and blaring bagpipes, Local 25 held its 8th annual "Light Up the Night Gala for Autism" in March, raising $320,000 in donations to area non-profits helping kids and families dealing with autism. 

More from the Teamster magazine story:

“This gala is a success year after year because of everyone in this room,” said Local 25 President Sean O’Brien. “Everyone plays a role and because we work together we have been able to accomplish great things, like passing the landmark autism insurance legislation in Massachusetts and raising more than $2.5 million for charity.”

Among the audience: hundreds of labor members from Local 25 and beyond, plus Boston-area residents. The Boston Bruins’ mascot, Blades, fired up the crowd as the bagpipers played, and 9-year-old Liam Fitzgerald, also known as “The Fist Bump Kid,” joined the band to play the drums. 

“As we look to the future, we must tackle the housing shortage that exists for young adults with autism once they turn 22, and continue to work with charities like the Challengers Little League that lets kids forget about their challenges and just play the game of baseball,” O’Brien said.

Liam, the brave little Teamster recently named "Man of the Year" by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, took center stage at the gala and humbled Hollywood figures:

Five-time Academy Award-nominated writer and director David O. Russell was honored for his longtime efforts off-screen to raise national awareness of mental health issues, including as an advocate of the Excellence in Mental Health Act, which he helped introduce to Congress in 2013.

“I am honored to be up on stage with Liam Fitzgerald and Steve Mulcahy,” Russell said. “I am honored to be the father of my son. I’m an advocate for mental health rights. Making the film ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ with Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper helped bring awareness to mental illness. I want to thank all the members of Teamster Local 25, Sean O'Brien, Bill O’Brien, my driver and friend, Kevin Wright, and everyone for giving their support to help the cause for autism.”

Liam earned his nickname after a video of him fist bumping the Boston Bruins went viral, sparking the online campaign, #BumpOutCancer, which raised more than $150,000 in just 10 weeks. He has been cancer-free for three years.

Local 25's Autism Fund has raised more than $2.75 million for autism charities since 2007.

You can read more about the local's efforts at www.Teamsterslocal25autism.com, and check out the next issue of the Teamster magazine when it's up online at www.teamster.org/magazine.

