July 2011
RSS Content
- L & I Cites DOC For Serious Violations In Officer Biendl Murder Investigation
- Updated Hotel Info On IBT Women's Conference
- Hurry--Sign Up For the GTRC Scholarship Golf Tournament!
- Taxing The Poor: The Only Tax Increase Republicans Support
- Free Trade Deals: Lobbying Fever Foreshadows Winners, Losers
- YRCW Restructuring Plan Completed; More Than 25,000 Teamster Jobs Saved
- FedEx Package Handlers to Vote on Teamsters
- Massive Radar Could Track Baseball From Across a Continent
- Teamsters Protest BMW Greed At Dealers In Western States
- Teamsters, YRCW Approve Key Component In Restructuring Plan
- ABF Decision of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals
- JRHMSF Essay Contest Now Open!
- Register for the 2011 Teamster Women's Conference!
- In Memoriam: Stephen E. Poczlowski (Updated)
- More Than 350 Pilots Join Teamsters Local 1108
- Alderwoods Funeral Homes, Operated By Industry Giant SCI, Force Unfair Labor Practice Strike
- Hoffa Condemns Mexican Truck Pilot Program
L & I Cites DOC For Serious Violations In Officer Biendl Murder Investigation
Posted: July 29, 2011
Source: Teamster.org
After a 6-month investigation into the tragic murder of Officer Jayme Biendl in the chapel of the Monroe Correctional Complex (MCC) on January 29, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has cited the DOC for “serious” and “repeat serious” violations for its failure to provide line staff with adequate training, a failure to enforce policies with respect to post orders, and a failure to develop and implement policies designed to protect its employees.
L & I has issued a fine of $26,000 to the DOC for these violations and is requiring that the DOC implement changes to protect its employees by August 4.
L & I’s Citation and Notice following its investigation draws starkly different conclusions than the DOC’s own Critical Incident Review, which was released on July 22. While the DOC’s internal investigation implicates the officers who were on duty on the night of Officer Biendl’s murder, L & I exposes a culture of complacency and neglect on the part of DOC management with respect to its own policies and procedures.
“L & I’s investigation into the death of Officer Biendl demonstrates that the DOC failed to create a safe work environment for its employees. The organization must be held accountable and safety measures must be put into place immediately to protect all correctional employees,” said Tracey A. Thompson, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 117.
L & I’s has issued a statement that discusses the violations, with links to a copy of the citation, and a summary and timeline of the incident that occurred on January 29. L & I’s documents are available on its website at http://www.lni.wa.gov/
Updated Hotel Info On IBT Women's Conference
Posted: July 26, 2011
The 2011 Teamster Women's Conference is scheduled for August 26-28, 2011 at the Sheraton
Hotel and Towers located at 811 7th Avenue and 52nd Street, New York, New York 10019.
The opening session will be held Friday, August 26th at 2:00 p.m. and the conference will
adjourn at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 28th.
As the conference draws closer, we have some updated hotel infomation to provide you
with.
- Please call the IBT Travel Department at 1-800-428-3591 or 202-624-6999 to assist with your hotel reservations for the 2011 Women's Conference. The hotel deadline date is fast approaching and we'd like to make sure that we're able to accommodate everyone interested in making hotel reservations.
- For those of you who may have already made your reservations and no longer require the amount of rooms originally reserved, please call the IBT Travel department to release them back to the room block.
In Olympia...
Posted: July 26, 2011
Hurry--Sign Up For the GTRC Scholarship Golf Tournament!
Posted: July 26, 2011
Source:GTRC Golf Committee
The Retirees Club has received 16 applications for scholarships. The
Club is working very hard to provide as many scholarships as possible.
To date, there are only 24 participants in the golf tournament. The
date of the tournament is August 4, 2011.
The Tournament will be held at Foster Golf Links in Tukwila, WA. Play will begin at 8:00 AM
with a modified shotgun start.
