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!

Today's Teamster News 01.02.15

Teamster News
First Student School Bus Workers Choose Teamsters Local 570 Representation  teamster.org   ...First Student school bus drivers and monitors who transport children attending Baltimore City Public Schools have voted to join Teamsters Local 570 in Baltimore. The 113 school bus workers work out of First Student yards in Baltimore and Severn, Md., and joined the union seeking respect, fair pay and dignity at work...
Travel Management Company Pilots Vote To Join Teamsters  teamster.org   ...Pilots with Travel Management Company (TMC) voted overwhelmingly, 120-57, today in favor of Teamster representation. After the National Mediation Board (NMB) certifies the election, about 200 TMC pilots will become members of Teamsters Local 1108 in Richmond Heights, Ohio, and join the more than 75,000 airline industry workers currently represented by the Teamsters Airline Division...
Teamsters help Catholic Charities haul huge donation of furniture from Ogunquit inn to sell for food  Bangor Daily News   ...“Teamsters Local 340 is again sending their Joint Council 10 truck up for three truckload trips to Aroostook County to help out Catholic Charities’ food bank and their ‘Feed the County’ efforts this holiday season,” said Traci Place, a business agent for the union...
Teamsters rail conference calls for limited access to locomotive recordings  Progressive Railroading   ...The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) is not opposed to the installation of locomotive voice and video recorders (LVVRs), but all recordings should be used pursuant to the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act, union officials announced last week...
Union decries decrease in railroad maintenance crews  Bismarck Tribune   ...Reductions in maintenance workers on Canadian Pacific tracks could cause more delays, according to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters...
Snyder County owes $90G to two guards  Daily Item   ...Snyder County still owes several thousand dollars to two Snyder County Jail guards who won their jobs back in April after being terminated two years earlier for sexual harassment...
Teamsters, Medina Council approve contract  Medina Gazette   ... Medina City Council approved a new collective bargaining agreement Tuesday with Teamsters Local 436, which represents city service department employees...
Trade
Obama hopes to enlist GOP in push for trade pact, despite Democratic resistance  UK Progressive   ...President Obama is preparing a major push on a vast free-trade zone that seeks to enlist Republicans as partners and test his premise that Washington can still find common ground on major initiatives...
Obama executive actions put Asia free trade deal at risk  Washington Times  ...President Obama is preparing a major push on a vast free-trade zone that seeks to enlist Republicans as partners and test his premise that Washington can still find common ground on major initiatives...
The President Set a Goal of Doubling Exports by 2014—Why Haven’t We?  Economic Policy Institute   ...The United States failed to achieve a doubling of exports between 2009 and 2014, as promised in President Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI). It wasn’t even close. Total U.S. goods and services exports increased by less than 50 percent ($766 billion, or 48.4 percent) between 2009 and 2014 (estimated), as shown in the figure below. Meanwhile, imports increased by an even larger $883.8 billion, and as a result, the U.S. trade deficit increased by $117.0 billion...
Say Goodbye to 'Made in China'  Bloomberg   ...In November, Hebei Iron & Steel Co Ltd, a provincial-owned company and China’s largest steelmaker by production, announced that it was moving 5 million tons of its annual production -- roughly 11 percent of the 45 million tons of steel it makes every year -- to South Africa. According to press reports, it won’t be going abroad alone...
War on Workers 
Map: Where Workers' Pay Has Risen the Most in Past Decade  Wall Street Journal   ...while the one-third of all counties have seen a decline in annual average pay, those counties hold about 46% of U.S. population. That shows you how densely populated some of those counties are...
Wage stagnation puts the squeeze on ordinary workers (Opinion)  Los Angeles Times   ...The median net worth of upper-income families reached $639,400 last year. That's nearly seven times as much as for those in the middle and almost 70 times what people at the lower end of the economic spectrum are making...
The Story Behind Wage Fixing in Hollywood  Real News   ...Wage theft stories aren't only happening at fast food companies like McDonald's, but the computer animation industry is also being accused of fixing employee wages. Major players like Disney, Sony, and many more have been entangled in a conspiracy called Techtopus...
Labor's big comeback  Politico   ...In a chain of end-of-the-year rulemakings, filings and decisions, the NLRB is exercising more muscle on labor’s behalf than Obama achieved during his previous six years in office...
Epidemic of Violence against Health-Care Workers Plagues Hospitals  Scientific American   ...Health-care workers are hit, kicked, scratched, bitten, spat on, threatened and harassed by patients with surprising regularity. In a 2014 survey, almost 80 percent of nurses reported being attacked on the job within the past year...
Worker killed in accident at Ford Claycomo Assembly Plant  KMBC   ...A contract worker died on the job at Ford's Claycomo plant early Tuesday. Investigators said a beam fell on the man as he worked to help build a new assembly line...
Highway 68 construction worker killed by drunk driver   Better Roads   ...Jesus Fernandez, 51, was just doing his job on Highway 68 in California when a suspected drunk driver took his life...
Racers Mourn for Track Worker Killed in Raceway Accident  New Times   ...The racing world suffered a loss this past Sunday when an experienced track worker at the Palm Beach International Raceway died during a race when an unmanned, out-of-control motorcycle crashed into him...
Rest stop worker hit and killed on I-40   Fox8   ...A rest stop worker was hit by a car and killed along Interstate 40 near Benson Monday morning...
Miscellaneous
Low Oil Prices Drive US Rig Count Down  Oil Prices   ...Onshore US drilling rigs fell by 37 to 1,499 in the week ending Dec. 26. Ten rigs were dropped in the previous week and 29 went out of service the week before that...
Q3 2014 GDP Revised Up to a Whopping 5.0%  Economic Populist   ...This is the highest quarterly GDP since Q3 2003, a full eleven years ago.  The reason for the revision blow out was consumer spending and investment...

