Thinking about running

[alwaysoverallowed]

Our Local is in at an apex, many members are disgruntled with the current leadership. Not just UPSers but beer runners, etc. Is anyone else on here in a local that "answers" to Oregon Ave in Philly? I've talked to other Teamsters from Locals outside of the Oregon Ave dis. and have been told that they solely answer to hall, the UPS lackey. I have the support of about 20 members, out of about 1000, to start a slate as soon as we can to run against the current leadership. What I'm asking is it worth it to try gain momentuem and run or should I try again and ask our board to resolve the various issues we have, not just UPS but others. Thanks for your input.

 

[Kevin211]

are you looking to run for "local Office"? I was going to run at our local just a few months ago but withdrew. I will give it a go in two years.

 

[CustomerConcern]

Either way you will be noticed and heard. I am always for anyone willing to stand up an take the problem on. Good luck

 

[705red]

Running for local office sounds like a walk in the park doesnt it? It is not!!!! If you only have a following of around 20 it would be very hard to come on the scene and be competitive. Unless your local has really upset everyone in it.

Heres a list of things you should have been doing this whole time.

Attend monthly union meetings, there is a record of who goes and who doesnt. If you dont attend, this will be brought up during the campaign.
Talk with others before and after the meetings, find where the guys/gals go for breakfast or a cold one afterwards, get to know your fellow brothers and sisters no matter what craft they are in. Address the mic, bring up issues but dont get carreid away with hearing your own voice. Dont just complain on the mic, give suggestions on how to fix issues.

You need to build up a war chest of funds to run a campaign. You need money to print flyers, tshirts, stickers, pins, and mailers, etc and they all have to be union made so its expensive. You need volunteers to hit all your buildings and pass out literature on your agenda and how you will change the local for the beneift of everyone. You need to plan vacation time around the campaign.

You have to start a grass roots campaign and work from the bottom up, and be prepared for some hostility, not that its common, but you will need some very vocal supporters that wont tuck tail and run if it hits the fan.

If you have not done any of this over the last 12 to 18 months and your election is around the corner I would pass and start doing it. You cant chance losing this election and look [itiful going back after it again in 3 years. IMO

 

[over9five]

Either way you will be noticed and heard. I am always for anyone willing to stand up an take the problem on. Good luck

Running for local office sounds like a walk in the park doesnt it? It is not!!!! If you only have a following of around 20 it would be very hard to come on the scene and be competitive. Unless your local has really upset everyone in it.

Heres a list of things you should have been doing this whole time.

Attend monthly union meetings, there is a record of who goes and who doesnt. If you dont attend, this will be brought up during the campaign.
Talk with others before and after the meetings, find where the guys/gals go for breakfast or a cold one afterwards, get to know your fellow brothers and sisters no matter what craft they are in. Address the mic, bring up issues but dont get carreid away with hearing your own voice. Dont just complain on the mic, give suggestions on how to fix issues.

You need to build up a war chest of funds to run a campaign. You need money to print flyers, tshirts, stickers, pins, and mailers, etc and they all have to be union made so its expensive. You need volunteers to hit all your buildings and pass out literature on your agenda and how you will change the local for the beneift of everyone. You need to plan vacation time around the campaign.

You have to start a grass roots campaign and work from the bottom up, and be prepared for some hostility, not that its common, but you will need some very vocal supporters that wont tuck tail and run if it hits the fan.

If you have not done any of this over the last 12 to 18 months and your election is around the corner I would pass and start doing it. You cant chance losing this election and look [itiful going back after it again in 3 years. IMO

Great posts!

 

[MobileBA]

Run Forest Run!!!! Seriously, active participation will tend to keep everyone a little honest. Good luck.

 

[just chillin']

follow any of the local 804 threads and you will get a feel of some of the possible effects and struggles of a change in leadership.

 

[The Other Side]

alwaysoverallowed,

Before you get your "yes we can" campaign going, you better start by apologizing to hall. As a former executive officer of the teamsters, I can tell you that those kinds of sentiments are better kept to YOURSELF. You need hall more than hall needs you!

Making this statement "they solely answer to hall, the UPS lackey" isnt going to help your campaign in the future.

Respecting the leadership at the Teamsters is your first priority. We can all disagree on issues, and many out there have concerns over the future of those at UPS, however, going onto a UPS board and demeaning hall shows your lack of understanding of Union politics.

Indeed, the membership has concerns over this last contract, but, when given the chance, the members didnt vote on it with a majority to reject it. Turnout was horrible (as it always is) and the membership can only blame itself, and not hall.

Running for office begins with an understanding that you may not like all the players in the game, but they are there and you have to "get along" to get along.

Why you threw halls name into the mix confuses me. If you have local issues, then solve them at the local level. There is alot more to holding office than just fist pumping with your friends in a psuedo circle jerk.

It takes a commitment that you dont seem to understand. You can gather all the disgruntled people together and hate the entire Teamster Board, but getting them to vote is another problem all together.

You mentioned the "beer runners", I am assuming you are speaking of distribution centers for some kind of beverage. What, in your capacity at ups (driver, loader, unloader,sorter, clerk) gives you the belief that you can solve the issues with another industry and completely different set of contractual agreements?

Tough talk and fist pumping can be found at any yard anywhere in the UPS network, but experienced people with the knowledge to handle complex issues, both legal and labor oriented are hard to find. Look before you leap, you may be biting off more than you can chew.

Peace.

 

[alwaysoverallowed]

Thanks everyone for your input; I will keep you posted if I decide to run. I have taken into account what steward had to say, I have been attending meeting when I made aware of them, I would have spoken up at the mic if I was allow (but was not because we did not have enough for a quorum, and haven't been for 6mos.). So if the current leadership will not hear what we are saying I will have to act. I plan on trying to schedule a meeting with the current slate and address the issues we have but if they continue to maintain the Hoffa Line then I will try and make some wakes.

