Minneapolis, MN – Trade unionists, historians, community members and descendants of strikers held several events in Minneapolis this past weekend, July 18 -20 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the historic strikes by truck drivers and helpers, members of Teamsters Local 574. The three successive strikes in 1934 resulted in the defeat of the Citizen's Alliance, an anti-labor group of employers that controlled city government. The strikes established the industrial form of union organization for the first time in the trucking industry and set the stage for the organization of over-the road drivers throughout an 11-state area, eventually transforming the International Brotherhood of Teamsters into a million-plus member union.

The weekend of events to commemorate the strike were organized by the Remember 34 Committee, which brought together unions, labor activists, community members and descendants of the 34 strike. On July 17, Bryan Palmer, author of the book Revolutionary Teamster, spoke at the Minneapolis Central Library, reading from his new book on the 1934 strike.

On July 18, 110 people attended the Twin Cities Labor Movie Night to see documentary footage of three historic strikes from 1934 – the West Coast Longshore Strike, the Southern Millworker Strike of 400,000 workers and the Minneapolis Truckers Strike. After the films, presentations were given by Bryan Palmer and Joe Burns, author of Strike Back: Using the Militant Tactics of Labor's Past to Reignite Public Sector Unionism Today.

On July 19, a street festival was held on the Minneapolis Warehouse District site where on July 20, 1934, 67 unarmed striking workers were shot, mostly in the back, by police. Two men, Henry Ness and John Belor, died of their wounds. A number of bands performed at the street festival, as did a traditional Aztec dance group and a Native American youth drum circle. Organizers paid tribute to two Native American leaders of the strike, Hap Holstein and Ray Rainbolt.

Earlier in the day, Teamsters Local 120, which has its historic roots in Local 574, held a picnic for members and their families, then marched to the site of Bloody Friday, where Teamsters joined descendants of the strike in placing a wreath on the street corner where Henry Ness was killed.

On July 20, there was a picnic in a Minneapolis park. Several dozen family members of the strikers were in attendance and a special tribute was given to them. Speakers from a number of current labor struggles spoke and the event ended with over 100 labor activists, community members, and supporters in attendance joining a sing-along led by labor troubadour Larry Long, Madison, Wisconsin’s Solidarity Singers and the Twin Cities Labor Chorus.

The Remember 34 Committee is raising funds to place a permanent historic marker on the site of the Bloody Friday battle between strikers and police. An event will be held next year when the historic marker is permanently placed on the site.

#MinneapolisMN #Teamsters #RichardBerg #Minnesota #TwinCities #34Strike #Posters #TruckersStrike

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

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Por qué tenemos que sacar a Hoffa?

RB: Los Teamsters orginalmente dieron apoyo a Hoffa Jr. porque creían que su nombre era un símbolo de fuerza. Teamsters en todo el país sabemos que los jefes no nos están respetando. Ellos están luchando en contra de los trabajadores mientras nuestra calidad de vida sigue cayendo.

Cuando Hoffa se lanzó como candidato por presidente nos prometió que no iba a subir las cuotas sindicales, que iba a acabar con la corrupción y mejorar los planes de pensión de los Teamsters. Fracasó en todas las tres promesas:

Primero, en poco tiempo luego de la elección en 2001 él convocó una convención especial y aplicó el aumento más grande de cuotas en la historia de los Teamsters. No ha utilizado este dinero para restaurar el poder de los Teamsters como había prometido, al contrario, hemos visto un aumento seguido en los salarios y beneficios de los oficiales del sindicato.

Segundo, Hoffa dio empleo al ex-querellante federal Edward Steir para investigar y eliminar la influencia del crimen organizado en los Teamsters. Supuestamente él pretendía acabar con la supervisión del gobierno sobre los Teamsters. En vez de hacer eso, cuando Steir descubrió evidencias de corrupción e influencia de la mafia en Chicago, Hoffa le ordenó que no siguiera con su investigación de gente aliada con Hoffa. Steir y toda su estafa resignaron en protesta. Hoffa ya no habla sobre su esfuerzo de eliminar la corrupción de los Teamsters.

Finalmente, después de negociar contribuciones insuficientes del empleador para mantener niveles actuales de beneficios en los fondos de pensión de los Teamsters trabajando en United Parcel Service (UPS), Hoffa declaró que había negociado el mejor contrato de toda la historia. Repitió lo mismo con los camioneros en el acuerdo principal de cargos. Ahora que se están cortando los beneficios del fondo de pensión de los estados centrales y otros fondos de los Teamsters, es evidente que Hoffa no mintió.

¡Lucha y Resiste!: ¿Por qué es mejor la planilla de Tom Leedham que la de Hoffa?

RB: La Planilla de Contratos Fuertes y Buenas Pensiones de Tom Leedham entiende que necesitamos un sindicato luchador otra vez. Entendemos que nuestra fuerza viene de la base de trabajadores y no de un nombre famoso. Los jefes desde UPS hasta los Hospitales de la Universidad de Chicago, donde yo trabajo, están interesados solamente en aumentar sus provechos sin mejorar la condición de sus trabajadores.