Today's Teamster News 03.25.15

Teamsters
Ownership Fight At Heidelberg Distributing Could Affect Teamster Contracts  WCPO   ...Union workers are threatening a statewide strike at one of the largest beer and wine distributorships in the Midwest, citing stalled contract negotiations over better wages and health care...
State Education Association Replaces Leader Amid Turmoil  Las Vegas Review Journal   ...During the March 12 meeting, the Local Government Employee-Management Relations Board discussed holding a runoff election between ESEA and Teamsters Local 14 to decide who will represent district support staff at the bargaining table. That election could prove to be the downfall of ESEA, which has represented school district support staff for more than 40 years...
Labor Federation Re-Elects Top Officers To 3-Year Terms  Buffalo News   ...Richard Lipsitz Jr. of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters will continue to serve as president of the Western New York Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. His new term runs until March 2018; Lipsitz and the three other officers ran unopposed. The federation is an umbrella group that covers unions with about 125,000 dues-paying members, stretching as far east as Batavia and as far south as Jamestown...
ONTC And Union Reach Five-Year Deal  North Bay Nugget   ...This year the ONTC will be negotiating with the remaining four unions (Unifor, Teamsters-Rail, Teamsters-Motor Coach, and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers System). Eight collective agreements remain to be negotiated...
Union Drops Objection To Sunday Growler Sales  KARE   ...Ed Reynoso of the Teamsters Joint Council 32 told a Senate committee on Monday that "at this point" the union won't oppose a bill legalizing those growler sales on Sunday. It's a shift from last year when Teamsters' concerns about those sales affecting labor contracts helped derail the proposal...
City Council Candidates Stockpile Endorsements  Philadelphia Tribune   ...Teamsters Joint Council 53 recently endorsed at–large candidate Isaiah Thomas. “I am proud to have the support from Teamsters Joint Council 53,” Thomas said. “I have received endorsements from many members of the labor community and am excited that the Teamsters Union joins this extensive list. As the candidate who will work for Philadelphia, I understand the importance of strong labor support...
Teamsters Local 25 Will Honor David O. Russell  Boston Globe   ...Teamsters Local 25 will honor writer-director David O. Russell at its annual Light Up the Night Gala for Autism on Saturday. Russell has worked closely with Local 25 while filming the Massachusetts movies “The Fighter,” “American Hustle,” and “Joy,” which is now in production. He’ll be recognized for his work as an advocate for mental health issues...
Trade
Rep. Sander Levin, 83, may pose greatest obstacle to sweeping Asia trade pact  Los Angeles Times   ...If the president wants to push the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, through Congress this year, first he must win over Levin and other leading liberals, convincing them to ease their demands and give U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman a freer hand...
U.S. fast-track trade deal unlikely until next month: Senator Hatch  Reuters   ..."I will do my very best to come up with something between now and when we get back, but if he doesn't do it, that would be very unfortunate, but we are going to have to go ahead," Hatch said...
State Battles
ALEC, NFIB Push Prevailing Wage Repeal  Center for Media and Democracy   ...As unions and working people battle "right-to-work" legislation in several states, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and allies have opened another flank in their war on good jobs. Targeted this time are state prevailing wage laws, which require public construction projects to support local wage standards instead of undercutting them...
Changes to collective bargaining in Nevada?  MyNews4   ...A hot topic is set to go before a committee of lawmakers on Wednesday. It’s a bill that would change collective bargaining involving public employee unions...
Unions Win Round Over Rauner In Fee Lawsuit  Chicago Tribune   ...Unions sued this month to halt an executive order Rauner issued that stopped the "fair share" fees from being sent to them, asking a St. Clair County judge to free up the money while the legal process plays out. Rauner attempted to have the matter moved to a federal court, but U.S. District Judge Staci Yandle ruled that the suit deals with questions regarding Illinois law and should be debated in state court...
Colorado Lawmakers Begin Debate For A $12.50 Minimum Wage By 2020  Denver Post   ...A Colorado House committee passed two bills Monday to potentially raise the minimum wage. The first would allow urban and resort communities to raise the local minimum wages, and the other would let voters in 2016 decide on a plan that could hike the state minimum wage to $12.50 an hour by 2020. Both passed on a 6-5 party-line vote with Democrats in support...
Supreme Court Lets Wisconsin’s Voter-ID Law Stand  Washington Post   ...The justices’ decision not to review a federal appeals court ruling that upheld the law was a victory for Gov. Scott Walker (R), who supported and signed the law, and perhaps for other states that have tightened voting procedures to require additional identification. More challenges to specific state laws are in the pipeline...
War on Workers
AP Investigation: Slavery taints global supply of seafood  Associated Press   ...Here, in the Indonesian island village of Benjina and the surrounding waters, hundreds of trapped men represent one of the most desperate links criss-crossing between companies and countries in the seafood industry. This intricate web of connections separates the fish we eat from the men who catch it, and obscures a brutal truth: Your seafood may come from slaves...
Scientists to Smithsonian: Cut ties with Koch brothers  Washington Post   ...Three dozen scientists sent an open letter to museums of natural history calling on them to cut ties with the Koch brothers and anyone else with connections to the fossil fuel industry...
Power from the People  International Monetary Fund   ...The decline in unionization in recent decades has fed the rise in incomes at the top...
Miscellaneous
RadioShack's Bankruptcy Could Give Your Customer Data to the Highest Bidder  Bloomberg   ...The phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and shopping habits of more than 100 million customers are part of RadioShack's bankruptcy auction...

This is what we union THUGGS do when bad weather threatens to ruin a charity event...

...We come to the rescue, tracking down boxes of hats and delivering them to runners raising money for cancer charities.

The RACE Cancer Foundation sent Teamsters Local 25 this story about how it all went down:

RACE Cancer Foundation hosts an annual road race, Super Sunday, which raises thousands of dollars for several charities doing extraordinary work fighting cancer. This year’s race, the 8th annual Super Sunday, was scheduled for February 1st. With the entry fee, all runners were to receive a free hat. The hats, valued at over $16,000 and packaged in 12 boxes, were shipped to arrive via UPS by Wednesday, January 28th. With last week’s blizzard, the packages were delayed and delivery was pushed out to Monday February 2nd, which would have missed the race entirely.

 

When the hats still had not yet arrived by Thursday, our race director J. Alain Ferry contacted UPS. They were able to ensure the packages were unloaded from a trailer and shipped to the South Boston facility that night. However UPS couldn't deliver the packages on Sunday. 

Alain couldn't persuade a UPS supervisor in South Boston to deliver the packages any earlier than Monday. He posted to Facebook seeking help from anyone with a connection to UPS management in South Boston. On Friday evening, Kaitlyn Greeley, one of RACE’s event coordinators, saw the post and shared it with her friend Jim Collins, father of State Representative Nick Collins. Jim immediately reached out to Sean O'Brien of Teamsters Local 25. 

Within minutes, Tom Mari of Teamsters Local 25 reached out to Alain and put the wheels in motion for the Teamsters to deliver the packages. Alain then recruited the help of Kaitlyn and Brittney Castine, another RACE event coordinator, to go back to the UPS facility. Brittney and Kaitlyn met Leo and Big Ernie, who said they'd help. Meanwhile, Tom tracked down Bill Sullivan, manager of the South Boston facility. 