The $85.00 entry fee per player includes golf, cart and lunch. In addition to Handicap,
Calloway, Raffle, and "Hole-in-one" prizes, we will also have a "Poison Ball" chalIenge.
If you do not have a foursome, we can put you in one!
Download the registration flyer here.
Taxing The Poor: The Only Tax Increase Republicans Support
Posted: July 26, 2011
Source: Think Progress
Throughout the debate about raising the federal debt ceiling, Republicans have denied deal after deal because Democrats insist on adding new revenues to trillions of dollars in spending cuts. Republicans have opposed repealing oil and gas subsidies, removing a tax loophole for corporate jet owners, letting the Bush tax cuts expire, and all other forms of revenue Democrats have suggested. Raising taxes in a weak economy, they argue, is unthinkable — even if conservative patriarch Ronald Reagan did just that.
But there is one tax increase some Republicans seem to favor: raising taxes on the working poor, senior citizens, and other low-income Americans.
While they fight the expiration of the budget-busting Bush tax cuts, Republicans have continually cited a report that shows that 51 percent of Americans don’t pay income taxes, even admitting that middle- and lower-class Americans need to shoulder a larger burden in deficit reduction efforts.
[...] Republicans, of course, ignore why most of the 51 percent do not pay income taxes and the myriad ways in which they are subject to other forms of taxation. The majority who do not pay federal income taxes simply do not make enough money to qualify for even the lowest tax bracket. But they do contribute through payroll, state, and sales taxes. Less than a quarter of Americans don’t contribute to federal tax receipts, and the majority of those are students, the elderly, or the unemployed.
Meanwhile, the richest Americans are paying less than they were a generation ago, leaving the United States with one of the largest income gaps in the industrialized world.
Read the complete source story here.
Free Trade Deals: Lobbying Fever Foreshadows Winners, Losers
Posted: July 26, 2011
Source: Teamster.org
WASHINGTON -- The three major free trade agreements Congress will soon consider are being promoted as a big win for American workers. But take a good look at who's lobbying for them most enthusiastically, and it becomes evident that the biggest winners will be giant multinational corporations -- and the countries on the other end of the deals.
The agreements would knock down any number of barriers and regulations currently limiting the unfettered flow of capital and goods between the U.S. and three countries: Korea, Colombia and Panama.
The agreements would ideally bring greater trade and wealth to all four economies; they would offer U.S. financial services huge new opportunities, while lowering costs for the nation's mega-retailers.
And they could potentially send hundreds of thousands more American jobs overseas.
[...]Ground zero for the free-trade lobby is the U.S.-Korea FTA Business Coalition, a group convened by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and led by the top lobbyists for Boeing, Chevron, Pfizer, Goldman Sachs and Citigroup. The group's central lobbying argument is that the deal will "create new American jobs and opportunities for economic growth by immediately removing barriers to U.S. goods and services in Korea."
The biggest of the big-business coalitions -- the National Association of Manufacturers, the Business Roundtable, the Financial Services Roundtable, the American Farm Bureau, Big Pharma and the Retail Industry Leadership Association -- are all lobbying hard as well, along with a slew of individual mega-corporations.
Combined, the pro-trade agreement forces spend literally tens of millions of dollars a month on lobbying.
"We're not unused to feeling outgunned," said Cass Johnson, president of the National Council of Textile Organizations, which represents factory owners. "But when the National Association of Manufacturers, the Business Roundtable and the Chamber of Commerce say 'We'll spend whatever it takes,' and they're spending millions of dollars, well, there's just no comparison to what the small domestic groups can do to counter that."
"There are dozens of lobbyists from those groups knocking on doors on Capitol Hill every single day," Johnson said.
"It's not a fair fight," agreed Michael Stumo, president of the Coalition for a Prosperous America, which counts among its members the owners of companies that produce brass, chemicals and machine tools. "It's the transnationals versus the domestic producers and domestic manufacturers," he said.