La Planilla de Tom Leedham está dedicada a usar los recursos del sindicato para luchar por mejorar la condición de todos los trabajadores. En vez de aumentar los salarios de los oficiales, usaremos ese dinero para organizar nuevos miembros en industrias principales. Usaremos ese dinero para hacer pesquisa sobre las compañías Teamsters y organizar los trabajadores de base para luchar por mejores sueldos y condiciones de trabajo.

El famoso luchador contra la esclavitud Frederick Douglas nos enseñó que, “El poder no concede nada sin exigencia.” Hemos aprendido esta lección en los Teamsters también. La Planilla de Tom Leedham está dedicada a construir un sindicato luchador de Teamsters que está preparado para los desafíos de los empleadores más duros.

¡Lucha y Resiste!:¿Cómo están reaccionando los Teamsters trabajadores a su campaña?

RB: Yo he viajado extensivamente y la reacción ha sido maravillosa. Los Teamsters saben que Hoffa les mintió. Quieren oir lo que tenemos que decir. Escuchan, hacen preguntas, y responden positivamente. La Planilla de Leedham tiene un plan para sacarnos del hoyo en el que nos metió Hoffa. Cuando los trabajadores Teamsters lo oyen, nos dan el visto bueno. Los Teamsters pueden ver que nuestro plan podría llevarnos no solamente a un nuevo sindicato teamsters, sino a un movimiento laboral nuevo y más fuerte.

#ChicagoIL #Teamsters #RichardBerg

Esta corrupta y delictiva acción casi tiene éxito. Berg fue afortunado al ser empleado otra vez en el otoño del 2007, justo para poder ser elegible y lanzarse como candidato a presidente del NLS Local 743, en una nueva elección supervisada por el Departamento del Labor en el otoño.

El NLS había probado que las elecciones del 2004 fueron fraudulentas, y con DoL supervisándolas en el 2007. Finalmente pudieron evitar el robo de votos.

En el mes de febrero de 2008, Richard Berg regresó como empleado al departamento de Servicios de Sanidad y Ambiente en el HUdeCH. Se han llevado a cabo dos reuniones y cada una de ellas con la asistencia de 120 personas que le dieron la bienvenida y lo felicitaron a su vez coreando, “Richard es un héroe.”

La lucha sigue en la universidad aún después del despido

Richard remarcó: “Cuando el hospital me despidió en el 2004 ellos pensaron que habían derrotado la lucha de los trabajadores aquí. Nunca se imaginaron que cuando un trabajador cae, otro se levanta a continuar la lucha.”

Esta verdad ha sido demostada pues los trabajadores del otro lado en el recinto universitario dos veces en el otoño pasado han rechazado un contrato malo. Pero, ésta fue la última obra de la corrupta pandilla sindical del Local 743. Esta manera de resistir de los trabajadores evitó que la oferta de $0.50 centavos de aumento salarial fuera rechazada. El agente negociador había manipulado al Comité de Negociaciones Colectivas recomendándoles que aceptaran el paquete ofrecido. Sin embargo, estos se vieron ridiculos cuando los miembros se rebelaron contra ellos y ganaron miles de dólares más de la administración a través de su militancia de resistir y luchar.

Antes no habíamos tenido representantes que hablaran por nosotros y que se enfrentaron a la administración.

#ChicagoIL #Teamsters743 #RichardBerg

Desde el día de su victoria en las elecciones Richard Berg y sus compañeros han estado trabajando sin descanso para unir el dividido y destruido local sindical.

Ellos han dicho, que “allí en las oficinas hubo dos incursiones delictivas, dos días después de que el sector de Richard Berg triunfó en las elecciones, y otra después de que el sector de Richard Lopez entregó las llaves de las oficinas. Por aparte, el nuevo presidente Richard Berg, dijo: “Una caminata a través de la noche indica una historia desafortunada. Los líderes de la vieja guardia del Local 743 derrotada, han hecho todo lo posible para cubrir los robos y encubrir sus prácticas impropias de líderes de sindicatos. Una cantidad de bolsas llenas de documentos hechos trizas encontradas en el recipiente de la basura. Así como la desaparición de la mayoría de las computadoras. El sistema teléfonico fue dañado a través de un sabotaje. Los documentos de la Tesorería relacionados con el fondo de pensiones no se encontraron y la lista se hace cada vez más larga.

Los miembros del local sindical han expresado su complacencia tanto con el nuevo liderato como con sus asistentes. Un trabajador de la fábrica de cajas Bagcraft, se expresó, así : “Estoy feliz de que alguien me haya devuelto mi llamada telefónica.” Otros centenares de miembros han expresado sentimientos similares.

Tony Caldera, dijo: “En mi nuevo escritorio habían 175 mensajes teléfonicos sin contestar y que correspondían al escritorio de Michael Corrigan. Algunos de estos mensajes eran del pasado mes de marzo del 2007. Esta gente en realidad la pasaban como vacacionando con el dinero de los miembros del sindicato.”