By 8:30 Saturday morning, the first of two trailers containing our hats had already been pulled up to the building and was being unloaded to search for our packages. Brittney returned to the UPS facility in South Boston to wait on standby for the packages. By 10am, all 12 boxes had been found, but could not be released to Brittney. She went to the New Balance store on Boylston Street, where runners would begin picking up their Super Sunday race numbers and hats. Early that afternoon, Larry and another Teamster delivered the packages to the New Balance store and all runners were able to get their hats at the race on Sunday. 

RACE Cancer Foundation is a Boston-based 501(c)3 organization that organizes events to raise funds and awareness for various forms of cancer. Super Sunday is a 5 mile and 5K road race in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The 2015 Super Sunday race benefits TargetCancer, the Joe Andruzzi Foundation, and Cancer Resource Foundation. 

Remember, THUGGs stands for Those Helpful Union Guys and Gals!

Woot! Another Teamster organizing victory in Boston!

Drivers who haul Starbucks supplies in the Northeast are now Teamsters!

In a major organizing win for Teamsters Local 25, drivers and helpers at DPI Specialty Foods voted to join the local in an election held Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

The workers, who supply to all Starbucks stores in New England and upstate New York, voted 37-5 in favor of Teamster representation. There are 44 workers in the new bargaining unit.

Drivers and helpers at DPI sought Local 25 support two months ago in an effort to address concerns with employee health care costs, which the company recently raised by 8 percent. Workers are also concerned with pay. Many are paid for a 10-hour workday but typically work 12-14 hour days.

In response to their organizing drive, the company hired union-busting consultants. The workers, however, held strong for the Teamsters.

Our newest Teamster members!

Brother Mike Anzalone, a DPI driver, said:

We are very excited to join Local 25. Finally, we will have a voice in the workplace and the ability to address the issues and working conditions that matter to us most.

Local 25 will now prepare to negotiate with the company to address the workers’ issues. The local's president, Sean O’Brien, said,

This was a hard fought victory for DPI workers with Teamsters Local 25 working with the International to ensure that these workers get the benefits they deserve. We're thrilled to welcome our newest members to the Teamsters Local 25 family.