The deep-pocketed lobbying effort also extends to funding massive "grassroots" campaigns in select congressional districts -- mailings, robocalls, fundraising events and more.
Trade deals are attractive to multinationals for obvious reasons. Huge retailers see the potential for cheaper goods, major financial institutions see benefits in access to new markets and the free flow of capital, pharmaceutical companies get extended patent protection and perhaps most important, multinational companies with huge amounts of capital see opportunities to shift their global supply chains to maximize their bottom lines. More often than not, that means moving more American jobs offshore.
Small, domestic companies, by contrast, get the short end of the free trade stick. Unable to seize the same opportunities available to multinationals, they risk losing market share and having to cut production -- and jobs.
Indeed, the bottom line for the average American is that these agreements are job killers.
Read the complete source story here.
YRCW Restructuring Plan Completed; More Than 25,000 Teamster Jobs Saved
Posted: July 23, 2011
Source: Teamster.org
Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa's Statement
on New YRCW CEO, Board
The following is a statement from Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on YRCW's new CEO and board of directors: "The Teamsters Union is pleased to welcome James L. Welch to the position of CEO of YRC Worldwide Inc. and new board members Harry J. Wilson and Doug Carty. On behalf of our members, we insisted on playing a key role in the decisions regarding the selection of new management and the new board of directors of YRCW.
"We encouraged consideration of candidates that had relevant industry operating experience so the company can turn its full attention to its operations. We also encouraged consideration of candidates with experience in dealing with the company's labor partners in an honest and respectful manner.
"We are very pleased that the new YRCW board of directors was seated and has selected Mr. Welch, who we believe is the most qualified person to lead YRCW forward. We look forward to working with Mr. Welch and the new board to help guide YRCW's sustained success and build on the momentum of this restructuring."
“The completion of the restructuring is a significant accomplishment in our efforts to preserve good jobs,” Hoffa said. “Make no mistake, this transaction will help strengthen YRCW and most importantly, save more than 25,000 Teamsters’ jobs at the company.
“It has been a long, difficult road for our members at YRCW. Their significant sacrifices, support and hard work laid the foundation for the comprehensive restructuring that infused new capital, created additional liquidity, reduced debt and installed a new CEO and board. Because of the restructuring, YRCW will now have the cash to focus on operations and a new CEO and board to implement its operating plan. With these difficult three years behind us, we can look forward to a brighter future.”
The transaction provides a large boost in liquidity via a $100 million new money investment as well as expanded availability from the company’s asset-based lending facilities. It gives YRCW a runway to build on the positive momentum developed over the last six months. In addition to the financial benefits of the transaction, the company has appointed an entirely new board of directors, including two representatives nominated by the Teamsters. A new CEO, appointed by a committee led by the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) and lenders, will also be joining YRCW.
“General President Hoffa and I are proud that this important transaction has closed and our members’ jobs and benefits will be protected,” said Tyson Johnson, Director of the Teamsters National Freight Division. “The Teamsters Union and its members look forward to being a part of YRCW’s future growth and success—both as owners and employees. Over the next several months, Teamster leaders and our board representatives will work with the new management team to help guide YRCW’s sustained success and build on this momentum.”
Also as part of the transaction, the Teamsters Union and TNFINC have negotiated a 25 percent ownership stake in YRCW for Teamster members.
FedEx Package Handlers to Vote on Teamsters
Posted: July 21, 2011
Source: Labor Notes
If 71 package handlers at the FedEx Ground warehouse in Brockton, Massachusetts, win the union election scheduled for August 3, it will be the first time ever for package handlers at the giant non-union shipper. They're facing a fierce anti-union campaign.
A top issue is poverty wages; all the workers are part-time, starting at $10.50 an hour with a maximum wage of $14.50 after four years. "Since there's no seniority," said one worker, "personal friends of managers typically get the full-time jobs or promotions."
He said workers have to load packages that include 150-pound engine blocks, working in trailers that go down to 2 degrees in t
he winter and 115 in the summer.
