Berg es el Presidente de la lista por un Nuevo Liderato del Local 743. Berg fue entrampado por un empleado, que a su vez fue pagado por la administración y los corruptos lideres del sindicato. En febrero 24, Berg fue llevado a una Corte Kangaroo (Corte Parcializada). Allí lo acusaron de racista. Los jueces y los corruptos líderes del sindicato rehusaron permitir la lectura de una petición en apoyo de Berg como evidencia. Esta petición fue firmada por más de 80 de sus compañeros de trabajo. Es de anotar que la petición fue firmada por casi todos los afro americanos del sindicato en HUC, la petición decía: “El compañero Berg siempre ha tratado a todos los miembros con dignidad y respeto de acuerdo con la (IBT) constitución y reglamento del Local 743. Nosotros estamos orgullosos de que el sea el representante (Steward) del Local 743 de la HUC.”

Berg esta esperando la decisión de los oficiales vendidos del Local. El puede recibir sanciones muy duras, tales como ser suspendido del comité de las negociaciones del UCH. Además, puede ser impedido de competir en contra de los corruptos líderes del Local 743. También, hay rumores de que puede ser expulsado del Internacional Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT).

Berg fue franco en la última Convención Internacional. De allí que se piense que Jimmy Hoffa, el actual presidente de los Teamsters, firme las sanciones decididas por su sequito.

Las elecciones robadas del 2001 condujeron a la lucha por las reformas del reglamento.

Robert Watson es el presidente del Local 743, el se tomo esta posición a través de medios ilegales. Richard Berg fue candidato a presidente y jefe de la lista por Nuevo Liderato del local sindical mencionado. Watson utilizo el poder que le da esta posición para seleccionar los jueces. Los jueces anularon cientos de votos en favor de Berg. Toda vía más, muchos más votos de una casilla postal fueron desaparecidos que eran en favor de Berg. De esta casilla postal había solo una llave y esta llave la tenia un miembro de la lista que encabezaba Watson.

Jim Fennerty es un abogado de la lista por un Nuevo Liderato del Local 743, señalo: “Esto es muy obvio. Se trata de un ataque a Berg por parte de la pandilla de Watson. Ellos están utilizando el poder que les dan las posiciones robadas para negar a los miembros del sindicato un Vocero.”

La coincidencia de estas acciones tan cronometradas no es un milagro. El 1 de marzo ocurrió una histórica elección sobre los s reglamentos del Local sindical. Por primera vez desde que el Local fue establecido en el 1938. La lista de la base realizo un gran esfuerzo para cambiar los reglamentos a través de una campana llamada de Dignidad y Respeto. Las falsas acusaciones a Berg son un atentado para derrotar este esfuerzo de los trabajadores.

El esfuerzo para cambiar el reglamento tenia el propósito de dar fuerza a los reclamos de los miembros de la base del Local 743. Los cambios requerían que los líderes vendidos del sindicato lucharan por los trabajadores y pararan de hacer negociaciones a espaldas de los trabajadores. Estos cambios requerían que el Local sindical informara a los miembros de sus derechos y más importante que se llamara a una elección limpia y transparente.

Watson como presidente del Local 743 no puede permitir que los trabajadores dirijan su sindicato y tengan voz y voto en sus asuntos. Es por esto, que Watson gasto miles de dólares del sindicato para derrotar estas propuestas. Como consecuencia de estas maniobras ilegales, Watson ha permitido que Richard Berg sea acusado con cargos totalmente falsos.

Durante la noche de la elección sobre los cambios al reglamento del Local 743, grupos de trabajadores marcharon a través del recinto de la unión, llamando a una elección limpia y justicia para Richard Berg.

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #NewLeadershipSlate #RichardBerg #TonyCaldera #BobWalston

Chicago IL – Intentaron robar la elección del local 743 del Sindicato de Camioneros (Teamsters) pero los agarraron con las manos en la masa. Bob Walston, Diane Strickland y los demas oficiales del 743 no pudieron ganar una elecciòn por si solos, de modo que recurrieron a la fraude. La elección fue entre la planilla de base de “Liderato Nuevo” contra los elementos corrutos de la vieja guardia.