Richard Berg remarcó: “Estamos comprometidos con un cambio total de este local sindical y hacerlo un verdadero sindicato que otra vez luche por los trabajadores. Más adelante Berg dijo: “Le he informado al Local que vamos a dar entrenamiento y educación a los trabajadores desde la base hasta las directivas de como tener un liderazgo efectivo en el sindicato y construir un movimiento que luche por los trabajadores.”

Es así, como los miembros del personal tratan de desterrar los años de negligencia, malversación de fondos e incapacidad de la vieja guardia derrotada que lidereaba Watson, Lopez y compañía.

#ChicagoIL #Teamster743 #Teamsters #RichardBerg

Fight Back!: Why has Jimmy Hoffa Jr. removed you from office?

Richard Berg: Hoffa has consistently supported corrupt union officials as long as they supported him. We have been fighting against corruption in Local 743 since 1988, for 22 years. The past two Teamster Local 743 presidents are in jail. They stole a Teamster officers’ election from the working members of our union, from our 743 New Leadership Slate, and from myself in 2004. Hoffa did nothing to investigate this theft. When we gave him the evidence he looked the other way. Finally, the U.S. Department of Labor had to step in to prosecute these criminals.

Also, I ran against Hoffa and his slate in 2006. I ran for International Vice President of the Central Region on the Tom Leedham Slate. I received over 40% of the vote. Hoffa's popularity has slipped dramatically, so he wants to eliminate his rivals as a way to keep his job as International Teamster President.

Fight Back!: What were the charges against you and Secretary Treasurer Gina Alvarez?

Richard Berg: There were 10 charges filed against me, and 6 charges filed against Secretary Treasurer Alvarez. All except one was dismissed. I think that they had to dismiss them because they were so obviously biased, charges based on politics, instead of on merit.

The one remaining charge is technical and minor. It stems from a settlement to avoid a lawsuit with a do nothing union representative that worked for local 743. Even though he didn't deserve a penny we paid him $21 thousand. While this is too much, I made the decision in order to save even more money in legal fees. Everyone on the local 743 executive board was notified and no one raised any objections even though they had the right to do so at that time.

Secretary Treasurer Alvarez's involvement was the same as those that filed the charges against us. She simply signed the check along with me. All the charging parties later approved this at the next Local 743 executive board meeting.

The bottom line is that we did nothing wrong. Nothing! This is simply a power grab by those who oppose workers building a fighting labor movement.

Fight Back!: Did either of you benefit personally?

Richard Berg: No, in fact I have cut my salary by $70 thousand a year and cut my benefits by well over 50%. I believe that union officials should live like the workers they represent, not like kings and queens.

Some union leaders resent Secretary Treasurer Alvarez's efforts to eliminate the perks of officers and staff. She looks after Local 743 Members dues money carefully.

Fight Back!: The members of the executive board that brought the charges against you included several that ran with you in 2007. What happened? Why did they turn against you?

Richard Berg: This is a great disappointment. When we ran for office we told the members we would cut the salaries of officers, work hard and put the resources of the union to work for the members. Larry Davis, Chantell Harlin and Fernando Garcia thought that this was just campaign talk. After we won they demanded the same big salaries the old guard officials had. They wanted to hire their friends and pay them big money.

When Secretary Treasurer Alvarez and I resisted this, the conflict started. Eventually they worked with the Hoffa camp to enrich themselves by turning their backs on the reforms that we had put in place.

Fight Back!: The New Leadership Slate in office picked a number of fights with employers in Chicago and northern Indiana, most notably SK Hand Tools in Chicago, where workers struck for over 2 months to defend their right to health care, among other demands. Will the officers that brought charges against you continue this fighting attitude toward the bosses?

Richard Berg: This may by the biggest difference between us and them. We communicate with the workers. We organize and mobilize local 743 members to fight for dignity and respect on the job, to fight for a better life for themselves and their families.

Those who threw us out are satisfied with local 743 being a company union, a union that collaborates with management. The truth is that they just want the workers dues money for themselves.

Fight Back!: What does this mean for you and Gina Alvarez? Will you be allowed to run for office in the next local elections this year?

Richard Berg: This week Gina and I will file a lawsuit asking the judge to reverse the Hoffa Executive Board's ruling. We believe that the workers should decide who runs their local union, not Hoffa and his cronies.

If we are not successful, the 743 New Leadership Team will run a slate without us. It is not about Gina and I, it is about the workers having a union that will fight in their interests. We will support the 743 New Leadership Team whether we are candidates on it or not.

Fight Back!: Can this attack be stopped?

Richard Berg: The workers have the power to stop this power grab. Despite some officials’ lust for power and money, unions are the organizations of workers. The real working class leadership in this union must step forward and fight to take this union.

#ChicagoIL #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #NewLeadershipSlate #RichardBerg #JimmyHoffa

Chicago, IL – Fight Back! learned May 9 that Jimmy Hoffa, Jr., at a meeting in Las Vegas, has joined with the corrupt Teamsters officials in Chicago to remove President Richard Berg and Secretary Treasurer Gina Alvarez from office in Local 743. Berg and Alvarez are rank-and-file reformers who fought for years against the gangsters who ran their union while Hoffa and officers of the Joint Council in Chicago turned a blind eye to the corruption in the local.