 

[UPSSOCKS]

Being in a Local is like that club the little rascals had. No one takes you serious but it's kind of cute. Good Luck though. Don't forget the teamster motto "Lie, Cheat, and Steal"

 

[just chillin']

He-Man Women Haters Club!

[video=youtube;wBIC8JTQMMQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBIC8JTQMMQ&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

 

[av8torntn]

Thanks everyone for your input; I will keep you posted if I decide to run. I have taken into account what steward had to say, I have been attending meeting when I made aware of them, I would have spoken up at the mic if I was allow (but was not because we did not have enough for a quorum, and haven't been for 6mos.). So if the current leadership will not hear what we are saying I will have to act. I plan on trying to schedule a meeting with the current slate and address the issues we have but if they continue to maintain the Hoffa Line then I will try and make some wakes.

Our incumbents just got voted out of our local and it started with the feeling they were not listening to us for what it's worth.

 

[menotyou]

Being in a Local is like that club the little rascals had. No one takes you serious but it's kind of cute. Good Luck though. Don't forget the teamster motto "Lie, Cheat, and Steal"

I was wondering where you learned it from!!

 

[alwaysoverallowed]

Maybe my local, and maybe the Int., have decided to follow the creed "If you can't beat them join'em."

 

[Braveheart]

Run! We need to change leadership. When the same guys are running things for too long they can get lazy and prone to mistakes. We need to vote for Sandy Pope!

Many leaders are not up to the fight anymore. We need so real passionate leaders. Get your 20 to go recruiting. Get them to start handing out flyers before and after work. Go out on days off and meet the beer guys, the trash haulers, bus drivers, so on and so forth.

When they feel challenged they will work harder for the members.

Full steam ahead brother!

 

[JonFrum]

Thanks everyone for your input; I will keep you posted if I decide to run. I have taken into account what steward had to say, I have been attending meeting when I made aware of them, I would have spoken up at the mic if I was allow (but was not because we did not have enough for a quorum, and haven't been for 6mos.). So if the current leadership will not hear what we are saying I will have to act. I plan on trying to schedule a meeting with the current slate and address the issues we have but if they continue to maintain the Hoffa Line then I will try and make some wakes.

You're gonna put 'em in their coffins for the eternal Dirt Nap???

Yikes!!!

Seems a bit harsh.

 

[The Other Side]

In every yard, there is always someone who believes he's the next great leader of the Teamsters. Its sort of funny in some cases. In my building, we have a guy, bout 35, married with 3 kids. This guy is an "aggitator" for the company, he files over 200 grievances a year and NOT one of them is ever upheld in his favor. He runs around trying to drum up support for his "point man" status, and for the most part, we all laugh at him.

He comes in everyday and finds some reason to start a pissing match with his supervisors and CTR manager. At the end of the day, he finds himself terminated at least twice a year for the last 2 years. The drivers in his center stay clear of him and dont want to be associated with him with union issues.

He has made a mockery out of the stewards position in his center and his reputation has grown into a teamsters version of a rock thrower like you would see in egypt.

Now, He wants to run for office! Our local is up for election this year, and this guy is out front talking about how he's gonna put UPS in its place.

Unfortunately, he doesnt stand a chance in hell of winning an election here in SO.Cal but he does have about 5 people who will stand up for him. Those 5 are the type who are always in trouble, been fired, cant show up for work ontime, cant do the job correctly, always complain and generally are the center pains in the ASH.

He says similiar things, "hoffa this, hoffa that", "hall this, hall that"....blah blah blah...

He will end up spending thousands of dollars he will have to borrow for a campaign to nowhere, spend his days standing in front of hubs talking about his strong positions on the contract and on election day, I will beat him without breaking a sweat.

Reputation means everything.

I am a former executive officer with over 15 years experience dealing with contracts in 5 different industries. I have sat at the table for 3 UPS contracts, negotiated new protections in our package rider and negotiated for language in our West Supplemental.

Tough talk sounds good in the mirror, but when the rubber meets the road, who would you want in your corner?

A rock thrower? or A finisher?

Peace.

 

[alwaysoverallowed]

Here's some back story on my local to give everyone some perspective:
They have not posted any information on they Union board in our building in 2 year
We haven't had a quarm in a year because Union meetings' have not been posted or reported
Those who show up to the meetings are members on their way out, i.e. close to retirement

My 20 is made up of those who I've notified of the meetings through my inter-acting though out my personal time
I use a union trash hauler b/c they are union. At Christmas my hauler left me an envelope for a tip I gave him $20 with a note saying union meetings are the 3rd Sunday of the month at 10am(and he has since been there).
I inform the beer haulers at my local, and on route, bars about the meetings and they are now there.

We all seem to have the same problems...lack of contract enforcement.

With this I have decided to ask my local to address the issues of my 20; which actually represent a much larger group. If my local decides to ignore what is really going on I will run. I have yet to decide a group to run with me a slate. If we fail to win any seats on the board I, and we, do not mind, but we want the local to recognize that there is discontent within the union(and local) and that we want stronger contract enforcement. We have already weathered this recession but yet our companies' make millions, and in UPS's case billions, in profits based on over extenuation of the labor. All we want is an honest days work for an honest days pay and we do not feel asthough we are getting that now.

 

[alwaysoverallowed]

Pls. stop posting Lil' Rascal references on this board I'll tell Bill Cosby and he'll have your puddings' for breakfast. Just wanted to through a little humor in here.

 

[UPSSOCKS]

Pls. stop posting Lil' Rascal references on this board I'll tell Bill Cosby and he'll have your puddings' for breakfast. Just wanted to through a little humor in here.

We are still waiting for the humor..