“Los ladrones roban, esto es un hecho de la vida” dijo Richard Berg, candidato reformistsa en la Planilla Liderato Nuevo, “pero los trabajadores miembros del local 743 no pueden y no deben permitir que estos rateros nos roben nuestro sindicato. No pertenece a los caciques, a la mafia, sino a los trabajadores. No vamos a permitir que la justica, la democracia y nuestra dignidad nos sean robados. Vamos a pelear esto hasta al fin”.

Jimmy Hoffa, hijo, actual presidente internacional de los “Teamsers”, respaldó a la planilla de Walston, y es conocido como un vendido.

¡Un Robo!

El robo de la elección no se hizo en una forma especialmente inteligente. Contrataron a su propio tipo, James Dehann, para manejar a la elección. Pero Dehann no alquiló una caja postal para las balotas de la elección; permitió que Diane Strickland, parte de la planilla de Hoffa, lo hiciera. Esto le dio a ella accesso 24 horas al día a las balotas de la membrasía.

Cuando los miembros de la planilla Liderato Nuevo tomaron a Dehann y a la planilla de Hoffa presentandose en masa para observar cada paso de la elección, no pudieron ocultar al robo. “Encontramos que mas de 300 balotas que se regresaron habían desaparecido bajo su custodia. Cientos de balotas extras aparecieron de quien sabe done” dijo Berg.

En el día en que se contó el voto, Dehann se vio oblicado a recurrir a medidas extraordinarias para evidtar que la Planilla Liderato Nuevo tomara control. Un ejemplo: No permitió que nadie menos el mismo retara a los votantes cuestionables. El oficial de elecciones nobrado por Walston, en plena violación de la constitución del sindicato, eliminó el derecho de cuestionar a las credenciales de las balotas. Cuando Richard Berg señaló lo mal hecho, Dehann le amenazó con arresto y explusión de la propiedad del sindicato.

Este robo es solo uno de una serie de robos cometidos por los actuales oficiales. Esta misma gente causó la quiebra de la unión de crédito del local 743, dando muchos préstamos cuestionables a sus amigotes. Bajo su custodio mas de $16 millones desaparecieron del Fondo de Salud y Bienestar dejandolo en la quiebra tambien.

“Todo mundo ya sabe sus movidas, no pueden ya ganar una elección limppia” dijo Edwin Soto de la Planilla de Liderato Nuevo. “Por eso tienen que recurrir a estas medidas”.

Sigue la Lucha

La planilla Liderato Nuevo ha decidido seguir luchando en contra de este último robo por parte de los Hoffaistas, hasta al fin. La planilla Liderato Nuevo ha levantado cargos con el Consejo Conjunto de los Teamsters tamien está haciendo preparativas para ir al Departamento de Trabajo y a las cortes. “Sabemos que ganamos a esta elección” dijo Debra Simmons, candidata para Tesorera de la Planilla Liderato Nuevo, “no vamos a paraar hasta que se remuevan a estos elementos corruptos del local 743”

La verdadera controversia es de la representación. En todos los 175 y mas lugares donde trabajan miembros del local 743, un contrato estipula todo desde los salarioos a reglas de trabajos y procederes para reclamar una queja, y mucho mas. “Estas personas no han negociado un contrato decente desde ser nombrados” dijo Richard Berg. “Los miembros del local 743 sabemos que están acostados con la gerencia, y estamos hartos. No vamos a descansarnos hasta que se vayan”.

Durante la campaña, la planilla Liderato Nuevo pressntó un plan para acabar con la corrupción en el local 743, hacer que los oficiales locales rindan cuentas a la membrasía, y empezar a gastar las cuotas de los miembros en ellos y no en enriquecer a unos cuantos funcionarios hoffaistas.

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #NewLeadershipSlate #BobWalston #fraudeElectoral

Chicago, IL – They tried to steal the Teamsters Local 743 election and they were caught red handed. Bob Walston, Diane Strickland and the rest of the 743 old guard officers could not win an election on their own, so they resorted to cheating. The election race pitted the rank-and-file New Leadership Slate against the corrupt, mob-tied, old guard.

“Thieves steal, this is a fact of life,” said Richard Berg, the reform candidate for President on the 743 New Leadership Slate, “but the working members of Local 743 will not and cannot let these thieves steal our union from us. Local 743 is our union; it does not belong to the boss, or the mafia, but only to the workers. We will not allow justice, democracy or our dignity to be stolen. We will fight this until the end.”