While the official decision has yet to be received, Berg confirmed that he has been notified. The decision rests upon a charge brought against Berg and Alvarez by other officers in 743 who had turned against the reform agenda.

The factual basis of the charge is that Berg had let go a former staff member who was no longer able to perform his duties. A severance was agreed upon, which the local executive board was informed of and to which they assented. Six months later, the same board members cooked up a scheme with the top Teamster old guard in Chicago. These ex-reformers knew the Joint Council was dominated by officials who were hostile to Berg and Alvarez’ agenda – reviving a fighting union with power in the hands of the members. The sole charge upon which the two are being removed was Berg’s failure to get an official vote from the board.

While the immediate impact of this is a blow to efforts to rebuild a fighting workers’ movement in the Teamsters, the members of Local 743 are not likely to watch the sell-outs turn back the hands of time. At the members meeting last week, worker after worker rose from the floor to speak against threats to remove Berg and Alvarez. Black, Latino and white, workers remember what the union was like under the old gangsters, with sweetheart deals that favored management, and crummy contracts.

#ChicagoIL #Teamsters743 #RichardBerg #JimmyHoffa #Jr

Chicago, IL – Two days after Teamsters Joint Council 25 suspended Richard Berg and Gina Alvarez from office over trumped up charges, the International president, Jimmy Hoffa, Jr. has granted them a stay of effectiveness. This will be in place until the international hears their appeal. Berg and Alvarez will be restored to their positions in the union immediately.

The two reform leaders of Local 743 were charged with corruption. Ironically, neither of them was accused of personally benefiting in any of the charges brought against them. In fact, Secretary Treasurer Alvarez and President Berg had worked to put the local union back into the hands of the members after decades of true corruption. The officers of the local for years before Berg and Alvarez had stolen elections and forced sell-out contracts onto members. These practices were accepted by the Joint Council.

In recent months, Berg and Alvarez helped lead the workers at SK Hand Tools to a victorious strike to defend health care benefits. That strike gained national attention, including coverage in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. The leader of the executive board in the local that charged them is Larry Davis, who played no role in the SK strike.

President Berg expressed to Fight Back! the gratitude he and Secretary Treasurer Alvarez felt for the outpouring of support they received from friends, allies and workers in the local since the news of their removal from office broke on Monday evening.

#ChicagoIL #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #RichardBerg #JimmyHoffa #GinaAlvarez #TeamstersJointCouncil25

Chicago, IL – Chicago Teamster bosses ousted reformers Richard Berg and Gina Alvarez from union office today in a power struggle between grassroots reformers and old guard Teamster officials over one of the largest Teamster local unions in Chicago and the country.

Joint Council 25 officials suspended Richard Berg from union membership and removed him as president of Teamsters Local 743 on false charges that he violated Teamster procedures. Alvarez was also suspended from membership and removed as secretary-treasurer.

The 11,000 members of Local 743 voted Berg and his New Leadership Slate into office in 2007 on a reform platform. His election was bitterly opposed – for years – by Chicago’s top Teamster officials, who used every means at their disposal to prevent a reform victory in Local 743.

Berg opponents were convicted of stealing a union vote to block his election. One of the vote-riggers is also serving jail time for using Local 743 as a front for drug trafficking. When Berg was nominated in June 2006 for International Vice President on the reform slate, while Chicago's top Teamster official John Coli ran on the old guard slate, Berg was assaulted at the Teamster Convention by former Local 743 president Richard Lopez. Joint Council 25 and International Union officials upheld the Local 743 election results that were stolen and overturned – but today voted to suspend Berg and Alvarez’s union membership – a move that could disqualify them from running for re-election in Local 743.

Local 743 members plan to fight Berg and Alvarez’s removal in federal court, where they were able to win a supervised election.

“They couldn’t steal our election and they couldn’t defeat us at the polls, so they used trumped up charges to oust Richard and Gina and hijack Local 743,” said Joe Sexauer, Local 743 union representative who helped organize Berg’s successful election. “But the union is about more than any one leader – it’s about the members. We’ve defeated corrupt officials before, and we’ll do it again.”

Berg and his New Leadership Slate were elected to lead Local 743 in October 2007 in an election supervised by the Department of Labor – and Berg followed through on his reform platform. He cut his salary by $70,000 and shaved the union payroll by eliminating do-nothing jobs.

Not everyone was happy with Local 743’s new direction, including some of the newly-elected officers. They agreed to run with Berg on a reform platform that included reducing the salaries of overpaid union officials. But they demanded higher salaries once they were in office. When members complained that some union representatives weren’t doing their job, Berg investigated the complaints, took the cases to the union’s Executive Board, and those union representatives were terminated.

Unhappy at the financial reforms and the demands for accountability of union staff some Local 743 officers teamed up with Berg’s opponents in the Teamster hierarchy. They filed internal union charges falsely claiming that Berg had failed to present the terminations and other union matters to the Executive Board. Not a single one of the charges alleges that Berg or any other Local 743 reformer took a penny for personal gain.

