It's time for Teamster leaders to start representing Teamster workers

[Atomic_Smurf]

Teamsters are taking concessions on our healthcare as many have predicted since the passage of the Affordable Care Act. The outlook for the years to come for both active workers & retirees is predictably even worse. Our leadership, Hoffa/Hall may have decided to support the ACA with good intent as did many other unions but the promises made are far from what is materializing. As some of the unions that supported the legislation are reversing their public support, it may be time for the Teamsters to do the same but it's only going to happen if we, the rank & file, start asking questions & put pressure on our representation. While it may be too late for the setbacks in this contract, repealing the ACA is the only way we can reverse the inevitable deterioration of our employer provided health insurance plans. It's time we demand our union leaders refocus their loyalties away from Washington & back to the people that pay their salaries!




Unions break ranks on ObamaCare - The Hill - covering Congress, Politics, Political Campaigns and Capitol Hill | TheHill.com

 

[Atomic_Smurf]

This is absolutely a union issue. No reason it should be moved to current events.

 

[wkmac]

Until unions abandon the jailcell that is the Wagner Act and return to the unionism of The Wobblies, Knights of Labor or the old CIO, unions will continue to be nothing more than lackeys for the Corporations and beggars at the feet of the State. Also re-capturing the lost mission of mutual aid that breeds real independence from both boss and ruler is what unionism in this country needs.

Walking away from our roots has left us begging in both the board room and at the seat of the State all the while the board room and the State are joined at the hip. Obama should be a real kick in the teeth but I guess the American Union movement still likes licking the feet of it's masters!

 

[Atomic_Smurf]

Until unions abandon the jailcell that is the Wagner Act and return to the unionism of The Wobblies, Knights of Labor or the old CIO, unions will continue to be nothing more than lackeys for the Corporations and beggars at the feet of the State. Also re-capturing the lost mission of mutual aid that breeds real independence from both boss and ruler is what unionism in this country needs.

Walking away from our roots has left us begging in both the board room and at the seat of the State all the while the board room and the State are joined at the hip. Obama should be a real kick in the teeth but I guess the American Union movement still likes licking the feet of it's masters!

Obama was never interested in helping unions. He simply wants the appearance of being prolabor while redistributing the earnings (benefits) of the working class to the non-working class.

 

[Catatonic]

This is absolutely a union issue. No reason it should be moved to current events.

That is why it was copied to Current Events leaving the OP in Union Issues for Union related discussions to take place.

Obama was never interested in helping unions. He simply wants the appearance of being pro-labor while redistributing the earnings (benefits) of the working class to the non-working class.

This is an example of purely political posts that will be moved from Union Issues to Current Events of the thread with the same thread name.

 

[PiedmontSteward]

It takes literally one minute to perform a Google search and find out, for example, Republicans are fighting Obama's appointments to the NLRB because the Right considers them to be "gifts to labor unions." Unions began fading as the Right grew in power -- an achievement propelled by turning the fiscally liberal South into conservative nation by clinging to extreme socially conservative values. But I'm always amused by the number of BrownCafe members who believe the compensation they earn is a reward by UPS for their hard work (the same ones dumb enough to believe UPS willingly wants to continue to provide FREE health care to them), as opposed to the CBA negotiated by a union.

In five years, when the news reports "Your holiday shipping is going to get more expensive. UPS, the world's leading package delivery company, is raising its rates across the board by an average of 6%. UPS said the increase was necessary to keep up with its escalating costs. A UPS driver earns an average of $90,000 per year" watch how many people -- who've paid $15 to ship a fruit cake to Grandma in another state -- begin resenting the union...

- - -

Until the contract is settled, I suggest we open up a new forum: "Bi***ing about Health Care" since all these threads (usually by the same people) are redundant.

Just to make that Google search a little more narrow: The seeds for the Blue Collar revolt amongst rank-and-file union members were planted during the Civil Rights Era. The newly-minted middle class whites - ranging from Euro-ethnics in the midwest to southerners - felt insecure at the prospects of integrated schools, integrated neighborhoods (which they felt would lower property values on the only economic security vessel they had; their homes), etc. The fissures started to really appear as early as 1964 when George Wallace challenged LBJ in the presidential primaries; Wallace would tell union members the Civil Rights Act would eliminate their seniority rights and hurt their efforts at collective bargaining. The AFL-CIO spent millions on campaigns to try and turn back this tide throughout the 1960's.

Although Nixon ended up capitalizing on this with his "Southern Strategy" that ultimately re-aligned the South, it was really George Wallace that led the charge. That's part of the reason why my hub has feeder drivers making $90,000+/year cheering on cuts to unemployment and education while complaining about undocumented immigrants "stealing" from them.