This is what we union THUGGS do on our weekends

We renovate a building for Camp Robin Rogers, a Spencerville, Ohio, camp to enrich children with disabilities.

Teamsters Local 908 in Lima, Ohio, is working with Carpenters Local 372 and the United Way to fix up a camp building damaged over the winter by the elements and an intrusive raccoon.

The local Fox News station reported on the volunteer effort: Watch the news report here.

Brother Jason Fry, secretary-treasurer of Local 908, said the Teamsters want to give back to their community:

The United Way has been doing this Extreme Community Makeover for the previous six years and there's been a number of corporations like Husky, Potash, The Arc. We're getting the labor end of the spectrum now. It's a great program and we've partnered up with Camp Robin Rogers. There are a number of projects that we'll probably be coming back to do in the next couple years.

Props to our brothers and sisters in Ohio who spend their free time trying to make their community a better place!

And remember, 'THUGGs' stands for 'Those Helpful Union Guys and Gals.

This is what we union THUGGS do for each other in times of need...

Nance Prendota (L) and shop steward Darlene Gonzalez.

...we help them.

When Nance Prendota and her family were burned out of their home, her Teamster brothers and sisters came to the rescue.

Nance is a Teamsters Local 777 school bus driver for Illinois Central School Bus in Aurora, Ill. In mid-January, she woke up to a glow in the hallway. It was a fire that quickly destroyed her family's mobile home..

Nance, her husband and their two sons were all inside when the fire broke out. Nance’s husband, Brian, tried fighting the fire himself, and ended up with severe burns on two-thirds of his body. He is currently at Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, where he is being treated for burns and smoke inhalation.

Teamsters Local 777 reached out to Teamsters international union organizers in the Aurora area for their help. In just days, staff organizers (and former school bus drivers) Shelley Goodman and Dean Phinney collected 14 nights worth of points at the Hampton Inn from their colleagues so that Nance and her family would have a place to stay. Money has also been donated to Nance and her family for travel to and from the hospital to visit Brian.

Courtney Bell, business agent for Local 777 in Lyons, Ill., writes:

The Teamsters are a family; we support one another. We are resilient, strong and overcome the challenges we face in life. A BIG thanks to all the International Brotherhood of Teamsters organizers for reaching out a helping hand during this Teamster’s time of need.

To read more about the Teamsters' work to raise the safety standards of school buses and the living standards of their drivers, check out http://driveupstandards.org/.

And remember, THUGGS stands for 'Those Helpful Union Guys and Gals.'

Today's Teamster News 02.19.14

Teamster News
Seattle School Bus Drivers Prepare for Strike  teamster.org   ...Teamsters Local 174 represents more than 450 school bus drivers who transport K-12 students for the Seattle School District and are preparing to strike over unfair labor practice charges after First Student broke off talks and walked away from negotiations...
Bay Valley workers hold rally as strike continues  saukvalley.com   ...The Teamsters Local 722 workers went on strike at 11 p.m. last Thursday, after their contract with Bay Valley Foods, a Green Bay-based company, expired Dec. 28....
Trade
TPP Trade Officials Received Hefty Bonuses From Big Banks  Republic Report   ...Michael Froman, the current U.S. Trade Representative, received over $4 million as part of multiple exit payments when he left CitiGroup...
State Battles
Catching Up: Ticketed Capitol singers preparing to turn tables on the state  Wisconsin State Journal   ...The state could soon face thousands of dollars in civil rights lawsuits stemming from hundreds of tickets issued to singing protesters at the Capitol last summer...
Business tax replacements doomed to fail (opinion)  Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette   ...Our governor and legislature have been calling for the elimination of the business personal property tax, which has led to panic among local government officials because of the $1 billion negative effect on local revenue...
After comment to Gov. McCrory, food store cook fired in Charlotte  Charlotte News & Observer   ...On Sunday afternoon, McCrory was shopping at Reid’s Fine Foods when Drew Swope, a 45-year-old cook, said he asked if he could help McCrory. After realizing he was speaking with the governor, whom he disagrees with politically, Swope said he told McCrory, “Thanks for nothing,” and walked away...
Workers Shouldn’t Be Stopped from Voting -- Ever  teamster.org   ...GOP lawmakers in Georgia are behind legislation that would tighten the early voting window for municipal elections in the state...
The War on Workers
More workers take second jobs to bridge income gap  Boston Globe   ...‘‘More people have actually entered and remained in the underground economy than we have seen before,’’ he said. Workers are trying to raise their income even as job growth is sluggish, he said. So while employed, they may also do handyman repairs, or tutor, or fix computers...
Low-Wage Workers Have Experienced Wage Erosion in Nearly Every State  Economic Policy Institute   ... Between 2009 and 2013, low-wage earners’ wages declined in every state except three (West Virginia, Mississippi and North Dakota). Real (i.e. inflation-adjusted) wage erosion was greatest in Maryland (-$1.24), Massachusetts (-$1.18), and New Jersey (-$1.16) during this period...
Homeland Security is seeking a national license plate tracking system  Washington Post   ...The Department of Homeland Security wants a private company to provide a national license-plate tracking system that would give the agency access to vast amounts of information from commercial and law enforcement tag readers, according to a government proposal that does not specify what privacy safeguards would be put in place...
How Big Banks Are Cashing In On Food Stamps  American Prospect   ...Many benefit programs have gone high tech with debit cards and J.P. Morgan Chase and others are making a pretty penny charging users fees...