Local 743 represents 11,000 members at the University of Chicago and U of C Hospital, Rush Presbyterian Hospital, Blue Cross and numerous shops, factories, offices and nursing homes.

“We elected him, and it's our choice, the membership to keep him or take him out in an election, not like this,” said UC Medical Center worker Jean Moore.

Under Berg’s leadership, Local 743 cut officer salaries, including his own, and put the union’s dues money to work for the membership. Berg hired professional contract negotiators and led a successful strike to protect members’ healthcare. The local has taken stands to promote civil rights and racial equality: Local 743 sponsored Martin Luther King Day events and participated in marches for immigrants rights.

“For years officials treated Local 743 like a piggy-bank,” said Melanie Cloghessy, a member of Local 743 at the University of Chicago. “We won’t go back to those dark days of corruption. The New Leadership team will keep fighting for a union that fights for us. The officials who are making this power grab are going to learn that we’ll fight back against their double-dealing just like we stood up to the criminal activities of the past.”

#ChicagoIL #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #RichardBerg

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 – Los funcionarios del local 743 del sindicato de Camioneros (Teamsters) en Chicago jamas luchan en contra de los patrones. No organizan huelgas, y dicen a los miembros que una huelga es una cosa mala. El resultado es contratos pobres, aumentos cada vez menores, personas que no son miembros del sindicato haciendo trabajos de los miembros, y la desaparencia de beneficios que en un tiempo eran decentes. Los 14,000 miembros del local 743, que son trabajadores de industria, oficinistas, de bodegas y de cuidado de salud, ya están hartos.

La Planilla Liderato Nuevo ha postulado candidatos para el local 743 en las elecciones que nos acercan. Es una planilla de la base que compromete a que se acabe la corrupción de la “vieja guardia”, a que se contraten mas representantes del sindicato, a que se movilicen a los miembros y que se bajen a los enormes salarios y privilegios de los funcionarios del sindicato. La Planilla Liderato Nuevo incluye empleados de los hospitales de la Universidad de Chicago que están cansados de falsificación del voto en la ratificación del contrato, y tambien empleados que perdieron sus beneficios de salud porque el Presidente internacional Hoffa, Bob Walston y Richard Lopez manejaron mal a los fondos.

“Estamos negociando un contrato en Rush-St. Lukes ahorita. El representante sindical Hoffaista Reggie Ford no presente ningun liderato en estas negociaciones. Si no fuera por la movilización de la membracía por parte de la Planilla de Liderato Nuevo, Ford hubiera regalado todo [a la gerencia]” dijo Debbie Simmons, cadnidata para secretario/tesorero en la planilla Nuevo Liderato.

En vez de protejer a los luchadores de la membracía del siindicato la gente de Hoffa colaboran con la gerencia para que los despidan.

“Este verano se vendió a nuestra compañía, y los dueños nuevos despidieron a trabajadores con mas de 10 años de experiencia” dijo Edwin Soto, un empleado en Flextek, que fue despedido tambien. “Despedieron a los que nosotros que nos opusimos a los patrones cuando violaron a nuestro contrato. Cuando presionabamos al sindicato para recuperar a nuestros trabajos, el presidente del local 743, Bob Watson, amenazó a los trabajadores en vez de luchar por nuestros intereses”. Soto está postulado para síndico en la planilla de Liderato Nuevo.

Richard Berg, candidato para presidencia del local en la Planilla Liderato Nuevo, dijo “los trabajadores miembros de este sindicato hemos unido en contra de la corrupción, y estamos listos a pelear con los patrones por medio de regresar el control del sindicato a sus miembros. Nuestros miembros exigen dignidad y respeto y no vamos a descansarnos hasta sacar a estos rateros y estúpidos del sindicato”.

En locales del sindicato de Camioneros en todo Chicago, es notable el número de contratos débiles. “Hay bastantes trabajadores latinos maltratados” dijo Mercy Soto, que trabaja torno de noche descargando camiones en UPS en local 705. “He hecho campaña en lugares de trabajo pertenecientes al local 743 donde los contratos establecen dos 'capas' de trabajadores” con diferentes salarios. “A los trabajadores latinos los contratan a un salario debajo de lo que dice el contrato. Si los trabajadores se quejan, se quedan despedidos y el sindicato no lucha a su favor” dice Soto.

“La gente está cansada de que los patrones los amenazan y luego los funcionarios del sindicato les dicen que a menos que se queden callados, se les van a echar la Migra encima” agregó.

La planilla de Liderato Nuevo se considera parte del nuevo movimiento obrero en este país. En la convención de los Camioneros (Teamsters) en 2001, los candidatos de la planilla Liderato Nuevo retaron a la vieja guardia hoffaista. “Luchabamos a favor de mas pagos de huelga para los trabajadores, menos salarios y privilegios para los funcionarios del sindicato, y en contra del racismo” dijo Tony Caldera, candidato de Liderato Nuevo para vicepresidente.

