Who Are The Teamsters?

The Teamsters are America’s largest, most diverse union. In 1903, the Teamsters started as a merger of the two leading team driver associations. These drivers were the backbone of America’s robust economic growth, but they needed to organize to wrest their fair share from greedy corporations. Today, the Union’s task is exactly the same.

The Teamsters are known as the champion of freight drivers and warehouse workers, but have organized workers in virtually every occupation imaginable, both professional and non-professional, private sector and public sector.

Our 1.4 million members are public defenders in Minnesota; vegetable workers in California; sanitation workers in New York; brewers in St. Louis; newspaper workers in Seattle; construction workers in Las Vegas; zoo keepers in Pennsylvania; healthcare workers in Rhode Island; bakery workers in Maine; airline pilots, secretaries and police officers. Name the occupation and chances are we represent those workers somewhere.

There are nearly 1,900 Teamster affiliates throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, with the following breakdown:
Teamsters Locals - United States
440
Teamsters Locals - Canada
35
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
and Trainmen (BLET) Locals
573
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) Locals
635
Graphics Communications Conference (GCC) Locals 206


Teamsters stand ready to organize workers who want to bargain collectively. Once a contract is negotiated and signed, the Union works to enforce it—holding management’s feet to the fire and invoking contract grievance procedures if management chooses not to. Wages and benefits under Teamster contracts are markedly better than those of non-union employees in similar jobs. Teamster contracts are the guarantors of decent wages, fair promotion, health coverage, job security, paid time-off and retirement income.

The Teamsters Union also performs vital tasks in such areas as pension management, safety & health, community outreach, governmental affairs and communications. For more than a century, the Teamsters have been a public voice for the rights and aspirations of working men and women and a key player in securing them.

HECTOR LEMUS (EL MONTE CA.) said...

I also would like to complement you guys on this website.The internet is the the best tool to organize the teamsters and educate your colleages and associates on labor rights,which most giant corporations don't want you to know,and this Corporation group operate on their own authorize laws and benefit for their own activity as a business enterprise with their own rights and duties of a single person.By now we all know who are we talking about,managements who are promise their share of the portion and contributed by their corporate greed.Remember guys you are the the back bone of this corporation,without you guys they would'nt be were they are now,sure they are going to throw their line that they have a college education,good for them and they should understand fairness for all!They also would say, we could fired you or try to, and replace you with young blood and pay them cheaper wages,but that is against the law,:(NRLA,NRLB)is there for your protection and rights.Fedex committees, keep up the spirit and dont give up on your beliefs,credence,and faith.

AN EDUCATIONAL MESSAGE said...

Employer's Disparate Enforcement of E-Mail Policy Against Union Violate NLRA,Appeal Court Rules. An employor that barred employees from using the corparate e-mail system to discuss union matters but did not prevent any other nonbusiness uses of the system violate the National Labor Relations Act,the U.S. Court of Appeals for the fourth circuit ruled (Media Gen.Operations Inc.d/b/a Richmond TimesDispatch v. NLRB,4th cir.,No 061023,unpublished opinion 3/15/07. The appeals court enforced a National Labor Relations Board order against Media General Operations Inc.,affirming that the Richmond Times-Dispatch violated the NLRA when it told the Richmond Newspapers Professional Association,which represents Times-Dispatch employees,to stop using the employer's e-mail system to discuss union matters.Although Media General had a corparate policy that forbade employees from using e-mail for nonbusiness purposes,NLRB found that employees routinely used the system for messages related to charities,social events,and personal matters without being disciplined. Selective enforcement of the policy to prohibit unionrelated messages violates the NLRA,the board decided.Affirming NRLB's conclusion,the court emphasized that Media General made no attempt to enforce its e-mail policy prohibiting nonbusiness use of the system except against those who sent union-related messages.The e-mail system was frequently used by both hourly employees and (managers)to convey news about the employees'personal lives,to arrange social events,and to inform employees about charities,"the court said."Restriction of the union's access to this communication channel,while others were allowed unfettered access,is an unfair labor practice that is prohibited by the NLRB.

JOE NUNO said...

