Richard Berg, a rank-and-file leader in Teamsters Local 743 has been fired. Fight Back! received a copy of an open letter that’s being circulated by Berg that calls for a protest on Jan. 11. The letter is reprinted below.

Sisters and Brothers,

Yesterday, I received a termination letter in the mail from the University of Chicago Hospitals (UCH). As many of you know UCH and Teamsters Local 743 have been trying to get rid of me for some time.

For those of you who don't know me, I was the reform presidential candidate in our recently concluded union elections. I ran on the 743 New Leadership Slate. The 743 New Leadership Slate is committed to kicking organized crime out of Local 743 and out of the Teamsters.  We have opposed the deal making between these mobster and all employers, including the University of Chicago Hospitals.

We have fought for better wages, benefits and rights for all working people. There is no doubt that this is why the University of Chicago Hospitals terminated me after 16 years of employment.

I want to thank everyone who signed our online petition at www.743newleadership.org and encourage everyone else to please go to the above address and sign it. Also, we are having a picket line in front of the Administration Building:

Time: 12:00 Noon

Place: Administration Building (Where the Credit Union is located.)   5801 S. Ellis

Date: Tuesday, January 11, 2004

I hope to see you all there. Thank you for your support. Please forward this to any friends of the Teamster Reform Movement, and any friends of justice in the rank-and-file labor movement in general.

In Solidarity and Struggle,

Richard Berg

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