Jimmy Hoffa, Jr., who heads the International Teamsters, backed the Walston slate and is known as a sell-out.

Robbery!

The stealing of the election was not particularly clever. They hired their own guy, James Dehann, to run the election. Instead of Dehann renting the post office boxes used in the election, he allowed Hoffa slate member Diane Strickland to do it. This gave her 24-hour access to members' ballots.

When 743 New Leadership Slate members surprised Dehann and Hoffa slate members by showing up in big numbers to observe each part of the process, they could not hide their theft. “We found that over 300 returned ballots had disappeared under their watch. Hundreds of extra printed ballots showed up out of nowhere,” said Richard Berg.

On the day of the count, Dehann needed to resort to extraordinary measures to prevent the 743 New Leadership Slate from taking office. For example, he would not allow anyone except himself to challenge questionable votes. The Walston-appointed election officer, in clear violation of the Teamsters constitution, threw out the standard practice of allowing all parties involved to challenge the ballots. When Richard Berg pointed out their misdeeds, Dehann threatened to have him arrested and thrown off union property.

This theft is one a series of thefts committed by the current officers. These same people drove the Local 743 Credit Union to bankruptcy after many questionable loans to their cronies. Under their watch, over $16 million disappeared from the Local 743 Health and Welfare Fund, leaving it insolvent, too.

“Everyone knows their game, they can no longer win a fair election,” said 743 New Leadership Slate member Edwin Soto, “that is why they must resort to these measures.”

Fight Continues

The 743 New Leadership Slate has vowed to fight this latest theft by the Hoffa slate to the end. The 743 New Leadership Slate has filed charges with the Teamsters Joint Council and is preparing to go to the Department of Labor and to the courts. “We know we won this election,” said Debra Simmons, candidate for Secretary Treasurer on the 743 New Leadership Slate, “we will not stop until these corrupt officials have been removed from Local 743.”

The real issue is representation. In all of the 175-plus shops where members of Local 743 work, a contract spells out everything from rates of pay to work rules to grievance procedures and more. “These people haven't negotiated a decent contract since they were appointed,” said Richard Berg, “the members of Local 743 know they are in bed with management and we are sick and tired of it. We won't rest until they are gone.”

During the campaign, the New Leadership Slate outlined a plan to stop the corruption in Local 743, make Local officers more accountable to the members and start spending dues money on the members – instead lining the pockets of a few Hoffa officers.

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #NewLeadershipSlate #BobWalston #electionFraud

“We know how they did it,” declared Richard Berg, the reform candidate for president with the New Leadership Slate (NLS). “The union hacks threatened workers would lose their jobs if they didn’t vote for the current officers,” charged Berg, “And the election monitor collaborated with them. For example, she refused to allow us to see the ballots returned for bad addresses. In the election in October, they stole these ballots and tried to vote them.”

The rank-and-file workers in the NLS stopped the theft of the officers’ election two months ago by catching the old guard stealing those ballots. Then the criminals made up an excuse to stop the vote count and called for a new election.

“We doubled our efforts and increased our turnout by 50%. The Unity Slate increased their turnout by 110%. We know they don’t have this kind of support among the union members,” explained Tony Caldera, candidate for secretary treasurer with the NLS. Marcela Garcia, NLS vice-presidential candidate, remarked on what she found in her visits to factories throughout the union, “Every Latino, every immigrant, every worker we have talked to told us they were supporting us.”

Despite the setback, Garcia and other Silver Capital workers will continue to fight for the rights of immigrant workers. “The struggle continues, in this corrupt union and across this country, and we will be there, building a fighting workers’ movement.”

“We are on our way to turning this union back over to the members,” announced Berg. “Our victory in the Oct. 16 election is proof that we are the winners and Bob Walston and his gang are thieves, and losers.

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #NewLeadershipSlate #RichardBerg #BobWalston #electionFraud

The current officers stopped the ballot count in the first election. “Everybody knows why. They were losing,” declared Donny Von Moore, a supporter of the opposition 743 New Leadership Slate (NLS).

When Local 743 President Walston ended the ballot count on Oct. 18, the NLS was ahead by a slim margin. There were disputed ballots, but many of those were ballots cast by the Silver Capital workers. These votes were certain to go for the NLS. The old-guard candidate for vice president, Jose Galvan, had sold out these workers earlier this year. [See related article.]