Remember future teamster brothers and sisters,management can't (SPIT) according to the National Labor Relation Board.They can't Spy on employees,they can't Promise or promote other employees for being against the union,they can't Interrogate you and ask you about the union,and finally they can't Threaten you for being for the union or having interest in the union.That is the definition of S.P.I.T ,REMEMBER GUYS KEEP THE DIRTY SIDE DOWN,GOD BLESS AMERICA!

From The Future Teamsters of FedEx ...

Our prayers and condolences go out to the students,families and faculty of Virginia Tech.

CAMBIA A FEDEX PARA GANAR dijo ...

CAMBIA A FEDEX PARA GANAR dijo...
Conozca Sus Derechos Como Un Trabajador Inmigrante



Usted tiene el derecho de ser parte o asistir a una organización sindical en su lugar de trabajo, compañía, o taller.


Usted tiene el derecho a negociaciones colectivas con los representantes que usted escoge.


Es ilegal que un empleador discrimine en contra de usted por razones de su raza, religión, etnia o nacionalidad a pesar de su estado migratorio.


A pesar de su estado migratorio, usted tiene el derecho de reportar una queja en la corte o con una agencia del gobierno por salario no pagado, discriminación, u otras violaciones a sus derechos en su lugar de trabajo.


No importa que sean las cortes, agencias del gobierno, o cualquier otra persona a la que usted ha reportado una queja en contra, estas no deben de preguntarle sobre su estado migratorio. En la mayoría de los casos, su estado inmigratorio es irrelevante en un acción de pago para su salario.


A pesar de su estado migratorio, usted tiene el derecho a un salario mínimo y pago por horas extras según el “Fair Labor Standards Act.”


Si usted tuvo un accidente en el trabajo, existe la posibilidad a que puede ser elegible para compensación de trabajo, beneficios y tratamientos médicos, y compensación de salario perdido.

NLRA Violations

* Threatening employees with loss of jobs or benefits if they join or vote for a union or engage in protected concerted activity.
* Threatening to close the plant if employees select a union to represent them.
* Questioning employees about their union sympathies or activities in circumstances that tend to interfere with, restrain or coerce employees in the exercise of their rights under the Act.
* Promising benefits to employees to discourage their union support.
* Transferring, laying off, terminating, assigning employees more difficult work tasks, or otherwise punishing employees because they engaged in union or protected concerted activity.
* Transferring, laying off, terminating, assigning employees more difficult work tasks, or otherwise punishing employees because they filed unfair labor practice charges or participated in an investigation conducted by NLRB.

PART-TIME HEALTHCARE

With the cost of healthcare rising, I cannot imagine living without medical benefits to help my family get through any medical problems that may occur.
What I fail to understand is, that our part-time dockworkers at FedEx Freight have no medical benefits at all. Yet they can work over 20 hrs/week and still be classified as part-time employees and not receive medical benefits.
Part-time employees who work for Teamster carriers, receive medical and vision benefits if they work 60 hours per month. If for some reason, a Teamster dockworker is unable to obtain the 60 hours per month at one company, they are able to obtain the hours necessary to receive medical benefits by working at another Teamster carrier.
What do you get FedEx part-timer?
For example, a FedEx dockworker or any member of their family who are injured , is 100 percent responsible for all medical bills they acquire.
This is one more reason, FedEx employees must, BE WISE AND ORGANIZE NOW!!!

THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE said...

(FEDEX FIRINGS FOCUS OF LABOR BOARD COMPLAINT)
Fedex Corp.,the world's largest air-cargo carrier,sought to thwart a Teamsters organizing drive by firing four workers who showed interest in the union,the national labor relations board said in a complaint.Fedex also pressured some delivery employees in Northborough Massachusette.,to say whether they or colleages supported the union and told works the organizing effort in late 2005 and early 2006 would be futile, according to the complaint.Fedex has until april 13 to respond to the complaint,which is scheduled for a June 18 hearing with an administrative Law Judge.

A Message from the Administrator

As of today, comments will be monitored. This website is for FedEx employees to learn about the benefits in becoming an Union company. Sorry it has come to this, but as the administrator of this blog site, it is my job to keep to the integrity of this website.

Thank you all for participating.

