Posted on December 12th, 2008
The former Teamsters President passed away today in New York City. He was 72.
A former UPS package car driver, Carey would become the first democratically elected head of the IBT. He went on to lead the union in a successful strike against UPS in 1997, because of which he is credited with opening the door to thousands of new full-time Teamster jobs.
People have differing opinions of Ron Carey (as they tend to have of all leaders), but many of the accomplishments he had in his time leading our union cannot be dismissed, no matter your opinion of Mr. Carey. As we hear news of his passing, all union men and women should hold him in a place of respect for the things he did for our cause.
To read more now on Ron Carey, check out TDU.org
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Filed under: Article 22.3, I.B.T., Rank-and-File, cybersteward.net, solidarity, strikes
Posted on November 17th, 2008
Oh wait, we do:
But UPS is thousands of jobs short of the 20,000 full-time combo jobs required by the contract. And every day management is eliminating more of these jobs.
President Hoffa has bragged that our union has a “Hammer” to stop employers in egregious cases like this: the Right To Strike on deadlocked grievances.
No one needs a strike, especially before the holidays including UPS. What we do need is to send a clear message to every Teamster employer that our union is serious about protecting members’ jobs.
Is it time to remind management that we’ve got the Hammer? (read more)
Now if we could only use it to help UPSers like Mary Seumaala: Read more…
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Filed under: 2008 contract, I.B.T., Rank-and-File, Teamsters Local 384, UPS, jobs, rights, solidarity, strikes, unionism
Posted on January 6th, 2008
It’s been about two months since the WGA began its strike against the AMPTP. Many of its own members, including Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have decided to forsake the Union that helped them get started in show business.
So I’ve decided to to forsake them, at least until the strike is over or they come around and stand up for those who’ve stood up for them. Because what they’re doing weakens the ability of their union to win what its members deserve.
It’s a lot like what happened a few years ago when Teamster-driven UPS trucks sailed right past the picket lines of PA Turnpike workers (not just fellow Union members, but fellow Teamsters). Our Union’s lack of solidarity hurt those turnpike workers, who could’ve gotten most, if not all, of what they were asking for if we’d all just stuck together.
But because we forsook our own brothers and sisters, they had to settle for less, much like what will happen if Leno, O’Brien, Stewart, Colbert, et al, regain the viewership their corporate masters so desperately need. And that means everyone who watches their half-baked, “unwritten”, scab broadcasts will be a party to selling out the writers as well.
Let’s return to our Teamster roots and not sell out our brothers and sisters, even if everyone else does.
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Filed under: WGA, solidarity, strikes, unionism