Student debt may hurt housing recovery by hampering first-time buyers  Washington Post   ...loan applications for home purchases have slipped nearly 20 percent in the past four months compared with the same period a year earlier...
5 of the strangest lawsuits making headlines  Inside Counsel   ... the servers at several eastern Pennsylvania Red Robin restaurants had another uniform-related problem: They claim their employer illegally took deductions from employee paychecks to pay for uniforms...
Will a Minimum Wage Hike Really Cost Jobs?  The Nation   ...Several economists Tuesday, including Jason Furman and Betsy Stevenson at the White House, stressed that the CBO report doesn’t match the “consensus view” of economists...
Miscellaneous
Exclusive: Mega-donors plan GOP war council  Politico   ...A group of major GOP donors, led by New York billionaire Paul Singer, is quietly expanding its political footprint ahead of the midterm elections in an increasingly assertive effort to shape the direction of the Republican Party...
Angry Residents Wave Pitchforks, Torches In Protest Of Mayor's Crackdown On Homelessness  Huffington Post   ...An estimated 4,000 people sleep on the streets of Portland, Ore., on any given night and, since last summer, life has become increasingly difficult for them. So, a group of protesters descended upon Portland City Hall on Tuesday night carrying pitchforks and torches to "shame the mayor into action," ...
Train accidents stir worries about crude transport  Associated Press   ...Experts say recent efforts to improve the safety of oil shipments belie an unsettling fact: With increasing volumes of crude now moving by rail, it's become impossible to send oil-hauling trains to refineries without passing major population centers, where more lives and property are at risk...
JP Morgan Banker Jumps to his Death From Hong Kong Skyscraper  International Business Times   ...His death comes as a London coroner's office gathers evidence into the death of JP Morgan IT executive Gabriel Magee, who is thought to have leapt to his death from the roof of the investment bank's European headquarters in Canary Wharf last month. The incident also follows the apparent suicide of US JP Morgan banker Ryan Crane, who was found dead at his Connecticut home on February 3...

This is what we union THUGGS do on the road

THUGGS at work!

...We help our veterans show their pride in America!

Brothers from Teamsters Local 200 in Milwaukee and Rolling Thunder, Wisconsin Chapter 2, teamed up last month to pick up and deliver a 26-foot flagpole to Freedom House in Menomonee Falls, Wisc.

Business representatives Darrick Jordan and Steve Nelson joined forces with Rob Roznowski, Russell Metals driver and steward, and two Rolling Thunder members: Chairperson Tim Thompson and Walter Krainer.

Russell Metals provided the flatbed truck used to make the pickup and delivery. And what better escort than Rolling Thunder!

Freedom House is a crisis center for all veterans and their families.

And remember, THUGGS stands for 'Those Helpful Union Guys and Gals.'