Brockton workers looking to unionize contacted Teamsters Local 653 and signed up 75 percent of their co-workers. They kept the union drive hidden from management for months.
FedEx fights tooth and nail at the legislative and judicial levels to keep unions out, defending its misuse of "independent contractor" status for their drivers at FedEx Ground, for example. The practice places them outside the protection of numerous labor and employment laws.
The Senate passed a reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration bill last year that excluded a provision making it easier for FedEx workers to unionize.
The Teamsters and UPS had supported a bill that would level the playing field by putting FedEx under the same labor laws that cover UPS. Since the legislative failing, the International union has shifted its attention to FedEx over-the-road drivers in the freight division.
~~
UPDATE
FedEx won a NLRB ruling delaying the election to August 12th. On a positive note, it looks like 55 people will be eligible to vote in the election. Workers say this is more accurate number of voters than the 71 workers FedEx claimed in the original petition process. FedEx was trying to include supervisors, administrators and who knows who else in the 71.
Read the complete source story here.
Massive Radar Could Track Baseball From Across a Continent
Posted July 19, 2011
Source: The Seattle PI
SBX Radar at Vigor [Todd] Shipyard
But the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's Boeing-built Sea-Based X-band Radar (pdf), which pulled into Seattle in May, can track tiny objects from across a continent and send targeting information to a laser.
“You could put the SBX in the Chessapeake Bay and it could track something the size of a baseball hit outside here from Safeco Field, provided it could get over the curvature of the earth,” Army Col. Mark Arn, the Missile Defense Agency’s project manager for the X-band sensors, said Wednesday.
Of course, the billion-dollar radar is designed to track missiles, not baseballs. It is scheduled to spend about 90 days at Seattle’s Vigor [Todd] Shipyards for maintenance and upgrades, including adding the ability to plug into shore power, rather than having to use its six diesel generators while in port, and adding redundant power and radar systems, because the radar is spending more time at sea — more than 300 days in one year — than originally expected, Arn said.
Vigor is one of only a couple of ship yards on the West Coast capable of handlign the radar, and the one that fit its schedule, Arn said. Boeing — the prime contractor on the Missile Defense Agency’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense program — is performing the work, with Vigor as a subcontractor, under a $27.1 million contract.
The missile-tracking radar, enclosed in the big white dome is octagonal and 85 feet across. The smaller domes are for such side tasks as satellite communications and weather tracking.
The entire vessel is about 240 feet wide, 390 feet long and 280 feet from the keel to the top of the radar dome. That’s about the height and width of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, but one-third the length.
It typically cruises at about 7 knots, although it can go a little faster, can semi-submerse for extra stability and can operate in the roughest seas — sea states 8 and 9, Arn said.
The radar has berths for 100 people but typically has 85 to 90 civilian contractors serving two months at a time, Arn said.
Oh, and it’s unique.
“This is one of a kind,” Arn said. “There are no plans at this time to build another one.”
Teamsters Protest BMW Greed At Dealers In Western States
Posted: July 13, 2011
Source: Teamster.org
174 MEMBERS IN ACTION:
Click on images for larger view
The protesters distributed leaflets and held banners that read “BMW: The Ultimate Misery” to inform BMW customers about BMW’s plan to fire almost all its Ontario employees later this summer and immediately re-open the facility the very next day with a cheaper, inexperienced work force.
Teamsters Local 495 represents 65 workers at the Ontario parts distribution facility.
“Taxpayers gave billions of dollars in bailout money to auto companies in order to grow the economy and save American jobs, but BMW is doing just the opposite,” said Randy Cammack, International Vice President and President of Teamsters Joint Council 42. “BMW got bailed out with nearly $4 billion in top-secret low-interest federal loans and in exchange, they are mocking America’s plant closing laws and destroying working families.”
