New York, NY – In the wake of a walkout of UPS drivers on Feb. 26, at the Queens hub in New York City, UPS reportedly issued ‘working discharges’ today, March 6, to 249 workers who participated in the strike.

New York, NY – Hundreds of UPS drivers and warehouse workers walked off the job, Feb. 26, at the Queens hub in New York City.

Do I remember when I met Pete Camarata? Yeah, I remember. It was in Pittsburgh in the late 1980s before the national convention of our reform caucus, Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU). All the Teamster reformers were there.

Jacksonville, FL – On Jan. 3, UPS abruptly discontinued its seasonal golf cart delivery program in Florida, after a worker filed a grievance on management for breaking state statutes. UPS management continued assigning normal golf cart delivery assignments to workers after Dec. 31, which violated state regulations on golf carts and placed its workforce at risk.

Jacksonville, FL – Many UPS customers woke up on Christmas morning with a few packages missing under the tree. On Dec. 25, UPS management admitted that they failed to deliver many packages to expectant customers due to a surge of late holiday orders. FedEx customers reported similar delays in package delivery.

Milwaukee, WI – The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) have announced improvements to UPS Teamster health care “TeamCare” after a vote by the Teamster rank and file in several regions rejected a concessionary contract offered by UPS.

Jacksonville, FL – When the nearly all white jury returned with a not guilty verdict in the George Zimmerman trial, people all around the U.S. were outraged. Outside the courtroom in Sanford, Florida some 200 protesters gathered up and issued a united call for nationwide protests, which was answered in the coming days by activists across the country.

Tampa, FL – Rank-and-file members of the Teamsters union dealt a blow to corporate greed by blocking the implementation of a substandard contract negotiated between United Parcel Service (UPS) and union officials. Under Teamster rules the national contract cannot take effect until all the local as well as regional supplements and riders are passed.

Tampa, FL – Around the country, 250,000 Teamsters are voting on a proposed 5-year contract between the Teamsters and United Parcel Service. With the ballots already out in the mail, rank-and-file Teamsters are doing what they can to reject the agreement. All ballots are due by June 20. Around the country, UPS workers have been organizing a “Vote No” campaign urging fellow Teamsters to vote against the contract.

Louisville, KY – Teamster Local 89 is a hotbed of opposition to the proposed contract with United Parcel Service. Across the U.S. there is a growing movement of UPS workers urging a no vote on the contract.

Early this May, UPS management, as well as Teamsters leadership, released the completed tentative agreement for a new five-year contract. The contract, which represents the largest private sector collective bargaining agreement in the U.S., is being touted by both sides as a win-win for the company and the workers, establishing raises and gains that both say they can be proud of.

Tampa, FL – Part-time Teamsters working for United Parcel Service (UPS) are angry because the starting pay has not changed in over 15 years. It is back breaking work, yet the starting wage rate is only $8.50 per hour. Part-time Teamsters are demanding their union fight for a substantial wage increase in its current contract negotiations with UPS. T-shirts reading, “End part time poverty” are springing up in UPS hubs around the country.

Grand Rapids, MI – On a hot and dusty Saturday, July 28, Michigan Teamsters stood with signs reading, “Teamsters on strike against Grand Rapids Gravel Company – for as long as it takes.” The 57 gravel pit workers and drivers went on strike July 19, at 11:30 a.m., after the company refused to budge in negotiations. Grand Rapids Gravel is demanding $6 per hour in benefit cuts. The Teamsters came back with $3.26 in givebacks, but were forced out on strike anyway.

St. Paul, MN – More than 3500 trade unionists and their supporters marched here, April 4, to stand up for workers’ rights on the anniversary the Martin Luther King Jr.’s murder. A sea of signs and banners filled John Ireland Boulevard as workers marched to the state capitol building.

Chicago, IL – This past year was a tough year for Teamsters Local 743. Reformers Richard Berg and Eugenia Alvarez were wrongly removed from office by Teamsters International President James Hoffa. The remaining executive board members, in office for only five months, spent the time fighting amongst themselves. They then ran against one another in the recent union election.

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

Chicago, IL – As Fight Back! goes to press Teamsters are getting ready to count the ballots in the showdown between the slates of incumbent International President Hoffa and the reform challenger Local 206 President Tom Leedham. The Tom Leedham Strong Contracts, Good Pensions slate, with extremely limited resources, took out a message of rank and file power to challenge employer greed.

¡Lucha y Resiste! entrevistó a Richard Berg (RB), candidato a vicepresidente de la Hermandad Internacional de Teamsters para la Planilla de Contratos Fuertes y Buenas Pensiones de Tom Leedham. Berg es también un líder clave en la lucha contra la corrupción en el Local 743 de Chicago. El resultado de la elección de los Teamsters es vital para todos los trabajadores Teamsters e impactará la dirección del movimiento de trabajadores.

El 31 de diciembre, cinco miembros del Local 743 (Teamsters) que fueron los ganadores de las últimas elecciones, entraron a las oficinas para recibir las llaves de sus oponentes, los cuales perdieron las elecciones. El anterior presidente Richard Lopez sabía que había sido derrotado y que podría ir a la cárcel.

Chicago, IL – Larry Davis, the new president of Teamsters Local 743 in Chicago, fired five staff members on May 28. Davis had been installed by International President Jim Hoffa on May 14.