 

[RocknSteady]

the.... TPP.....Trans Pacific Partnership. (basically immunizes big business from government regulations)
So that they can create more "jobs"...

 

[Atomic_Smurf]

Wallace was a Democrat.

 

[PiedmontSteward]

Wallace was a Democrat.

He ran as a Democrat in 1964, an independent in 1968, and a Democrat again in 1972.

Your original post had some merit, although your opposition to the IBT's political allegiances crystalizes solely around the ACA. The Democratic Party has been treating Labor like a redheaded stepchild for decades now; we get a few crumbs every now and then to keep us quiet (NLRB appointments, second generation union members appointed as Secretary of Labor, etc.) while major pieces of legislation that could aid us (Employee Free Choice Act, RLA reclassification for FedEx, repealing section 14(b) of Taft-Hartley which allows individual states to pass RTW laws, etc.) get swept under the rug.

 

[Atomic_Smurf]

Wallace was a Democrat.

He ran as a Democrat in 1964, an independent in 1968, and a Democrat again in 1972.

Your original post had some merit, although your opposition to the IBT's political allegiances crystalizes solely around the ACA. The Democratic Party has been treating Labor like a redheaded stepchild for decades now; we get a few crumbs every now and then to keep us quiet (NLRB appointments, second generation union members appointed as Secretary of Labor, etc.) while major pieces of legislation that could aid us (Employee Free Choice Act, RLA reclassification for FedEx, repealing section 14(b) of Taft-Hartley which allows individual states to pass RTW laws, etc.) get swept under the rug.

It's not just about to ACA my friend. You see, Hoffa Sr. was prosecuted by a Kennedy(D), pardoned by Nixon(R). Carter(D) ended the federal employees unions & was responsible for trucking deregulation killing many Teamster jobs. Clinton(D) signed NAFTA into law & now Obama(D) is redistributing our healthcare & downgrading the working class in more ways than one. I could go on & on but you get the point. Some of the biggest anti-union legislation has been passed by those that claim to be on the side of the working man.

 

[Atomic_Smurf]

This is absolutely a union issue. No reason it should be moved to current events.

That is why it was copied to Current Events leaving the OP in Union Issues for Union related discussions to take place.

Obama was never interested in helping unions. He simply wants the appearance of being pro-labor while redistributing the earnings (benefits) of the working class to the non-working class.

This is an example of purely political posts that will be moved from Union Issues to Current Events of the thread with the same thread name.

What if we hail Obama as a wonderful leader & a champion of labor? Thanks for leaving my original post in the Union section by the way. I think its important for people to see the bigger picture.

 

[wkmac]

Obama was never interested in helping unions. He simply wants the appearance of being prolabor while redistributing the earnings (benefits) of the working class to the non-working class.

Did I say otherwise? And not that backing republicans in the 80's helped the union either.

 

[Atomic_Smurf]

Obama was never interested in helping unions. He simply wants the appearance of being prolabor while redistributing the earnings (benefits) of the working class to the non-working class.

Did I say otherwise? And not that backing republicans in the 80's helped the union either.

I didn't imply that you had. I agree with you more so than not. What happened in the 80's? Regan fired air traffic controllers that were striking for a 35 hour work week. I would have too. This isn't France.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Sure as hell wasn't for Hoffa. Putz. I could see what was going to happen. Knew Hoffa would fold. Pope probably would have been a strike. Only
Because
Her
balls
Are
Bigger

I talked to her in person. Didn't see any BALLS ....................................................................................Only nice Ta.tas

 

[804brown]

until capitalism existed, pillaging, plundering & stealing from others was the only way to attain great wealth. Capitalism allows one to gain wealth by serving his fellow man.

Really?? Capitalism has been around for about 200 years or so and pillaging adn plundering and stealing are gone?? Tell it to the victims of the wars for gold and oil and rubber and tin, etc over the past 200 yrs!! Telll it to the victims of wall streets greed and plunder of our wealth over the past few decades!!

 

[Bagels]

I give credit to our union for negotiating better wages & benefits than others on the in the industry but I don't let that blind me to the mistakes they make, especially when there have such great consequences. The company agrees to the wages & benefits not from the goodness of their hearts but because they need people to do the work. I'm OK with that because until capitalism existed, pillaging, plundering & stealing from others was the only way to attain great wealth. Capitalism allows one to gain wealth by serving his fellow man. Our union plays a critical roll in the balance of fairness/productivity but only if our union leaders remain squarely in the corner of those that they are paid to represent. Hoffa/ Hall need to stop representing a Washington liberal agenda & start representing their Diverse rank & file memberships common workplace interests.