Today's Teamster News 12.18.13

Teamsters Stand in Solidarity with Korean Railway Workers on Strike  teamster.org   ...The Teamsters and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the Teamsters are standing in solidarity with striking Korean railway workers...
Port Workers In IKEA Supply Chain Hold Solidarity Actions Over Lockout  teamster.org   ...hundreds of dock workers at 10 ports around the globe held rallies to show their support for the 350 Teamsters who have been locked out from their jobs without pay for seven months at IKEA’s store in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada...
Teamsters Donating Toys to Hershey Ronald McDonald House  teamster.org   ...Teamsters Local Union 776 in Harrisburg will be donating more than $7,500 in toys to the Ronald McDonald House in Hershey...
SCI Deceives Grieving Family For $15,000 Funeral, Relatives Outraged  teamster.org   ...“We had no clue there was a change of ownership,” Johnson said. “We went there on the memory of a good family business only to find out it is owned by this huge conglomerate that is mistreating workers and basically spitting on the memory of my mom...”
Northern Tier Refinery Workers Vote To Strike  teamster.org   ...workers from the Northern Tier refinery in St. Paul Park, Minn. voted overwhelmingly to strike if necessary, rejecting cuts proposed by management that could dramatically undermine the safety of operations. The refinery workers are represented by Teamsters Local 120...
GES Exposition Services Threatens Chicago's Convention Business  teamster.org   ...The company is demanding a laundry list of concessions from the Teamsters, including more work-rule restrictions, further crew-size reductions and changes in seniority...
It’s Time to Halt Middle-Class Housing Crisis  teamster.org   ...10 million homeowners still owe more than their homes are worth...
Accidental Tax Break Saves Wealthiest Americans $100 Billion  Bloomberg   ...By shuffling his company stock in and out of more than 30 trusts, he’s given at least $7.9 billion to his heirs while legally avoiding about $2.8 billion in U.S. gift taxes since 2010, according to calculations based on data in Adelson’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings...
U.S. preparing civil charges against Citigroup, Merrill Lynch: sources  Reuters   ...Civil investigators have compiled evidence that allegedly shows that investors lost tens of billions of dollars after purchasing securities Citigroup had marketed as safe even though the bank had reason to believe otherwise...
Elizabeth Warren’s New Bill Aims to Stop Employers Discriminating Against the Poor  truthdig   ...Employers often use credit scores to weed out poorer applicants despite the fact that studies show these numbers have nothing to do with productivity or dedication, but the Equal Employment for All Act introduced Tuesday would prohibit this form of discrimination from taking place...
Why are we letting China buy American companies?  New York Post   ...The Smithfield buyout is a great loss because the company has become a huge exporter, to Japan and elsewhere, and has developed, with taxpayer assistance, systems and technologies that are best in class. Of course, that was why it became a target and why China Inc. overpaid to get it. But the only American beneficiaries will be a handful of investors. The rest of Smithfield’s stakeholders, and the American economy, will be bruised...
Another Apple Supplier in China Admits Gross Violations of Worker Rights  Economic Policy Institute   ...In a swift reaction to ugly publicity about suicides, injuries, and mistreatment of workers, Biel Crystal, one of Apple’s most important suppliers of touchscreen cover glass for its iPhones, reached an agreement with the Chinese labor rights group, SACOM, to take three steps toward better conditions by January 2014...
Mexico's rights body warns of growth of vigilantes  Associated Press   ...Raul Plascencia, president of the National Human Rights Commission, said the growth of these groups are already undermining the rule of law but could also lead to more violence. He blamed the emergence of such groups on an official failure to provide security...
Merkel compared NSA to Stasi in heated encounter with Obama  The Guardian   ...German chancellor furious after revelations US intelligence agency listened in on her personal mobile phone...
Court: Occupy Columbia can sue Haley over arrests  Associated Press   ...Gov. Nikki Haley isn't immune from being sued by Occupy Columbia protesters who were kicked off the Statehouse grounds in 2011, a federal appeals court ruled Monday...

This is what we union THUGGS do at Scott Air Force Base

Teamsters unloading toys at Scott Air Force Base.

...We deliver three truckloads full of toys for military families just before Christmas.

Our brothers and sisters at Teamsters Joint Council 13 in St. Louis made the H.E.R.O.E.S. Care toy drive a big success last week. They worked with Holland Freight and Dollar General to bring thousands of toys to military families at Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County, Ill.

H.E.R.O.E.S. Care brings together national organizations to support military families.  It stands for 'Homefront Enabling Relationships, Opportunities, and Empowerment through Support.'

Teamster volunteers loaded and drove trucks filled with Disney videos, books, dolls, games, puzzles and sports equipment to the base. There, the toys were sorted by age so they could be distributed to airmen's children.

Judging by the response on H.E.R.O.E.S. Care's Facebook page, the toys were much appreciated:

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of the donors and to H.E.R.O.E.S Care ! The kiddos in our squadron are very excited for our Children's Holiday Party. With all of the toys, books, and DVDs that were so generously donated each of of the little ones will be able to get a present from Santa!

Thanks to our Teamster brother Roy Gillespie for bringing this wonderful effort to our attention. And remember ... THUGGS stands for 'Those Helpful Union Guys and Gals.'

This is what we union thuggs do with our SUVs

Teamsters Local 853 membership meeting. 

We fill them with food, clothing and blankets and deliver them to the Eastmont Garden of Hope, which helps families struggling financially.

Our Teamster sisters from Teamster Local 853 in San Leandro, Calif., raised $1,200 at their last meeting and spent it all at Costco. They bought diapers, food, toothpaste, gloves, pillows and sleeping bags. Then they hauled it all to the social services center.

Inside Bay Area reported on our Teamster sisters:

Pertrena Coleman wore a big smile as she watched members of the Teamsters Local 853 women's committee Sisters in Solitary unload three SUVs filled with food, clothing, blankets and other necessities to give struggling families a head start for the holidays. 

Coleman is a social services worker who runs the Eastmont Garden of Hope project at Alameda's County Social Services Agency's Eastmont Self Sufficiency Center. On Monday, the center was full of Sisters in Solitary who wheeled in carts packed with much needed supplies that Coleman and several volunteers will distribute to social services clients. 

"This big donation has helped us a lot," she said. "We get donations on a daily basis, but we service over 400 people a month. The donations are really needed from the community." 

The Sisters in Solidarity, which started two years ago, is among the biggest donors for the Eastmont Garden of Hope project.

Sister Stacy Alvelais said they tried to cover all bases. Sister Pamela Talavera said her goal was to help out because she'd been on the street herself.

Proud of you, sisters!

Thanks to Brother Terry Post for sharing this with us.

And remember: THUGGS stands for 'those helpful union guys and gals.'

This is what we union THUGGs do at Farm Aid

Local 294 members enjoying the show while Jack Johnson was joined by Willie's Son Lukas Nelson. 

We volunteer to transport equipment and musicians to and from the concert.

For the past two decades, Teamsters have volunteered at Farm Aid concerts, providing transportation for the artists and equipment, and for any other requests that come up. This year, members of Teamsters Local 294, led by President John Bulgaro, in Albany did the honors for the 11-hour festival on Saturday.