Today's Teamster News 12.18.14

Teamster News
Teamsters, Consumers And Community Protest UNFI Shareholders Meeting  teamster.org   ... Teamsters, organic food consumers, supply chain workers and community leaders protested the unsustainable practices of United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE: UNFI) and its retail partner Whole Foods Market at UNFI’s annual shareholders meeting today. The protestors informed UNFI shareholders and put management on notice that continued worker abuse and intimidation will not be tolerated...
BLET/Teamsters, Smart-TD And Four Other Rail Unions Bargain Together  teamster.org   ...Top leaders of the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART–TD) and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) announced today that their organizations will be participating with four other rail unions in coordinated bargaining in the upcoming round of national negotiations...
Some Labor Unions Reluctant To Back ’24 Olympics Effort  Boston Globe   ...The International Olympic Committee wants assurances that there is broad public support in the city that would host the Games. And the support of [Teamsters] Local 25’s 11,000-person army of truck drivers, parking lot attendants, and others could play a crucial role...
St. Louis County Council Cites 'Growing Consensus' On West Lake Landfill Dangers  St. Louis Post Dispatch   ...The St. Louis County Council says there is “growing consensus” that the radioactively contaminated West Lake Landfill in Bridgeton “presents an active danger to the community,” and it’s putting new pressure on federal regulators to take action...
Trade
New TISA Leak: US on Collision Course With EU Over Global Data Flows  techdirt   …Like TPP and TAFTA/TTIP, TISA is being negotiated in strict secrecy, but earlier this year the financial services annex leaked, giving us the first glimpse of the kind of bad ideas that were being worked on. Now, another leak has surfaced, which reveals the US's proposals to free up data flows online...
GPhA Expresses Concern Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement Negotiations Could Hinder Access and Competition to Generic Drugs  First Word Pharma   ...GPhA and its member companies are concerned about any effort to include provisions in the TPP agreement that would hinder competition and access to the safe and affordable medicines that the generic pharmaceutical industry provides to patients in the United States and abroad...
State Battles
How ALEC helped undermine public unions  Washington Post   ... the success of ALEC-derived labor bills resulted in lower public union density beginning three to four years after those bills became law. On average, state public-sector union density fell by about three percentage points per year, or nearly 10 percent of the current level of public-sector union density in the country as a whole...
Missouri’s Minimum Wage Rises In 2015, No Change In Kansas  Kansas City Star   ...Missouri is among 29 states that have, or will have as of Jan. 1, state minimums that are higher than the current federal rate of $7.25 an hour...
Unions, retirees sue to block Chicago pension changes  Reuters   …Chicago public employee unions and others on Tuesday opened a new front in the battle over pension cuts for public workers, suing to block a law aimed at shoring up funding for two of the city's public pension systems…
Los Angeles hotel groups sue city over minimum wage ordinance  Washington Post   …The American Hotel & Lodging Association and the Asian American Hotel Owner Association filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the city of Los Angeles over an ordinance that raises minimum wage for hotel workers to $15.37...
State high court to take up Doe cases centered on Walker's campaign  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel   ... Four of the justices have benefited from political spending by the Wisconsin Club for Growth, one of the groups at the center of the investigation. Some legal experts have argued that at least some of those justices should not hear the cases because of actual or perceived biases from that political help...
War on Workers
How the NLRB may expand responsibility for labor violations  Reuters   ...The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is expected to rule soon on if, and how, companies can be held responsible for labor violations carried out by their contractors or franchisees - a move that could have far-reaching implications for businesses...
Metro-North Faces Historic Fine For Retaliating Against Worker Who Reported Injury  Hartford Courant   ...In fining the railroad $260,000 plus legal fees, the U.S. Department of Labor said it found a culture of intimidation, in which supervisors actively tried to discourage workers from filing injury reports and punished workers who did. In November, the National Transportation Safety Board, following a string of accidents, including fatalities, said Metro-North failed to maintain effective safety programs...
100 defects found during state crude oil rail inspections  Albany Times Union   ...The latest round of the state’s targeted crude oil tank car and rail inspections showed 100 track and train car defects, including eight that require immediate action, the governor’s office announced Monday...
More than 60 million households rely on low-wage workers  The Hill   ...The research shows that most low-wage workers are frequently the primary breadwinners in their families and they are not, as commonly thought, teenagers with few skills still living with their parents, according to the report by Oxfam America and the Economic Policy Institute...
For Low-Wage Americans, The Holiday Season Is A Time To Work  Huffington Post   ...More than 30 percent of Americans were living in poverty for at least two months from 2009 to 2011 -- a 4.5 percent increase from the period 2005 to 2007...
Americans Are Trading Sleep For Work, And It’s Literally Killing Us  Washington Post   ...This isn't a particularly healthy way to live -- insufficient sleep is associated with obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and a host of other physical ailments. Drowsy driving causes around 80,000 automobile accidents every year, 1,000 of which are typically fatal...
Child Labor: Number Of Children Involved Is Shrinking Every Year  Christian Science Monitor   ...While there are fewer children involved in child labor every year, the rate at which child labor is decreasing is slowing down at both the global and regional levels...
Worker Killed In Mesa Industrial Accident  Arizona Republic   ...One person was killed in an industrial accident at a plant in west Mesa on Wednesday morning, according to a Mesa fire spokesman...
Construction Worker Killed In Caldwell Parish Crash  KNOE   ...A Cadillac ATS, driven by 42-year-old Jan Williams of Columbia, was traveling north on US 165 in the outside travel lane when she attempted to move into the inside lane but struck the rear of Chevrolet pickup and all three construction workers...

Today's Teamster News 08.04.13

Teamsters: We Did Not Raid American -- We Were Invited In  Forbes   ...The International Brotherhood of Teamsters says it did not raid mechanics and related workers at American Airlines, but rather was invited in by the incumbent union...
Teamsters Local 25 Endorses Boston City Council Candidates  Charlestown Patch   ...Endorsements for the at-large race went to incumbent Ayanna Pressley, former city councilor Michael Flaherty and newcomers Jack Kelly, a Charlestown resident, and Michelle Wu...
Teamsters union hall is first Los Angeles County Property Assessed Clean Energy-funded project  Long Beach Press-Telegram   ...Every month, Teamsters Local 848 pays an average of about $2,500 in energy bills to power its meeting hall on the 3800 block of Cherry Avenue. But when it's done with its energy-efficient project, the group representing some 7,000 delivery and bus drivers and warehouse workers can see that cost shrink to as low as $10 a month...
Teamsters, strikers call on community  Record-Bee   ... Teamsters, Paratransit employees and members of the community gathered Friday at noon in front of City Hall to picket, address the media and call on county leaders and Lake Transit to take action on the public transportation issue...
"We Are Slowly Dying": Fast-Food Workers Launch Strike for Living Wage and Right to Unionize  Democracy Now   ...A national strike for a living wage and the right to unionize in the fast-food and retail sectors has spread across seven cities...
Recession Forever? 10 Reasons American Workers Are Screwed  Alternet   ... real median wages fell by about 2.8% between 2009 and 2012...
GOP Pushing More Low-Paying Guestworker Visas  Economic Populist   ...The House will propose nearly 400,000 new H-2B visas for temporary foreign guest workers in non-agricultural work (for unskilled and semi-skilled labor.)...
U.S. Manufacturing Gains Only 6,000 jobs in July 2013.  TradeReform   ...Our trade deficit with China is rising. Public investment in construction and infrastructure is declining. Aggregate demand is weak...
U.S. Cuts Take Increasing Toll on Job Growth  New York Times   ...the economy continued to add jobs in July and that the unemployment rate fell to 7.4 percent, from 7.6 percent. But the pace of job growth slowed somewhat from the first half of the year and remains modest enough that the economy is years away from a full recovery. Contributing to the hangover from the worst financial crisis in decades is a wave of cuts in domestic and military spending, known collectively as the sequester, which is causing government furloughs as well as job losses and curtailed hours among federal contractors...
How Vast Error-Prone Databases Are Trashing Our Economic Lives  American Prospect   ...more than a million low-income Americans have been denied the opportunity to open bank accounts because of little-known databases that penalize them for sometimes minor banking mistakes in their past, including bouncing checks, overdrawing bank accounts, and accumulating fees...
Scott Walker's Crackdown on Free Speech Backfires  Huffington Post   ...As the news of the mass arrests at the singalong attracts the attention of national cable news networks, Walker's approval rating has taken a plunge in the latest polls...
What's next for Moral Mondays?  Facing South   ...The first action planned outside Raleigh will take place in Asheville on Aug. 5 and is being billed as Mountain Moral Monday, with Rev. Barber as a featured speaker...
The Comments Detroit's Emergency Manager Will Wish To Take Back  Forbes   ...“For a long time the city was dumb, lazy, happy and rich,”...