BMW workers and their families also protested outside the L.A. Dodgers-Anaheim Angels baseball games earlier this month, distributing leaflets to fans that read “BMW Wants L.A. to Lose [Good Jobs]”. An aerial banner flown over the stadium also read “BMW Wants L.A. to Lose.”
“BMW would never be allowed to get away with this in Germany,” said Bob Lennox, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 495. “Many of these employees have worked there for 10, 20, 30 years. They think they can take an American taxpayer bailout and then treat their American workers in a way they would never dare to treat their German employees.”
U.S. Congressional leaders have criticized BMW for this move against its American workers. The Los Angeles Times recently blasted BMW’s move, accusing it of “eviscerating the middle class.”
BMW is America’s most popular automaker for luxury-class autos and saw the highest earnings ever in its 95-year history last quarter. BMW had global sales of almost $81 billion in 2010, or about $848,000 per employee, ranking it number 82 on Fortune’s Global 500 Companies. BMW also received over $3.6 billion in secret low-interest loans during the 2008-2009 U.S. taxpayer bailout.
Teamsters, YRCW Approve Key Component In Restructuring Plan
Posted: July 12, 2011
Source: Teamster.org
Teamsters General President Hoffa and The Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee (TNFINC) are pleased to announce further positive momentum in the restructuring plan to protect 25,000 Teamster freight jobs at YRC Worldwide, Inc. (YRCW).
TNFINC, along with lenders and YRCW, has approved final terms for an asset-based lending facility, which will provide part of the necessary ongoing operational liquidity for the company. The placement of this facility is a key component of the restructuring and pre-condition to closing the transaction. As a result of finalizing the terms of the facility, YRCW filed an amended Form S-1 with the SEC earlier today.
”The approval of this facility is another important step in the restructuring process which we are pleased to have completed. We now are nearing the finish line on this important transaction that will help save 25,000 Teamster jobs at YRCW,” Hoffa said. “We are encouraged by the continued support of the company’s existing lender group and advisors to help push towards closing the transaction and maintain the positive momentum that YRCW and its employees have worked for over the last 2 years.”
The asset-based facilities, agreed to following extensive review of financing options by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and its advisors, will provide maximum liquidity and flexibility for operations going forward, with a structure to help put the company in a much stronger financial and operational position.
As previously stated in the Teamsters’ February 28 and April 29 press releases, the restructuring will help address key provisions of the Restructuring Plan/MOU by providing significant liquidity to YRCW, including $100 million of new capital and increased liquidity from the new asset-based lending (ABL) facilities. Additionally, the restructuring will reduce company debt in the future to help pave the way for a healthier YRCW going forward.
Pending the union’s continued review and support of negotiations and documentation, the transaction remains on track to close no later than July 22 as previously announced.
“Throughout the negotiation process, we have fought to protect our members’ jobs and benefits,” said Tyson Johnson, Director of the Teamsters National Freight Division and International Vice President. “General President Hoffa and I are heartened by YRCW’s progress operationally and in the transaction. We will continue to work with our freight members to help push the restructuring to close.”
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hard-working men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Go to www.teamster.org for more information.
ABF Decision of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals
Posted July 13, 2011
Source: Teamster.org
To: ABF Local Unions and Members
From: Tyson Johnson, Co-Chairman, TNFINC
Re: ABF Decision of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals
Date: July 12, 2011
On July 6, 2011, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit in St. Louis, MO issued its decision on the appeal filed by ABF in its lawsuit against the union and the YRCW companies, regarding the financial relief that was given to the YRCW companies to help them survive the worst economic recession since the Great Depression. As you may recall, the U.S. District Court in Little Rock, AR in December 2010 dismissed ABF's suit on a technical basis stating that ABF did not have standing or the legal right to bring its lawsuit.
Without deciding whether there is merit to ABF's allegations in its suit, the Appeals Court merely said that ABF could process its case so that the district court can determine whether or not there is evidence to support ABF's claim that the union and YRCW did not have the right under the NMFA to negotiate the wage, benefit, and work-rule relief in the memoranda of agreement. While the case is being processed, the union, YRCW, and ABF will, through the discovery process, be able to present evidence and obtain the evidence relied on by all parties to support their positions. The discovery process should take about six months.