En la Convención, se nominóf a Tom Needham para presidente nacional del sindicato en la planilla Nacional de “Rank and File Power” (Poder a la Base). Los apoyadores de Hoffa intentaron callar a los reformistas, pero fracasaron. “Rank and File Power” luchó en contra de Hoffa por sus vinculaciones con el presidente George Bush. Tambien fueron los reformistas que obligaron al sindicato a que se expresara en contra del bombardeo de Vieques por la marina de guerra norteamericana.

Hoffa desde entonces ha mantenido su gran amor por Bush, apoyando el plan de sacar petroleo de la preserva nacional del Arctico en Alaska.

Todo el sindicato de Camioneros “Teamsters” se encuentra en movimiento. Como se vienen acercando las elecciones nacionales, estas cuestiones de vida o muerte han impulsado que muchos miembros reflejen sobre sobre la necesidad de cambios desde arriba y para abajo. William Jenkis, un trabajador en el hospital Rush-St Lukes, dijo “La planilla Liderato Nuevo se base en la clase trabajadora. Por eso es que apoyamos a Tom Leedham. Por eso es que nos comprometimos a transformar al movimiento obrero, no solo en el local 743, sino en todo el país”.

Christine Royster, de la Planilla Liderato Nuevo del local 743, fue nominada para vicepresidente nacional en la planilla de Tom Leedham de “Rank and File Power”. Si sale electa será la primera afroamerican en la junta ejecutiva de los “Teamsters'.

“Es un honor que me postularon para este puesto” dijo Royster. “A demasiados afroamericanos y latinos nos ignoran y nos tratan como miembros de clase segunda en el sindicato de Teamsters. La planilla de Tom Leedham “Rank and File Power” va a cambiar a todo eso”.

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #ChristineRoyster #TeamstersLocal743 #NewLeadershipSlate #RichardBerg

Chicago IL – En una decisión sorprendiente, integrantes del local número 743 del Sindicato de Camioneros (Teamsters) votaron a favor de una planilla de delegados de tendencia democrática de la base a la convención de su sindicato, rechazando a otra planilla dominada por funcionarios y por títeres del presidente nacional de la unión Jimmy Hoffa Jr. La convención internacional del sindicato establece las posiciones políticas del organismo y nomina los candidatos para la presidencia internacional y la Junta Ejecutiva del mismo.

Los integrantes de la tendencia democrática de base se auto-demoninaron “La Planilla de Liderato Nuevo” (New Leadership Slate) y se opusieron a unos vendidos que se llaman Planilla Restauración de Hoffa (Hoffa Take-Back Slate).

Los actuales miembros pro-Hoffa de la Junta Ejecutiva pro-Hoffa del local 743 tiene la fama de hacer pactos vendidos con los patrones, de debilitar a los contratos, pagarse a ellos mismos tremendos sueldos con las cuotas de los trabajadores, y por ser amigos carnales del Sr. Hoffa, quien no ha hecho absolutamente nada para los miembros.

Un descontento amargo ha estado creciendo durante muchos años en la base, sobretodo entre los miembros afroamericanos y latinos que constituyen la mayoría de la membracía del sindicato. Tanto la gerencia como el mismo sindicato dan la espalda a los miembros que no hablan inglés. En muchos sitios de trabajo, la única presencia del sindicato ha consistido del hecho que les quitan la cuota del cheque de salario. La necesidad de un verdadero sindicato que lucha por sus miembros fue la base de la victoria de la planilla “Liderato Nuevo”.

“Hemos formado la Planilla Liderato Nuevo porque sabemos que solo los miembros pueden remediar la situación de este sindicato” dijo Richard Berg, un delegado del sindicato en los Hospitales de la Universidad de Chicago. “Y ahora hemos comprobado que los miembros podemos retar a las personas que están en poder, y que podemos ganar”. Berg es uno de los delegados que acaban de ser eligidos.

Los Hospitales de La Universidad de Chicago intentaron despedir a Berg por medio de cargos falsos en el medio de la campaña. Las protestas que surgieron en una forma inmediata por parte de sus compañeros del sindicato le restauraron su trabajo. Esto también hizo claro a todo el mundo que la gerencia ha estado trabajando mano a mano con las fuerzas corruptas que existen en el sindicato.

La Planilla de Liderato Nuevo ganó 11 de los 20 puestos de delegado del local, y 13 de los 20 puestos de alternados. Esta delegación piensa ir a la convención en Filadelfia para luchar para el derecho de cada miembro de eligir a sus propios delegados en el sitio de trabajo, de permitir que todos los miembros inspeccionen a cualquier cambio en el contrato antes de ratificarlo, y de limitar los salarios de los funcionarios del sindicato. El actual presidente del local 743 gana un sueldote de $190,000, pagado por los miembros del sindicato por supuesto.

Este otoño, los miembros del local 743 votarán de nuevo. Habrán dos elecciones importantes. También van a estar votando a favor de candidatos que van a controlar al local del sindicato y quien va a controlar al sindicato al nivel internacional.