A history of standing up to intolerance

Boston Teamsters standing up to the sickening trolls of Westboro Baptist Church gave union members everywhere a sense of pride. But it was far from the first time the Teamsters have had to deal with hate groups.

Being on the front lines of the civil rights movement, the Teamsters Union has had to deal with its fair share of hatred, including from the Ku Klux Klan.

In a 1946 issue of Teamster magazine (then called “The International Teamster”), a story ran about organizing efforts in the South. “Industry Mobilizes for Fight as Klan Rides Again,” reads the headline to a story about the push to organize in the South: 

It appears, therefore, that the unions will face organized resistance on an unprecedented scale before the deplorable standard of living in the southern states can be increased through union contracts. 

A more sinister aspect of the industrial resistance is the revival of the Ku Klux Klan almost simultaneously with the labor campaign.

Under the pretext of “Saving the South from Communism,” the Klan is preparing to inject itself into the struggle to maintain the open shop.

Every union organizer will probably be branded a “Communist” as the Klan attempts to ride the crest of a wave of patriotic prejudice to organize the South itself and promote the sale of cotton fabrics woven into the hoods and shrouds of its official costume.

But the union’s history with the Klan goes back to the turn of the century, to the earliest days of the Teamsters Union—all because the union fought for colorblind contracts and gender equality. Here’s more from Teamster.org: 

The Teamsters did not just talk equality -- they lived it. Early Teamsters would not allow southern locals to follow the practice of segregation, and in fact threatened to pull charters in cases where this was violated. The first local in New Orleans was governed by an Executive Board that consisted of black and white members, defying southern tradition. By 1906, editorials in the Teamsters magazine were making impassioned pleas for all local unions, but especially those in the south, to organize African-American workers.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters also championed the cause of women's rights early on. The following was printed in the July 1917 issue of the Teamsters Journal:

"Equal pay for equal work should become a constant, vigorous slogan among all employees in all crafts. The strength and brains of women and girls are exploited the world over and especially so in the United States. All working men and women should become actively, and, if necessary, drastically interested in fighting for equal pay for duties performed by either sex. The standard of living in every workingman's home is lowered by sexual inequality of pay and both sexes should band together and swat the curse from all parts of the earth where it exists."

Later that same year the Teamsters won a clause in a contract for women laundry workers that required equal pay regardless of race. This was a huge achievement and became the first "color blind" contract for workers. This action brought criticism and even threats to the union and its leaders, but they would not be intimidated. By 1919 the Teamsters adopted "Equal Pay for All" as their national slogan.

The Civil Rights Movement

As the civil rights movement grew in the 1950s and 1960s the Teamsters became very involved. The union provided money and supplies to many civil rights groups, including the more than 700 families living in "Freedom Village," who faced retribution for registering to vote in 1960.

The Teamsters had a good working relationship with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with representatives on civil rights boards and committees. And, union members and leaders were active participants in the movement at a time when such actions were considered risky, if not down right dangerous for any organization.

Scores of Teamsters members were among the more than 200,000 people who participated in the historic March on Washington in 1963. Buses carrying Teamsters arrived from near and far, some driving through the night to join the activities on time. Members who attended described the event as "the greatest peaceable demonstration in the history of the nation." Others reported feeling great pride in the union for its support of the civil rights movement.