The gangsters stole the election three years ago to get into office. This fall, they were looking at the end of their cushy jobs with six figure salaries. They had to come up with an excuse to call off the election. Grasping at straws, they declared that the election was so flawed that the members wouldn’t see it as legitimate. They ordered a new one.

The Teamsters for a Democratic Union called it, “A Chicago twist on an old trick: Vote until you get it right.” The officers’ action was based on a protest filed by Richard Berg. Berg is the presidential candidate of the NLS. He described how the officials had dismissed many protests he filed, and then chose to grant one and order a new election when they faced defeat. “Think about it. They’re saying ‘stop the election because we’re so corrupt and incompetent, this election couldn’t possibly be fair.’”

Marcela Garcia, a leader of the Silver Capital workers who is running for office with the NLS, said, “We will win again. We know the immigrant workers, all the workers, are supporting us.”

Earlier, the NLS had caught the union’s secretary treasurer, Diane Strickland, stealing ballots to vote for the old-guard ‘Unity Slate.’ Hundreds of returned ballots had disappeared from a secure mailbox. When the NLS investigated, they found that Strickland had illegally checked out two keys from the post office. Later, almost 100 of these stolen ballots showed up, cast for the current officers.

Tony Caldera, NLS candidate for secretary treasurer, said, “We caught them red handed. We know they stole many other votes, but we beat them anyway. If they hadn’t stolen votes, we would have beat them two to one. They have no support among the workers.”

Berg has said to supporters at rallies ever since the first vote count, “Beating the Walston gang is a tremendous victory for workers in this local. The corruption of the old guard is clear to everyone. No matter what happens next, we’re on our way to taking this union back for the members.”

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #NewLeadershipSlate #BobWalston #SilverCapital #electionFraud

Chicago, IL – When 50 angry Teamsters confronted their union president, Robert Walston, he arrogantly demanded to know who they were. “I’ve been paying dues to you for 15 years, and you don’t know who I am?” replied Manuel Rico. Rather than learning who Rico was, Walston turned his back on the group and walked away.

The workers came from the Frederick Cooper factory on Chicago’s North Side. Their company had just told them their workweek was being reduced from 40 hours a week to 32 hours. They went to the offices of International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 743, because the union representative, Jimmy ‘Shorty’ Burnes, had told them they couldn’t fight this attack.

The workers’ union steward, Tony Caldera, told them otherwise. “I read the contract. Under the section called ‘Workweek,’ it says, ‘The regular workweek shall consist of forty (40) hours...’ They can’t change our workweek without negotiating.”

“We had already prepared a grievance against the company, but Burnes refused to accept it,” related Caldera. “I knew right away that the union hacks had already made a deal behind our backs. We had to let them know we wouldn’t stand for it.”

Rank and File Leadership Shows the Way

Friday, May 28, was the first day that the new 32-hour schedule left them with no work. Caldera urged his co-workers to show up for work that morning anyway. “We went from the factory to the offices of the local. We told Walston that he violated the contract without coming to us.”

Ruben Martinez, one of the other workers, said to Burnes, “You sold us out for four lamps.” The Frederick Cooper factory makes lamps, and the workers have seen management give the union bureaucrats gifts of lamps on many occasions over the years. Martinez and Ruben Quintero had helped Burnes put four lamps in his trunk in November 2003.

When Walston stonewalled them, the Frederick Cooper workers left the offices to make plans for their next step. “If the union won’t process that grievance, we’ll file it again,” said Caldera. “If they refuse again, we’ll take them to the Labor Board for failure to represent us.”

The workers want back pay for all hours lost. They want the 40-hour week reinstated. And they want their union officials to start doing their jobs.

The company claims that business is slow. But some work has already been subcontracted. The plant also makes lampshades, and up to 400 shades a week are being made by a non-union company owned by a family member of one of the managers. “They didn’t give us a chance to learn to make the shades,” explained Rico. “They gave us only one week. One woman with 29 years at the plant was fired when the manager wasn’t satisfied with her performance.” When this happened, the union bureaucrats did nothing to fight her firing.

Vote For the New Leadership Slate

Caldera was not surprised by the treachery from the officers of Local 743. He was a candidate for union office in 2001 with the 743 New Leadership Slate. This slate of workers beat the Walston gang in a delegate race for the national convention that spring. In the fall, they won the local officer races, but the crooks stole the election.