La Planilla de Liderato Nuevo estará apoyando a la planilla de Tom Leedham “Poder a la Base” en la convención y en las elecciones en el otoño.

La elección de oficiales del local 743 está conmoviendo al movimiento sindical en Chicago. En el Local 743, miembros han mostrado que son capaces de retar a la vieja guardia de los teamsters. Control democrático de este local de 14,000 miembros será una victoria para todos los trabajadores.

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #TomLeedham #TeamstersLocal743 #RichardBerg #UniversityOfChicagoHospitals #PlanillaDeLiderazgoNuevo

This almost worked. Berg was fortunate to be hired into another Local 743 shop in the spring of 2007, just in time to become eligible to run for president in an election supervised by the Department of Labor in the fall. The NLS had proven that the 2004 elections had been stolen and with the Department of Labor running the 2007 election, was finally able to restrict the wholesale theft of votes.

In February, Berg returned to his co-workers in the Environmental Services department at the hospital. Over two meetings with 120 in attendance that day, they welcomed him back with embraces and cries of, “Richard, the hero!”

Fight Continued at UIC Even After Firing

“When the hospital fired me in 2004, they thought that they had won the fight with the workers here. They didn’t realize that when you knock one fighting worker down, another will rise to continue the struggle,” said Berg.

This was shown to be true, as workers on the campus side of the university had twice voted down a sell-out contract this past fall. This contract was the last act of the old guard in Local 743. By resisting this way, the workers had managed to win another half percent raise in the wage offering. The old guard business agent, Thor Hester, had manipulated the bargaining committee into recommending acceptance of the package. How foolish he looked after the members rebelled against them and won tens of thousands of dollars more from management through a militant fight back.

“We’ve never had representatives that wanted us to speak out and stand up to management. What progress we’ve made has been despite the union leadership,” said one supportive member.

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #RichardBerg #RobWalston #UniversityOfChicagoHospital

Since that day, Richard Berg, the new president of Local 743, and his staff have been working around the clock to repair a broken union.

“They said that there were two break-ins, one a couple of days after we won the election and one right before they had to hand over the keys,” said Richard Berg, the new president. The walk-through that night told a different story: The old guard leaders had done their best to cover up their theft and wrongdoing.

Massive bags of shredded documents were found in the garbage. Most of the computers were gone. Bills were gone. The phone system was sabotaged. Trustee documents for the pension funds were gone, and the list goes on and on.

Members of the local have expressed excitement about the new leaders and the staff. “I was just happy someone returned my call,” said one caller from Bagcraft, a local manufacturer of boxes. Hundreds of other members have joined in this sentiment.

“There were 175 messages on the phone at my new desk, the old desk of Michael Corrigan. They went all the way back to March of 2007. These guys were really vacationing on the members money,” said Tony Caldera, union representative.

“We are committed to turning this local around and making it a fighting union once again,” said Berg, “I put the union on notice that we are going to train and educate workers from bottom to top about effective union leadership and building a fighting movement of workers.”

Berg continued, “We had over 50 people attend our first stewards and activist training with very little notice. Our members are hungry for change.” The road ahead is going to be tough in the down-turned economy and the new leadership is asking all members to step up and play a role in re-building the union.

As staff and members try to unbury themselves from the years of neglect and theft left behind by the old officers – Walston and Lopez and the others – they are realizing a new thing lies underneath: The members have expressed hope and are now getting involved in the affairs of the union like they have not done since 30 years ago.

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #RichardBerg #RichardLopez

Fight Back!: How did the struggle against the old guard begin in Local 743? When did you get involved?

Berg: I started as a custodian at the University of Chicago Hospitals in 1988. Marriott was an outside contractor that came in to try to whip us into line and increase the level of exploitation of the workers so they could make a little money for themselves and even more money for the university. I was a relatively new steward. We decided to get the workers together to fight back against it.

We had a meeting of second shift workers. We had keys to every office, so we put a flier on every desk, from the president of the university, the dean of the medical school to every secretary. The flier said, “To the University of Chicago. From: your workers. Fire Marriott!” It then listed our eight demands. We all wore buttons that said, “No Marriott.”

We sent a message to everyone at the hospital that we were going to fight, and that we weren’t going to tolerate this level of exploitation. It sent shockwaves through the place.

The next day, the management of Marriott, who had refused to even hear grievances from me in the past, called me in their office before I could even punch in and fired me. Then they went to each worker and asked them to take off the buttons. If he or she refused, they would suspend them for three days. As the word got out what was going on, all the workers came down and lined up to get suspended because they weren’t going to take their buttons off.

As they realized they didn’t have enough workers anymore, they started reducing them to one day suspensions. Then managers started turning their heads away to say, “I don’t see your button.” People would say, “See my button, see my button.” The vice-president of the university called all the workers into a big room and said, “You should all go back to work. We can figure this out.” The workers replied that they wouldn’t make any deals without their union steward. Management pointed to a steward from the kitchen, “Your steward is over there.” The steward responded, “I’m not their steward, you fired him.”