But the Teamsters' involvement in social causes was not without consequences.

Viola Liuzzo, the wife of a Teamster business agent was murdered as she drove Marchers to Selma, Alabama in 1965. Dr. King as well as many rank-and-file members, James R. Hoffa and other Teamster leaders attended her funeral.

The Teamsters have met prejudice with demands for equality for a century and have dealt with far more formidable hate groups than the pathetic clowns of Westboro. But it’s great to see that the union still stands strong in the face of intolerance.

Teamsters lock arms at MIT officer's funeral to shield against Westboro hate group (VIDEO)

Dozens of Boston Teamsters from Local 25 are locking arms outside Briggs Field at MIT to protect those mourning MIT Officer Sean Collier from disruptions by the Westboro Baptist Church hate group.

Collier, 27, was killed by the two terrorists who bombed the Boston Marathon. Local 25 President Sean O'Brien vowed to prevent hate group protests at any of the bombing victims' funeral services. More than a thousand Teamsters and union members protected the funeral service of bombing victim Krystle Campbell from the Westboro hate group in Medford, Mass., on Monday.

Local 25's 18-wheeler pulled up alongside the field early this morning. Police officers lined up in front of the truck to have their pictures taken.

Mike Ross, Local 25 member since 1990

As a retired military veteran named Bill wrote to O'Brien yesterday in an email,

When those 18-wheelers pulled up in front of the church, that was a statement ...  let your people know that the logo they wear on their shirts and paint on those trucks means a hell of a lot more to the citizens of this country and this great city than they can imagine.

The Boston Globe reported the service will be attended by as many as 10,000 people:

...the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will host a memorial service that is expected to be attended by Vice President Joe Biden, top MIT officials, police officers from across the country, and other members of the MIT community. 

The service, which will be held on Briggs Field, is expected to draw up to 10,000 attendees. Only law enforcement and members of the MIT community with school identification may attend; the event is not open to the general public.

Brother Jim Chaput, a member of Local 25, voiced the sentiment of the Teamsters who blocked the protest on Monday:

I was honored to be there standing shoulder to shoulder with my fellow Local 25 Brothers and Sisters! We made a statement that was heard and seen by everyone, especially the hate filled scum called the Westboro Baptist Church. Local 25 will NEVER back down!

The MIT police created a website to leave condolences for Officer Collier here.

A wall of Teamsters protects Krystle Campbell's funeral from Westboro Baptists

Today in Medford. 

(UPDATES to DELETE repetitive 3rd graf.)

Hundreds of Boston Teamsters from Local 25 are answering the call to protect Krystle Campbell's funeral from a possible protest by Westboro Baptist church members. Campbell, 29, was killed in the Boston Marathon bombings.

Hundreds of Teamsters formed a solid wall on the suburban roadway approaching the church. They stood silent guard as mourners drove slowly by on the way to the 11 a.m. funeral service at St. Joseph's Church in Medford.

The Boston Globe reports  the Teamsters began gathering before 8 a.m.,

Sean O’Brien, president and principal officer of Teamster’s local, said the community reached out to the Teamsters yesterday “because they know how influential we are.” 

“It’s the right thing to do,” O’Brien said of the decision to protect the funeral. “The family deserves a peaceful grieving process that’s free from any coward-led group.” 

O’Brien said the Teamsters mobilized their members and other unions through Twitter and Facebook yesterday. He added that about 350 teamsters are expected this morning, “and we can get 1,000 if we need them.” 

The Westboro church is a fringe religious organization who stage protests at high-profile funeral services to draw attention to their views. 

On Sunday, about 1,000 mourners attended Campbell’s wake at the Dello Russo funeral home here. 

A funeral director said that among those who came to pay their respects were US Senator Elizabeth Warren, US Representative Edward Markey, Attorney General Martha Coakley, Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn, and Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone. 

Mourners waited in a line that sometimes lasted nearly an hour and a half to file by photo displays chronicling Campbell’s life from when she was a baby through her childhood and teen years to when she was an adult.

Teamsters who want to help but can't be in Medford can donate to a memorial fund set up by UNITE HERE. UNITE HERE President D. Taylor sent this missive to members:

It is my sad duty to report that Krystle Campbell, daughter of longtime Local 26 member Patty Campbell and sister of member Billy Campbell, was among the fatalities at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday.  Both Patty and Billy work at the Harvard University Business School.  Patty has been a member of Local 26 since 1983, and Billy since 2000.

Krystle, 29, was a graduate of Medford High School and had also attended the University of Massachusetts at Boston.

Krystle's funeral will be on Monday in Medford, Massachusetts.   Memorial contributions may be made to the Krystle M. Campbell Memorial Fund, 25 Park St., Medford, MA 02155.

Rest in peace, sister.