“Who knows the local area better than local drivers?” said John Hasley, a retired Teamster carhauler and member of Teamsters Local 710 in the Chicago area and Teamsters Local 299 in Detroit. Hasley has attended 16 Farm Aid concerts. He takes the photos of Teamsters volunteering at the event and, of course, the performers.

“This year was excellent and the venue was extraordinary,” Hasley said of Saratoga Springs, New York. “The highlight was 94-year-old Pete Seeger’s performance.”

The annual Farm Aid concert has raised $43 million to help family farmers. This year's concert in upstate New York  featured the three founders of Farm Aid -- Neil Young, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp -- along with board member Dave Matthews. According to the Farm Aid press statement, they:

...emphasized the critical responsibility of businesses, policymakers — and everyone who eats — to help grow the Good Food Movement. More than 25,000 fans attended the sold-out event, hosted at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) in Saratoga Springs, N. Y. 

"Every time we eat, we determine the direction of our food system," said Nelson, president and founder of Farm Aid. "Farmers are doing their part. When we all stand with them and do our part, we can bring about change that's good for all of us."

Rolling Stone reported:

Farm Aid was founded in 1985 by Willie Nelson after he heard Bob Dylan's impromptu comment at Live Aid that some of the money raised should be used to help farmers pay their mortgages. The line incensed Live Aid co-founder Bob Geldof (who felt it was off-message and trivial when compared to the famine in Ethiopia), but Nelson felt differently; just a few months later, he held the first Farm Aid in Champaign, Illinois. 

Watch Neil Young's performance of "Reason To Believe" here, Pete Seeger sing "This Land Is Your Land" here and John Mellencamp sing "Jack and Diane" here. (Or watch Farm Aid's whole youtube channel here.)

And remember, "THUGGs" stands for Those Helpful Union Guys and Gals.

Union THUGGS save a life

Three union THUGGS -- Mary Seitz, Leigh Ann Wilkinson and Mary Beth Henderson -- all expected their daughters’ graduation from Wallkill Senior High School would be a day that would change their lives. What they didn’t expect was that they would end up changing somebody else’s life in the process.

The three Teamsters Local 445 nurses from St. Luke’s-Cornwall Hospital were seated in the football risers when 72 year-old Peter Bonk lost consciousness.

These union THUGGS (which, as you know, stands for Those Helpful Union Guys and Gals) knew exactly what to do.  The Times Herald-Record reports:

Seitz reached Bonk first and quickly shouted for Wilkinson, whom she'd seen earlier. Henderson was close behind. They began CPR as someone ran to grab the school's defibrillator. They administrated the first jolts of electricity from the defibrillator before transferring Bonk to the care of the Wallkill Volunteer Ambulance Corp.

Because of the nurses’ heroic and rapid response, Bonk regained cognitive function before he even reached the hospital.  There he was then put in the excellent care of other Local 445 workers at the St Luke campus in Newburgh, N.Y.  Now, after getting a stint in his artery and a portable defibrillator, Bonk is more active than ever. 

Bonk and his wife donated a new defibrillator to the hospital in the trio’s honor.  They want to stay in touch with the Local 445 members who saved Bonk’s life.

And those union THUGGS?  They were just happy to help.

“We happened to be at the right place at the right time," said Mary Seitz.  “Everybody would have done the same thing.”

This is what we union THUGGS do for 4 years in a row

We donate $10,000 to the Braintree Challengers, which teaches autistic Little Leaguers how to play the game.

Teamsters Local 25 in Boston holds an annual "Light Up the Night" gala has raised more than $1.5 million for autism research and awareness over the past seven years. Among the many autism nonprofits the Teamsters supports is the Challenger Little League program. The Teamsters donation means more than 140 children will have full uniforms this year, according to the Boston Globe.

Local 25 President Sean O'Brien said it's a great program.

And you give these kids the sense of being on a team. It’s their World Series...A lot of times it seems like a lonely road for children with autism or special needs. It’s good to engage with other families. Everyone gets to cheer on their special player.

Lorrie Fennell, a volunteer for Braintree American Little League’s Challenger Division, explained what the Teamsters support means:

"...parents of children with physical and mental disabilities will not have to worry about paying for the simple joy of watching their children play baseball."

You know the team is special when the former mayor of Boston and ambassador to the Vatican is an assistant coach. Local 25 received this letter from Ambassador Ray Flynn:

A Braintree Challenger.

Throughout my political career I have been a great admirer and a strong supporter of the Teamsters Union Local 25. An extraordinary capable and reliable group of union leaders. But even more today, Local 25 support for the baseball program in Braintree for special needs people is one more example of Local 25 concern and compassion. But I am not surprised. These are the same working men and women who are dedicated and patriotic Americans. I am proud to be one of "Okie" O'Connor's assistant coaches. A remarkable group of volunteers, who try and make life better for people. 

Teamsters not only keep our American economy moving forward, but reach out to help people in need. God bless each and every member of Local 25, and thanks for your kind and generous financial support.

And remember: "thuggs" stands for "those helpful union guys and gals."

Thanks for those Teamster THUGGS in Oklahoma

We just loved the photo of Brother Ron Cobb getting a hug from a little girl. Her Oklahoma City neighborhood had been damaged by a tornado. Brother Cobb is president of Teamsters Local 886, and he'd been distributing relief supplies to storm victims with 10 volunteers from the local last week. Along with the rakes, batteries and diapers provided by the Red Cross, Teamsters Local 886 filled bags with sweets from Kellogg's (a Teamster employer) and handed those out, too. A photographer was there and got the shot.

