How's your relationship with Ron?
Ron and I were running mates and executive officers together in our first term. In the beginning, we were on the same page as transitioning from Danny Bruno to a new administration came with a ton of problems.
Once those problems were ironed out, Ron took a different path, choosing to become a career politician and not a local leader.
He has all but abandoned the membership and sided with those in power controlling him. Once you begin jumping on board other eboards and collecting money, your independence vaporizes.
Ron today isnt the same person that I ran with in our first term.
Unfortunately, In his last visit to our hub along with other officers, I had direct words with Ron blaming him for his failures to lead. It was an unfortunate moment for the two of us. At the same time, Phillips tried to "pop" off on me and I punked him out on the shop floor in front of senior feeder drivers.
I was "off duty" at the time, and Phillips went to HR to file charges against me.
Again, unfortunately for Phillips, in internal union conversation isn't handled in the HR forum.
While I believe Ron let us down in 396 and the vote clearly shows his lack of support with this contract, his "about face" on Hoffa / Hall is laughable at best.
To attempt to lay blame on Hoffa/Hall and wash his hands is pretty cowardly.
Rich G. wants to try again, changing faces yet holding the same strategies. Rich has no practical working experience running a local, and with this contract the way its written, having a greenbean at the helm is a bigger disaster.
If he would simply get out of the way, more experienced members could move forward and challenge Ron.
Unfortunately, Rich's ego wont let that happen.
Remember Louie? He ran 4 times, each time receiving less votes. Started at 1100 (loss) then 875 (loss) then 601(loss) then 421 (loss) before he gave up.
Louie changed faces each time believing that would make the difference, but the common denominator was A and the membership rejected him.
This is Rich's problem. The membership rejected his platform with 955 votes, and this time around, despite the changing of the faces attached to him, he will receive fewer votes.
Its a matter of historical mathematics.
TOS.