Boston Teamsters to form human shield for bombing victim's burial as Westboro Baptists plans a protest

Teamsters from Local 25 in Boston will protect the family of bombing victim Krystle Campbell during her funeral tomorrow morning. Members of the Westboro Baptist Church are expected to protest.

The Associated Press reports,

Family and friends are saying final good-byes to Krystle Campbell, one of the three people who lost their lives in the bombing at the Boston Marathon finish line. 

A wake for Campbell is being held Sunday at a funeral home in Medford, where the 29-year-old restaurant manager was raised and graduated from high school in 2001. A private funeral is scheduled for Monday at St. Joseph Church.

Local 25 was contacted by some concerned citizens of Medford asking for help to keep members of the Westboro Baptist Church from protesting the funeral of Krystle Campbell, scheduled for tomorrow morning at 10 AM in Medford.

Local 25 President Sean O’Brien asked all off-duty Teamsters to participate:

Teamsters Local 25 will be out in full force tomorrow morning at St. Joseph’s Church in Medford to form a human shield and block the Westboro Baptist Church from protesting the funeral of Krystle Campbell. The Campbell family and friends have already endured immeasurable amounts of heartache and tragedy this week, and deserve a peaceful funeral with time to grieve privately. 

Westboro Baptist Church should understand that we will go to great lengths to make sure they don't protest any funerals of the victims of the past week’s tragedies, and that those we lost receive a proper burial.

Teamsters Local 25 represents 11,000 hardworking men and women from the Boston area.

According to information sent out from the Westboro Baptist Church, the protest will happen from 9:15 - 10:00 AM.

Today's Teamster News 03.08.12

Ga. Senate OKs bill banning some mass picketing  Associated Press   ...Senate Bill 469 bans mass picketing at private residences or at the site of labor disputes when such protests are blocking or threatening business entrances or certain public areas. People found guilty could be subject to a fine of $1,000 per day of the violation. Any union or organization assisting such efforts could be subject to a fine of $10,000 per day...
NH House postpones right-to-work vote  Associated Press   ...The House moved the vote on a controversial bill on union membership to next week because of legislative courtesy to missing key opponents...
Mark Wahlberg 'Teamsters' reality pilot coming to A&E  zap2it   ...Hometown hero Mark Wahlberg, star of "The Departed" and "The Fighter," has a new reality pilot in the works for A&E tentatively titled, "Teamsters," reports the network...
March on Capitol set for Saturday, one year after volatile bill was passed  The Cap Times   ...The bill that severely limited collective bargaining rights of public unions passed late in the night on March 9, so the AFL-CIO is ready to "reclaim" Wisconsin with a march and rally on March 10...
Pa. Senate passes voter ID bill  Philadelphia Inquirer   ...The state Senate, along nearly partisan lines, passed a bill Wednesday that would make Pennsylvania the 16th state to require its residents to show photo identification at the polls...
Houston’s County Joins Texas Suit Seeking $10 Billion From MERS, Banks  Bloomberg News   ...The counties accuse MERS, which runs an electronic registry of mortgages, and members of the mortgage banking industry including Bank of America of filing false lien claims in the real property records of Texas counties. The suit also alleges the defendants failed “to record subsequent assignments of mortgage loans and pay the attendant filing fees.”...

Woo-hoo! Another Teamster organizing victory in MA, NY, CA and IN

Let's give a warm welcome to a thousand new brothers and sisters, UPS Freight clerks who signed authorization cards to become Teamsters!

Majorities of clerks at Stoneham, Mass., signed cards to join Teamsters Local 25; Farmingdale, N.Y. clerks have joined Local 707; Rialto and Fontana, Calif., clerks have become members of Local 63 and Indianapolis clerks have joined Local 135. Clerks are also being signed up at more than 80 other terminals.

The clerks are full-time and part-time workers who see to it that freight dispatch, billings and operations run smoothly at UPS Freight terminals. They work side-by-side with Teamster drivers and dockworkers, where as former Overnite workers they saw the union's strength.

Brian Buhle, international vice president and secretary-treasurer of Local 135, in Indiana said,

There are some very excited clerks in Indianapolis who have been interested in joining the union since 2006, when the UPS Freight organizing drive began here.

Said Kevin McCaffrey, president of Teamsters Local 707 in New York, 

The clerical workers in Long Island who signed cards and are now represented by the Teamsters are eager for more workers to sign cards, so we can get down to the business of negotiating a contract for them.

Welcome aboard!

Teamsters stand with Verizon workers

Local 25 Teamsters in Boston support striking Verizon workers.

Teamsters all over the country are answering General President Hoffa's call to walk the picket lines in solidarity with striking CWA workers at Verizon. (But remember to tell CWA if you start your own picket line.) Teamsters from Local 728 in Atlanta, along with Jobs with Justice and CWA, are making a strong showing outside of a Verizon store in Atlanta. (We'll post the video when we can figure out how to de-bug it.)