The Appeals Court decision does not mean that ABF has the right to the same economic relief as provided YRCW. Also, the decision does not require the union to go back to the bargaining table with ABF. As mentioned above, the decision only requires that ABF's lawsuit be processed before the district court. We will keep you informed of all developments in this matter. Download the flyer here.
JRHMSF Essay Contest Now Open!
Source: Teamster.org
The 2011 James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund Essay Contest is now open for applications. This year, 50 students will be awarded $1,000.00 in scholarships. The deadline to apply is September 30, 2011. For eligibility requirements and other details about the contest, download the following information.
In Memoriam: Stephen E. Poczlowski
Updated: Tuesday, July 7, 2011
Source: Teamster.org
On July 2, the Teamsters lost one of their top leaders when Local 705 SecretaryTreasurer
Stephen E. Pocztowski passed away suddenly.
Pooztowski spent the last two weeks at the 28tl1 International Convention. His week was
highlighted by his nomination to the General Executive Board as Central Region
International Vice President on June 29.
Pooztowski was preparing to return home to Chioago when he was rushed to a Las
Vegas-area hospital where he passed away.
He is survived by his wife Linda and two
sons, Stephen and Kevin.
"We mourn the sudden passing of a great Teamster leader. Steve Pocztowski was a
fighter for Local 705 members and their families," said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General
President. "My thoughts and prayers are with him, his family and his members during
this diffioult time."
Pocztowski joined Local 705 as a part-time employee at United Parcel Service in 1974.
Two years later, Pocztowski became a driver for UPS and became a steward in 1981. He
joined the staff of Local 705 as a Business Agent in 1994, and won the position of
Elected Business Agent in 1995. In 1997, Pocztowski was elected to the Local 705
Exeoutive Board as Trustee. Six years later, he ran for the position of Seoretary-Treasurer
and, for the first time in Local 705's history, beat the incumbent. He joined the Joint
Council 25 Executive Board as a Trustee in 2008.
The wake for Pocztowski will be 4-8 p.m., Friday, July 8 at Kisselburg-Wauconda Funeral Home, 235 N. Main Street, Wauconda, IL 60084.
A funeral mass will be 10 a.m., Saturday, July 9 at the Transfiguration Catholic Church, 316 W. Mill Street, Wauconda.
More Than 350 Pilots Join Teamsters Local 1108
Posted: July 7, 2011
Source: Teamster.org
More than 350 CitationAir Pilots voted to join the Teamsters Union today, announced Capt. David Bourne, Director of the Teamsters Airline Division. After the National Mediation Board (NMB) certifies the election, the pilots will become members of Local 1108 and join more than 75,000 airline industry workers currently represented by the Teamsters Airline Division.
"The Teamsters Union looks forward to working with the pilots of CitationAir to preserve and improve their compensation, benefits, work rules and just-cause job protections under a union contract, like those guaranteed at other fractional operators we have organized," Bourne said. "These rights will be secured by an enforceable contract, rather than promulgated by the company 'for informational purposes only,' as in the past."
CitationAir is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Cessna Aircraft Company. It provides private aviation services through fractional jet ownership or the purchase of prepaid flight hours. Its fleet consists of 84 Cessna Citations that are operated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hard-working men and women in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
Alderwoods Funeral Homes, Operated By Industry Giant SCI, Force Unfair Labor Practice Strike
Posted: July 7, 2011
Source: Teamster.org
The funeral industry giant that operates four Alderwoods funeral homes in the Chicago area has forced Teamsters Local 727 to file unfair labor practice charges at the National Labor Relations Board and its employees to strike. The union-represented funeral directors, embalmers and livery drivers voted overwhelmingly to strike late Tuesday night.