-The Administrator

Fedex Teamsters Chronicles Interview with Cliff Armstrong.
Cliff is a future Teamster. He is an organizer with the Fedex Teamsters in Fontana Service Center driving Pick Up and Delivery. He is 54 years old and he has 30 years of service with Fedex Freight/Viking Freight.
Q: To the best of your knowledge how much will you receive when you retire?
A: I will receive $1100 per month with my Fedex pension. With social security I will receive $1300 per month. So a total of $2400 dollars per month. You know after 30 years of service the Fedex Pension plan stops growing for me. This simply means I won't get one penny more after 30 years with the Fedex pension, but with a teamsters Pension I will keep growing my pension until I retire. Plus I won't have any medical insurance to speak of with fedex's pension, but the Teamsters have retiree medical something fedex is too cheap to give to their employees. I guess fedex just doesn't care when the employees retire if the employees have medical insurance or not.
Q: How comfortable are you with your retirement plan from Fedex?
A: I'm not comfortable with the Fedex pension at all. New pension or old pension is all the same. A complete fantasy. There is no medical plan to fall back on. I don't know what I'll do for medical insurance when I retire. It's going to be hard for me to live on that 1100 dollar a month pension Fedex is going to give me.
Q: What do you think about the NEW revamped pension plan Fedex is putting out there now that people are unionizing?
A: With the new pension plan, with my age and years of service I think this new plan stinks. The Fedex management is trying to simulate the Teamsters pension in a much cheaper version which will hurt employees in the long run. It's similar to the Teamsters golden 80's which combines years with length of service. I will get 36,000 dollars from this pension plan that's it. This amount with the new Fedex pension plan will be drawn off of the Treasury Rate. Let's say an employee, for sake of the conversation we will call the person Bugsy, would get 50,000 dollars after ten years of service. So say Bugsy works 20 years and gets 100,000 dollars. Bugsy then after taxes on that money which is drawn in a lump sum gets 75,000 dollars. This 75,000 dollars will only last Bugsy for 1 or 2 years tops. This is a weak retirement. Both Fedex pensions are pathetic and I feel the new pension plan is even more pathetic than the old one. The Fedex Corporation stresses a 401k plan, but the 401k plan goes up and down like a yo-yo. So you have to ask yourself is this plan secure for you and your future? Or are you going to rely on a yo-yo for your retirement? Is the 401k going to be up or down?
Q: What do you think of the so-called retirement estimator being passed around by the management at Fedex Freight?
A: I think it is like Disneyland. The retirement estimator is something out of fantasy land. It is pure nonsense. It is like setting up your retirement using a crystal ball. I have worked for fedex freight/Viking for 30 tough years and I feel very insulted by this retirement estimator. Everything about the old pension was a secret for the last 30 years, but now since there is a mass interest in unionizing the company is scared a union will come in. I feel as if the pension plan should have now and always have been public information for all employees to look at anytime they want to. I don't understand all of the secrecy and lies from the management.
Q: What would be a direct impact of unionizing Fedex Freight?
A: With a union the benefits package would be included in the union dues which means we as employees would pay less in benefits per month. The dues are 2 and a half times what we make per hour. With Fedex you have Fred Smith and a lot of corporate greed going on with the employees having to bear the brunt of paying more for health insurance, a terrible pension plan, and a fantastical retirement scheme involving a 401k. What a scam. The Fedex management is just taking more and more advantage of the employees trying to get a lot paying for very little.
Q: Do you think a Union would be good or bad for Fedex Freight?
A: I think that the Teamsters Union would be great for Fedex Freight. We will have an enhanced medical plan with little to no co-pay for medical visits and prescriptions. I will have a good retirement and favoritism till soon be eliminated with a union. If the company continues to try and cut my overtime the union will step in and demand that my seniority be respected. It is about respect. Also, I will have good backup if the company tries to write me up for no good reason. This is called a grievance procedure not a sham that is done now with a gestapo type management berating employees.
Q: What kind of future do you see for the Fedex Teamsters unionizing Fedex Freight?
A: I think the Fedex Teamsters have a very positive future. I see a binding Teamsters Union contract in our future. No more empty company promises. Fedex Freight employees will make more money per hour with better benefits, but the company will also have a lower turnover rate saving money and keeping employees working. Fedex Freight tells us we have the best company, but Fedex doesn't pay us or treat us like the best. You have to ask yourself,"What's wrong with this picture?"