Teamsters from Local 25 in Boston are standing strong with Verizon workers, as you can see from the photo above.

UPS workers are refusing to cross Verizon workers' picket lines. Here's Axis of Logic reporting on the great support CWA members are getting:

Operating Engineers, crane operators, and other construction and building-service workers in New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts are refusing to cross picket lines. Teamsters at UPS have refused to deliver to Verizon offices, denying the company wireless and fiber-optic equipment. Even some non-union workers are refusing to cross. Dozens of unions, from nurses to janitors to teachers, have bolstered picket lines in support.

Busy UPS drivers are double-parking their trucks next to the vans operated by scabs and managers, boosting efforts by CWA and IBEW members to delay and deny scabs’ access to the work.

To walk a picket line, you can find the nearest one here. You can also adopt your own Verizon store to picket here.

CWA also suggests ways you can help out through Facebook, Twitter and an online petition. Click here to find out more.

Soldier: Unions fight for us in America

Army Specialist John P. Murphy is a member of Teamsters Local 25 in Boston. He was wounded in Afghanistan a few weeks ago and has been recommended for the Medal of Valor. Murphy came to the 28th International Brotherhood of Teamsters Convention last week and said something that may surprise a few people:

What you may not realize is how much the American military appreciates the men and women like yourselves, and I’ll tell you why.

As soldiers serving overseas, we are constantly thinking about our future and the welfare of our families. As men and women return from combat and conclude their careers in the military, there are no guaranteed jobs for us waiting.

However, with the help of the people in this room and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, soldiers can take comfort in knowing that while we defend America’s freedom overseas, men and women like yourselves are fighting  for us and the rights of every working man in this country.

You can see more highlights from the Teamsters convention at www.teamster.org/convention.

Today's Teamster News 06.05.11

(Sorry, got the date wrong. It's the 6th!)
Firefighters, Teamsters Pitch In For Tornado Relief   WCVB-TV   ...The MA Building Trades Council, the Professional Firefighters of MA and Teamsters Local 25 are holding a Labor Tornado Relief Effort at statewide fire stations until Thursday, June 9...
Wisconsin activists create Walkerville to taunt governor, tout change  CNN   ...Eighty years after Hoovervilles sprung up around the country, and four months after tens of thousands descended on the Wisconsin state capitol, progressives have a new home in what they're calling Walkerville...
SB5 Repeal Backers Pound the Pavement in Ohio  Public News Service   ...It's crunch time for opponents of Ohio's controversial collective bargaining law...
Recall attempts target Snyder, a dozen other GOPs  Detroit Free Press   ...Recall attempts are fairly easy to start but it's far tougher to make the ballot and win an election...
Scott's budget brings job losses  Ocala.com   ... There will be significant layoffs for workers in state mental health hospitals, juvenile justice facilities and state prisons...
Pension 'reforms' an insult to hardworking Mainers  (opinion)   Morning Sentinel  ...It would be one thing if these folks were allowed to participate in Social Security -- where employees and employers traditionally contribute equal shares of 7.65 percent of a worker's income to the retirement fund -- but they're not...
Republicans get their way, mostly, in final budget  Las Vegas Sun   ...Gov. Brian Sandoval and Republicans extended for two years taxes passed in 2009 to fund a budget that contains pay cuts and layoffs for public employees and cuts to social services...

Today's Teamster News 06.05.11

Firefighters, Teamsters to collect Sunday for tornado relief  The Milford Daily News   ...The Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts and  Teamsters Local 25 will conduct a statewide tornado relief drive on Sunday...
Friendly spirit prevails as tents go up at 'Walkerville'  Wisconsin State Journal   ...Madison's newest campground opened at 7 p.m. Saturday, with most choice tent spots in "Walkerville" resting on concrete...
Orlando Hosts “The Festival For Florida’s Future”  WFTV.com   ...Thousands of people invaded the Central Florida Fairgrounds on Saturday to learn how to take their complaints to Tallahassee...
Hypocrisy Behind Florida Law Signed by Governor Rick Scott Requiring Welfare Recipients to Take Drug Tests (opinion)  Business Insider   ...The same logic used by Governor Scott and his supporters to justify requiring welfare recipients to take drug tests also applies to any other person who receives any form of government subsidy, benefit, or assistance too...
Church Leaders Support SB5 Repeal Effort  WYTV.com   ...Local church leaders of all denominations spoke out in Youngstown against the new collective bargaining law, which limits the union rights for Ohio's public workers... 
Things are getting nasty in the House  Manchester Union-Leader   ...And the worse it gets, the harder it will be for Speaker of the House William O’Brien to win on the right-to-work issue or get a constitutional amendment on education funding, for that matter...