Since that day, Caldera has continued to fight the gangsters that run the union. And this fall, he will stand again as a candidate for local office with the New Leadership Slate.

Caldera put it directly. “We have to demand that Walston and Burnes do their jobs. But we know that we won’t get decent representation until those guys are gone.”

Caldera is running again with Local 743 presidential candidate Richard Berg. The New Leadership Slate has doubled their efforts for the election this fall. Nominations happen on Sept. 1 and they are ready for a fierce campaign. Caldera summed up the situation this way: “Walston has no support among the members. If we can get a fair election, we’ll win.”

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #NewLeadershipSlate #TonyCaldera #BobWalston

Berg, President of the New Leadership Slate in Local 743, was set up by an employee who was bought off by management and the corrupt union officials. On Feb. 24, Berg was put through a kangaroo court. The charge against him was racism. The judges – members of the union’s corrupt executive board – refused to allow a petition in support of Brother Berg to be read as evidence. The statement, signed by over 80 of his co-workers, almost all African Americans, states: “Brother Berg has always treated members with the dignity and respect consistent with the IBT Constitution and Local 743 bylaws. We are proud that he is a Local 743 union steward at UCH.”

Berg now awaits the decision of the sell-out officials of the local. He could face stiff fines, removal as a steward and member of the bargaining committee at UCH, and, most important to the corrupt leadership of the local, he could be barred from challenging them for union office. There is talk that they could even kick him out of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Berg was outspoken at the last International Convention. Therefore, current International union president of the Teamsters, Jimmy Hoffa, Jr., is expected to rubber stamp the actions taken by his flunkies.

2001 Stolen Election Leads to Bylaws Fight

The president of the Local, Robert Walston, Jr., placed himself in office by illegal means. Richard Berg ran for president as the head of the New Leadership Slate. Walston used his power of union office to hand pick the election judge. The judge voided hundreds of ballots of Berg’s supporters. In addition, many more ballots disappeared from a post office box – a box for which there was only one key, possessed by another member of Walston’s slate.

Jim Fennerty, lawyer for the New Leadership Slate, stated, “It’s obvious that this is an attack by the Walston gang. They are using their stolen positions to deny the members any voice at all in the union.”

The timing of this action is no coincidence. On March 1, an historic vote is taking place on the bylaws of the local. For the first time since the local union was founded in 1938, a rank-and-file effort to change the bylaws is occurring – called the Dignity and Respect Campaign. The assault on Berg is an attempt to defeat this effort.

The proposed bylaw changes are: 1) That the union will fight for the dignity and respect of all Local 743 members in the face of all exploitation and all oppression – be if from management of any other source. 2) That a copy of the union contract should be made available to all workers. If the majority or a large number of workers speak a language other than English, the contract should be made available in that language as well. 3) That union officials should stop stealing votes. We demand fair elections. When the executive board runs for re-election they should not appoint the person who mails and counts the ballots. It should be someone all candidates respect.

Tony Caldera, another officer of the New Leadership Slate, said, “The crooks that stole the last election have lost all legitimacy among the members. They are resorting to more dirty tricks to shore up their unlawful power.”

Kangaroo Court on Trumped-up Charges

Walston’s executive board moved with deliberate speed to bring Berg up on charges. What were they? Marthea Randolph, an employee in the same department as Richard complained that he was rude to her. She claims that he told her she was ignorant. “I never said it,” stated Brother Berg. “I did tell her she didn’t want to be ignorant of the Dignity and Respect Campaign.”

Randolph has never lifted a finger to join in any of the battles that workers at UCH have fought. Now she has accepted 30 pieces of silver to serve Richard up to management and the union hacks.

Chantell Harlin, another co-worker, stated to the officials at the trial, “Richard Berg is no racist. He’s one of us. He’s always fought all out for everyone, no matter who they are. He’s our friend; we struggle, we party and we live under the same working conditions together.”

According to Tony Caldera, this is happening now because, “Walston can’t stand to hear our voices. He tolerates no dissent. He collaborates with management. We’re exposing him and he wants to silence us.”

The New Leadership Slate is demanding that the charges against Berg be dropped and urges all workers to turn out to the Local meeting on March 1 to vote for the Dignity and Respect Campaign.

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #NewLeadershipSlate #RichardBerg #TonyCaldera #BobWalston