So we posted the photo on Facebook. Sure enough, some anti-union troll wrote something churlish. That happens all the time -- greedy billionaires don't spend a fortune on anti-union propaganda for nothing.

But one response to the troll (who was dismissed with prejudice from our Facebook page) deserves repeating. Here's Karen Ralls Gates:

I worked the warehouse where the teamsters came day after day to load those trucks then drive to the locations to hand out the supplies. They sometimes took them to a drop sure but most of the time they were driving around to hand out supplies so the owners would not have to leave their unprotected homes. Sometimes driving for 8-9 hours without a break. When their truck was empty they would come and reload the truck and go out again. Some deliver 3-4 truckloads in a day. You see 1 picture and think they did it for a photo op. you do not know anything about how many hours or days they worked when there was no camera around. When we asked for help driving the trucks they did not hesitate to come. I want to personally thank them for all the hard work they did. 

Teamsters Local 886 President Ron Cobb and a new friend.

And if that doesn't make you proud to be a Teamster, how about this comment from Chris Gibson:

I live in the Riverside trailer park in Midwest City Ok. I want to thank the Teamsters that sent the truck out with much needed supplies for cleaning and packing. Great Job!

The need is still great in Oklahoma City. You can help by making a tax-exempt contribution to the Teamsters Disaster Relief Fund. Just click here.

And remember, THUGG stands for Those Helpful Union Guys and Gals.

 

This is what we union THUGGS do for tornado victims

...we do everything we can to help them get back on their feet.

Our brothers and sisters at Teamsters Local 886 in Oklahoma City have cleared debris, loaded trucks with emergency supplies, raised money, given cash cards to members who've lost everything and handed out diapers, rakes and flashlights -- as well as bags of sweets from Teamster employer Kellogg's.

Oklahoma City has a long way to go to recover from the series of violent tornadoes last month that  killed 20 people and injured hundreds. The mayor of Oklahoma City estimated 13,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. Among those who perished were a UPS Teamster member's wife; his 8-year-old son is still hospitalized.

Oklahomans still have debris to clear before they can rebuild their homes. Many lost cars in the flooding that followed the second series of tornadoes.  And those who lost all of their possessions need cash to buy essentials -- like socks to wear to work.

You can help by contributing to the Teamsters Disaster Relief Fund. Just click here to make a tax-exempt donation.

"The need is still great," said Local 886 President Ron Cobb. "They've got all the water, diapers and crackers. They need cash now."

And, he said, they need cars and they need houses.

In some isolated areas, help is slow to come. That was the case when Cobb and volunteer Teamsters and retirees came to a low-income neighborhood that had been hit twice by the storms. They distributed Red Cross supplies and brought plastic bags filled with treats for the local children. As the photo to the right shows, the gesture was much appreciated.

Cobb said the local is helping fill out forms for the dozens of Teamsters whose homes were damaged or destroyed.

Local 886 recently got a call from a woman whose father and uncle are YRC retirees. She asked if they could help find a couple of trailers for them to put their belongings in until they can move back into their houses. The local is on it.

The Teamster son who was injured by the tornado will soon be transferred from one hospital to another. UPS Teamsters helped to get a fifth-wheel trailer so his dad can live in it near the hospital while he recovers. "He doesn't have a place to live anyway," Cobb said. His house was destroyed, too.

Please don't forget to make a tax-exempt donation to the Teamsters Disaster Relief Fund to help our brothers and sisters and other victims rebuild their lives. And remember, "THUGGS" stands for Those Helpful Union Guys and Gals.

This is what we union thuggs do in pink feather boas and sunglasses

We raise almost $10,000 for cancer research.

Women’s Committee of Joint Council 25 raised almost $10,000 for the American Cancer Society’s breast cancer research and support fund at the Inaugural Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Park Ridge, Ill., earlier this month. 

Our sisters recruited nearly 200 participants, making them the top fundraising team at the walk. 

The marchers decked themselves out in pink feather boas, flashy hats and snazzy sunglasses as they were encouraged by children and cheerleaders.

Although this was the first American Cancer Society walk held in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, the 3.1 mile trek raised more than $70,000 – exceeding fundraising goals by more than $20,000.

The National Cancer Institute estimates more than 234,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed this year. So it's not surprising that many participating Teamsters had a personal connection to  the disease. For many participants, Teamster support in this year’s march demonstrates how important the issue continues to be. 

Leo Watkins from Local 700 said the march is a great way to make a difference in people's lives.

This march is a way of telling people that have this sort of illness that people support them, and to give them hope.

Carrie Sapienza, a machinery operator from Local 727, said the march was a way for the Joint Council and the Women's Committee to say that women are important too.

It's about unity, it's about solidarity. We've all got the same goal that everyone else has. We're not going away. If we show up to one of these things, it shows that we aren't going anywhere.

In previous years, local Teamsters participated in the Y-ME National Breast Cancer ­Organization walk in downtown Chicago, but changed organizations after that walk was cancelled earlier this year. After their rousing success, the Women’s Committee is already planning bigger and better participation in next year’s efforts.