"Our members don't want to go on strike, but they have been pushed into a corner," said John Coli Jr., President of Teamsters Local 727, which represents more than 450 Chicagoland funeral industry workers. "This corporation has unmercifully bullied these hardworking men and women for years."
Teamsters Local 727 filed unfair labor practices charges against the company for bad faith bargaining and direct dealing. Alderwoods is owned by Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI) and operates under the Dignity Memorial brand name. The Houston, Texas-based corporation is the largest provider of death-care products and services in North America, operating more than 1,800 funeral homes nationwide.
The 16 Alderwoods employees are set to walk out on Tuesday, July 12. Teamsters Local 727 already has been taking steps to notify the public of the labor dispute. The union is operating a hotline at (847) 696-7500 to direct families to alternative locations to make funeral arrangements. Read complete source story here.
Hoffa Condemns Mexican Truck Pilot Program
Posted: July 6, 2011
Source: Teamster.org
(WASHINGTON) – Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today castigated the U.S. Department of Transportation for agreeing to open the border to long-haul Mexican trucks. Opening the border endangers America's highway safety, border security and warehouse and trucking jobs.
Hoffa said the program is probably illegal because it grants permanent operating authority to Mexican trucks after 18 months in the so-called "pilot program" outlined in the proposed rule published in the Federal Register. Congress has not granted DOT the legal authority to do so, Hoffa said. Further, DOT would use money from the Highway Trust Fund to pay for electronic on-board recorders for Mexican trucks. Hoffa questioned whether DOT can do that legally.
"Opening the border to dangerous trucks at a time of high unemployment and rampant drug violence is a shameful abandonment of the DOT's duty to protect American citizens from harm and to spend American tax dollars responsibly," Hoffa said.
"This so-called pilot program is a concession to multinational corporations that send jobs to Mexico. It erodes our national security. It endangers motorists. It ignores the rampant corruption among Mexican law enforcement. It lowers wages and robs jobs from hard-working American truck drivers and warehouse workers.
"It adds insult to injury to force U.S. taxpayers to pay for monitoring equipment on Mexican trucks so Mexican carriers can take away their jobs," Hoffa said. "The DOT shows more loyalty to the Mexican people than it does to Americans."
The Obama administration closed the border to unsafe Mexican trucks in February 2009 after Congress shut off funds for the cross-border pilot program. Mexico retaliated with excessive tariffs. The Teamsters for two years have urged the administration to bring a challenge against Mexico for imposing excessive tariffs on U.S. goods.
"This pilot program doesn't even meet NAFTA's requirement that the Mexican government grant comparable authority to U.S. trucks. No trucking company or driver in their right mind would travel in Mexico under the State Department's current travel warning," Hoffa said.
Read the complete source story here.
Register for the 2011 Teamster Women's Conference!
Reposted: July 13, 2011 (Originally Posted: May 31, 2011)
Source: Teamster.org
The 2011 Teamster Women's Conference is scheduled for August 26-28, 2011 at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in New York, New York. The opening session will be held Friday, August 26th at 2:00 p.m. and the conference will adjourn at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 28th.
A room block has been set up at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, located at 811 7th Avenue and 53rd Street, New York, New York 10019. To receive the special Women's Conference room rate of $199.00, please call the hotel at 212-581-1000 before the deadline date of July 28, 2011 and mention that you're with the IBT Women's Conference.
Registration for the conference can be done in one of two ways:
- Go to www.teamster.org/women to register online, or
- Fill out the attached registration form and fax it to 202-624-6851.
The Schedule for the Women's Conference is:
Friday, August 26, 2011
- 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Registration
- 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Opening Session
- 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Welcome Reception
Saturday and Sunday, August 27-28, 2011
- 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. General Session/Workshops
TRAVEL: If you would like assistance with your travel arrangements, please call Teamster Travel Services at 1-800-428-3591.
REGISTRATION/CONFERENCE INFO: If you have any questions regarding the conference, please call Vicky Matullo at 202-624-8724.