Fight Back News Service is circulating the following letter from Teamster reform leader Richard Berg.

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Dear Friends,

Many of you know the story of Teamsters Local 743. After more than twenty years of fighting corruption, mob influence, back room deals and stolen election, we were able – with the help of the 10,000 members — to throw the crooks out of our local. We started to educate and mobilize members. We led a strike to preserve healthcare coverage for workers. We were involved in the immigrant rights movement and more.

This didn’t sit well with the employers or some old-guard Teamster officials. Teamsters President Jim Hoffa and Chicago Vice President John Coli have conspired with Local 743 Vice President Larry Davis to have Secretary Treasurer Eugenia Alvarez and I removed from office.

We are fighting back and planning to win – but we need your help to do it.

This week we filed a lawsuit in federal court demanding that we be reinstated. More importantly we demanded that we be allowed to run in the election this Fall. Let the members, not Hoffa, decide who should run Teamsters Local 743.

Of course this is going to cost a pile of money for court costs, depositions, transcripts and fees. This is why we need your help. We have established a website where you can make a donation online. If you could help with a donation of $200 it would go a long way to helping us, but whatever you can give is deeply appreciated.

Please go to www.bergalvarezdefense.org and donate today. Your money will be put to good use.

Or you can make a check out to Chicago Labor Support Committee and send it to:

Eugenia Alvarez

2147 73rd Avenue

Elmwood Park, IL 60707

Donors’ names are confidential.

Thank you for your solidarity. Please forward this appeal to others that you think may be willing to help.

Solidarity and Struggle,

Richard Berg

PS. If you want to know more about our struggle, click on “press” at the website.

#ChicagoIL #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #RichardBerg #JimmyHoffaJr