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

This is what we union THUGGS do for smart young people

We give them millions of dollars in college scholarships.

The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund is celebrating its namesake's 100th birthday this year. Hoffa believed Teamster sons and daughters deserve the best education possible. The Fund was established in his honor in 2001. Since then, more than 1,500 students received $4.7 million in scholarships.

Applications have been submitted for this year's round of $10,000 scholarships, and the announcement of the winners will be made soon.

Last year, 31 students from across the U.S. and Canada received $10,000 scholarships. Another 50 were awarded $1,000 scholarships for the essays they wrote about the importance of unions.

Applications for this year's essay contest have yet to be mailed.

To participate, students must be the son, daughter or grandchild of an eligible Teamster member. For information about the Fund rules, click here.

This year for the first time a booklet has been publishing listing all the names of all the scholarship award winners. You can download the booklet here.

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

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 04.18.13

CEOs Earn 354 Times More Than Average Worker CNNMoney   ...Chief executives of the nation's largest companies earned an average of $12.3 million in total pay last year -- 354 times more than a typical American worker, according to the AFL-CIO...
Mortgage Relief Checks Go Out, Only to Bounce  New York Times   ...It is unclear how many of the 1.4 million homeowners who were mailed the first round of payments covered under the foreclosure settlement have had problems with their checks...
Europe faces threat of full-fledged depression  Market Watch   ...“Unemployment is at a record high, credit is going down, banks are failing…what do you call an economy like that?”...
Local unions offer $50,000 reward for tips  Boston Globe   ...A group of police and firefighter unions announced a $50,000 reward Tuesday for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for setting off two explosions at the Boston Marathon that took three lives and injured more than 170 people and have set up a fund for victims of the blast...
The Bank of America Lawsuits Continue  Associated Press   ...As soon as Bank of America puts one mortgage-related lawsuit behind it, another always seems to rear its head...
How Congress Undercuts the Postal Service (opinion)  The Sacramento Bee   ...The Postal Service gets no tax dollars, yet is constantly hammered as a money-wasting government agency. Every time it seeks to cut costs, Congress puts up roadblocks...
ALEC's best friend: The Indiana General Assembly  Journal Gazette   ...the American Legislative Exchange Council, the corporate-controlled group that writes model legislation, has an omnibus bill named in honor of the Indiana legislature's dubious achievement, "The Indiana Education Reform Package."...
Brownback Signs Bill That Requires Welfare, Unemployment Recipients to be Tested for Drugs  Kansas City Star   ...Calling drug addiction a “scourge in Kansas,” Gov. Sam Brownback signed into law Tuesday a bill to test welfare and unemployment recipients suspected of using illegal drugs...
Florida Republicans Target Foreign-Language Voting  The Miami Herald   ...Desiline Victor, the 102-year-old North Miami voter who became a symbol of Florida’s elections woes, could again find it tough to cast a ballot now that the state Senate voted Tuesday to keep a crackdown on foreign-language interpreters at the polls...
State Auditor General Finds $35 Million in Unpaid Corporate Taxes  The Daily Pennsylvanian   ...Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said Tuesday that he found errors on more than 1,250 corporate tax returns, totaling a net gain of $35.4 million for the state...
Nevada Ups the Ante on Delaware's Tax Status  Deutsche Welle   ...The US state of Delaware is an incorporation mecca where registering a company is as easy as 1-2-3. It draws not just the top firms, but also many shady shell companies. That has caught the attention of Nevada...
Hoffa Visits Tulsa, Hears AA Mechanics’ Challenges and Hopes  IBT   ...Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa visited American Airlines mechanics and related workers in Tulsa last evening. Sitting in a room with a large group of mechanics, Hoffa heard from campaign leaders and learned about the specific problems mechanics and related are facing and their hope for strong Teamster representation at AA...
Workers At UPS Supply Chain Solutions Vote To Join Teamsters Local 769  IBT   ...On April 16, employees at a UPS Supply Chain Solutions facility in Doral, Fla., voted to join Teamsters Local 769 in Miami...
Second Day of Garbage Strike in Northeast Ohio: Some Get Trash Collected on Time, Others See Delays  The Plain Dealer   ...Trash collection went as usual for some communities Tuesday, but others saw delays in the second day of the Teamsters strike against a private hauler serving many Northeast Ohio suburbs...
Pickets Target Gates-Owned Garbage Company  Puget Sound Business Journal   ...Allied Waste/Republic Services garbage truck drivers are picketing Wednesday in Seattle, Lynnwood, and Kent/SeaTac, protesting and supporting striking workers in Ohio...
Allied Waste/Republic Pickets Spread to Three Puget Sound Locations, Sanitation Workers Honor Lines  IBT   ...Garbage, recycle, and yard waste drivers, employed by Allied Waste/Republic Services, honored picket lines early this morning that were established by striking Local 377 Teamsters from Youngstown, Ohio. Picket lines were set up at the company’s facilities in Seattle, Lynnwood, and Kent/SeaTac...
Republic Services Garbage Workers Strike in McDonough  Atlanta Journal-Constitution   ...Forty drivers, helpers and mechanics at Republic Services, a waste management company, began a strike in McDonough on Monday, citing what they call unfair labor practices. Efforts to reach Republic for comment were unsuccessful...
Durham Bus Drivers: 'Make Durham Be Accountable'  ABC News   ...Nearly 75 Bus drivers with Durham School Services filed into a conference room at the North Charleston Coliseum to say enough is enough...
Teamsters Local 77 Member Helps Deliver Baby  Fox Philly News   ...With so much sadness in Boston, we wanted to bring you some joy, and tell you about the birth of a beautiful baby girl. She arrived not at a hospital, but right outside a toll booth along the Pennsylvania Turnpike...
"City Hall Don't Frieze Out New Yorkers" Elected Officials And Labor Leaders Call Upon City Hall To Change Parks Permitting Because Of Rogue Art Show  IBT   ...Leaders of the City’s top labor organizations stood with members of the City Council to confront the organizers of the Frieze New York Art Show on their lack of support for union workers and their families...