The company agreed because it had no choice as status quo, laws protect labor rights. Hence why UPS spends millions on anti-union lobbyists. Don't flatter yourself -- whatever job you do for UPS, UPS could find somebody to do it just as well for a lot less compensation - the sole exception being a first year PTer.

It's not just about to ACA my friend. You see, Hoffa Sr. was prosecuted by a Kennedy(D), pardoned by Nixon(R). Carter(D) ended the federal employees unions & was responsible for trucking deregulation killing many Teamster jobs. Clinton(D) signed NAFTA into law & now Obama(D) is redistributing our healthcare & downgrading the working class in more ways than one. I could go on & on but you get the point. Some of the biggest anti-union legislation has been passed by those that claim to be on the side of the working man.

Pretty short-sighted view on things.

- Regardless of Hoff's position as a union leader, he was involved in illegal dealings -- why do you think he was murdered?

- There's nothing wrong with trucking deregulation, or free trade. Both are wonderful ideas. The issue is right-wing courts that have decided that it's perfectly OK for companies to hire "independent contractors" but control their schedule, appearance, monitor them with telematics, e.g. - you know, the things EMPLOYEES are subjected to, not contractors. Same with free trade -- when it was being argued, Congress (as it was a Bush I-era bill that Clinton ultimately signed) insisted that laws would prevent companies from moving jobs across the border, as this production wouldn't be exempt from taxes. Right-wing courts disagreed.

- Also worth noting that I'm referring to what's evolved into the extreme right wing party we have today. Most prominent southern democrats changed party affiliation after northern democrats sought to protect rights for black folks.

 

[Bagels]

Unions began fading when they stopped representing their members and wasted tens of millions of dollars of their members contributions from their respective employers . Remember wisc ? How about ohio ? The left has done nothing but pander to unrealalitic demands and the effect has been thousand of middle class union jobs gone. Remember, unions officers are management to

Just another fallacy. What happened in WI was that the Right went after unions, and the public became outraged that teachers, policeman, etc. were making $50,000/year with full no-cost benefits & a healthy pension, considering that even they didn't enjoy that.

Guess how they'd feel about your compensation at UPS? If the public got a chance to vote on a law that eliminated your CBA and rolled your wages back to fair market value (e.g. $40K a year + pay $4500 for your benefits), what do you think it'd pass by? 60% would be my guess. Instead of joining you, they'll choose to ruin you.

Unions failed in large part because they became too large & powerful and subsequent legislation / court rulings that brought them down. It's interesting how people are outraged at teachers, automakers, etc. are making $50K with no-cost benefits - but don't flinch at CEOs earning $10, $20, $100 and even $200 MILLION in annual compensation. Average compensation over the past ten years has DROPPED despite record & global leading worker productivity & record corporate profits. Meanwhile, executive compensation continues to climb at ridiculous paces.

Meanwhile our Right-supporting friends on here whine & cry that their $32+/hour wage & no-cost benefits aren't enough considering their productivity/record profits ... then support the same union-busting people who support the opposite causes. Seriously, if these people represent your true interests, then you should be arguing for a contract that pays you fair market wage (again, $40K/year & $4500 toward your beanies) because that's what those politicians support.

 

[BROWNHOG]

The right didnt go after unions. The gov in wisc ran on exactly what he said he would do concerning mandatory dues withdrawal. He was voted in largely by union members who politics are clearly to the left. When the unions tried to oust him in the recall, he won by a bigger margin. No way a republican conservative govenor gets elected in Wisc without large democratic support from union members who were fed up . Unions dont need to be busted. They need to represent their members instead of the unions self interests.

 

[804brown]

The right didnt go after unions. The gov in wisc ran on exactly what he said he would do concerning mandatory dues withdrawal. He was voted in largely by union members who politics are clearly to the left. When the unions tried to oust him in the recall, he won by a bigger margin. No way a republican conservative govenor gets elected in Wisc without large democratic support from union members who were fed up . Unions dont need to be busted. They need to represent their members instead of the unions self interests.

Are you kidding me??? The right HAS ALWAYS gone after unions and labor and working folk. He was put there by the Koch brothers who largely funded his campaign. And he repays them by trying to destroy the only entity these days with any power to stand up to corporate america....UNIONS!!

 

[Atomic_Smurf]

until capitalism existed, pillaging, plundering & stealing from others was the only way to attain great wealth. Capitalism allows one to gain wealth by serving his fellow man.

Really?? Capitalism has been around for about 200 years or so and pillaging adn plundering and stealing are gone?? Tell it to the victims of the wars for gold and oil and rubber and tin, etc over the past 200 yrs!! Telll it to the victims of wall streets greed and plunder of our wealth over the past few decades!!

Those aren't examples of capitalism, those are examples of abuses of capitalism.