This is what we union THUGGS do when something needs to be done

Actress Maria Bello at Teamsters Local 728

When actress Maria Bello told her driver that her charity organization was running low on funds, she probably didn’t expect her driver’s union to help organize a hugely successful fundraiser in less than a month, raising over $30,000 for Haitian women and children. But that’s exactly what happened thanks to Renee Call, a member of Teamsters Local 728.

Renee has been a Teamster for 15 years and she’s been a movie industry driver for five years. She drove Bello for three months while the actress worked on the film Prisoners. Renee, who also sits on the Teamsters Human Rights Commission, says Bello’s charity empowering women and children in Haiti inspired her to act:

I have a Teamster heart and, with that, I saw a need and knew we had to do something. That’s what Teamsters do. We help people. We just do what needs to be done. One of the closest people to an actor is their driver. I heard Maria talk about the charity so much and I knew we could help out. Everyone really came together to make the benefit event a success – Local 728 along with locals 25 in Boston, 480 in Nashville, 667 in Memphis, 745 in Dallas, and the IBT Human Rights Commission.

The event was held at Local 728’s union hall and drew a very impressive turnout of about 300 participants from dozens of other organizations and businesses in the industry. Live Haitian music and dancing followed Bello’s opening remarks, which included a big thanks to the Teamsters.

Bello’s organization, We Advance, works in some of the poorest areas of Haiti outside the reach of many other NGOs. She cofounded the group with Haitian artist and activist Barbara Guillaume to advance the health, safety, and well-being of women in the country. As a grassroots community-based group, We Advance helps train community leaders advocating for better health and education for Haitian women.

An inspiring video featuring We Advance’s work was shown at the benefit in Atlanta and, as Renee says, “there weren’t many dry eyes in the house.” Renee added:

Through the night, we were happy to announce that over $30,000 had been raised. This money will feed and provide medicine and education for thousands of children in Haiti. Thank you, Atlanta, and everyone who came out and those that showed love and support!

Renee, a second generation Teamster, was especially grateful to Local 728 President Randy Brown for helping to make the event happen.

This was really a joint effort and we reached beyond national boundaries to show international solidarity with the poor in Haiti. We banded together and made it happen with only weeks to plan!  That’s something to be proud of!

And remember, THUGGS stands for Those Helpful Teamster Guys and Gals!

Today's Teamster News 04.01.13

As OSHA emphasizes safety, long-term health risks fester  Herald Tribune   ...OSHA devotes most of its budget and attention to responding to here-and-now dangers rather than preventing the silent, slow killers that, in the end, take far more lives...
Pay for Boards at Banks Soars Amid Cutbacks  New York Times   ...Since the financial crisis, compensation for the directors of the nation’s biggest banks has continued to rise even as the banks themselves, facing difficult markets and regulatory pressures, are reining in bonuses and pay...
Bank of Cyprus depositors to face up to 60 percent losses  McClatchy   ...Depositors in Cyprus with savings of more than 100,000 euros ($128,000) could face losses of up to 60 percent, under tough conditions attached to an international bailout, Finance Minister Michalis Sarris said Saturday...
Foreclosed 'Zombie' Homes Exceed 300,000 Properties: Study  Reuters   ...A national survey found 301,874 "zombie" properties dotting the U.S. landscape in which homeowners in foreclosure have moved out, leaving vacant property susceptible to vandalism and degradation. Florida tops the list of zombie properties with 90,556 vacant homes in foreclosure...
North Dakota, socialist haven?  Salon   ...North Dakota ... fully supports its state-owned Bank of North Dakota (BND), a socialist relic that exists nowhere else in America. ... it works...
Minnesota Brown: Asia expands influence over Iron Range economy  MinnPost   ...Whether it's iron, grain or now airplanes, it's interesting to see how China, India and other emerging nations are shaping the future of northern Minnesota's economy...
Detroit Public Schools Emergency Manager Roy Roberts boldly lies on national television about his “success”  eclectablog   ...The first Emergency Financial Manager, Robert Bobb, actually left the school district in a bigger financial hole than when he arrived...
Odor Problems Elsewhere for Owners of Bridgeton Landfill  CBS News   ...Republic Services Inc., owners of the Bridgeton Sanitary Landfill, ranked near the bottom of a 2009 Newsweek list of 500 major corportions for their track record on enviornmental issues — and 46th of 50 in their industry...
Teamsters shine in autism fund-raiser  Boston Globe   ...Teamsters Local 25 held its annual Light Up the Night Gala on Saturday to raise money for autism research. Angela Peri’s Boston Casting helped with the night by donating items from local films for auction...