The fight was there, but this didn’t happen overnight. It was a planned action to hit back against what we were facing. The next day I got a call from the union, asking what the heck was going on. They did everything they could to put out all the fires and tried to make nice with management. But this is a fundamental contradiction – it’s not about making nice, it’s about fighting for dignity and respect. We organized the fighters among the workers and unleashed them. The union thought that any struggle was wrong. They saw their only role was to collaborate, to get on their knees and beg for a better situation for the workers. This has been the contradiction with them from that day until when we beat them in October, between those that want to fight management and those that want to collaborate and make deals.

Fight Back!: How did the workers at the University of Chicago Hospitals learn that the whole old leadership of Local 743 had to be opposed?

Berg: Initially we saw that our business agent was selling us out. Many people thought that we just had a bad business agent. In fact, he was a nice guy, he’d always return phone calls and do things like that, but he’d never stand up for the workers. Whenever there was a conflict between labor and management, he’d beg for you, and if that didn’t work, he’d sell you out.

Things began to change when the president of our local was removed because of his affiliation with organized crime. He let the old president of our local who had also been removed because of his affiliation with organized crime continue to run the union. Our local went into trusteeship and while we were in trusteeship, we met people from across the local. We were able to compare notes with workers from other hospitals, from nursing homes and manufacturing. We found out who was actually in our union for the first time, because they kept us all separate. As we compared stories, we realized it was the same story at every place. That was the beginning of what became the 743 New Leadership Slate.

We decided from those first meetings to support each other. If there was a battle across town, we’d go there and try to help them organize it. [After the trusteeship ended, the old gang managed to return to power.] When Montgomery Ward’s shut down, we organized huge rallies to support the workers. We called on the local union to bring in people from the international to help. The local union wanted to just let the place shut down and the workers go on. So we picketed the union hall and demanded that the union do something to fight for these workers.

Fight Back!: How did you build the New Leadership Slate and root it among workers in the local?

Berg: The best example is Tony Caldera, who has been one of the leaders of the slate since the beginning. He still teases me to this day because when I first met him, I didn’t want him on the slate, because I didn’t know him very well. That was the biggest mistake I ever made. He has been one of the best fighters from the start until today.

He always looked out for all the workers. When the battle happened at Silver Capital three years ago, he was out front. [Silver Capital was a factory with mostly undocumented, Mexican immigrant workers. It closed in 2004 and Local 743 sold out the workers, refusing to fight for severance pay.] He convinced Marcela Garcia, the leader of the workers there, to run on our slate against Jose Galvan, the business agent who had threatened to call immigration when the undocumented workers complained about being sold out. Tony and Marcela galvanized our slate and Silver Capital became the example for all the immigrant workers in 743. When Tony told their story to workers across our local, it rang true. It was their story as well.

Unfortunately, Tony’s factory, Frederick Cooper, had the same fate, closing in the summer of 2005. He led the struggle of the workers there as well. Under his leadership, those workers have won hundreds of thousands of dollars from the owners of Frederick Cooper, after the union had agreed to let them go with absolutely nothing at all. Tony did this by uniting with community organizations and pressuring the alderman around zoning issues.

Fight Back!: Now that you’ve won the election, what conclusions have you reached about how the old guard managed to stay in power so long?

Berg: Collaborators rely on management to stay in office. They had their dirty tricks and their willingness to break the law and our union’s bylaws and constitution. Of course, they always had plenty of money and resources, while we had to rely on fundraisers, a few dollars from every worker and volunteers. The ultimate thing, though, was that management supported them.

I was fired three times at the University of Chicago. Not once did it have to do with my work. I was a very good worker; I always have been. It was because I threatened management that they would fire me on trumped up charges.

During this recent election, I was kicked out of every workplace in the local, not allowed to speak to workers about how to make our union better. At the same time, every employer would invite the old guard in, often on company time, to talk to workers about why they should vote for them. Is this against the law? Of course it is. These laws aren’t enforced because the people who make and enforce the laws are the same people who own our companies – the factories, nursing homes and hospitals in Local 743.

Fight Back!: What’s the new day going to be like for the workers in Local 743?

Berg: The New Leadership Slate is going to take all the resources of this union and put them to work to serve the people. The workers should expect to have business agents out at the job sites on a regular basis and to have their phone calls answered. Dues money will go toward contract enforcement, toward getting workers dignity and respect and aiding in the fight we have been talking about in this interview.

#ChicagoIL #Interview #Interviews #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #NewLeadershipSlate #RichardBerg

Fight Back!: Why does Hoffa have to go?

Richard Berg: Teamsters originally supported Hoffa, Jr. because they associated his name with strength. Teamsters across the country know that the bosses are not respecting us. They are beating down workers while our standard of living falls.

When Hoffa ran for office he promised to not raise union dues, to end corruption and improve the Teamster pension plans. He has failed on all three promises.

First, shortly after the election in 2001 he held a special convention and instituted the largest dues increase in Teamster history. He has not used this money to restore Teamster power as promised. Instead we have witnessed a steady rise in salaries and special perks for Teamster officials.

Secondly, Hoffa hired former federal prosecutor Edward Steir to investigate and rid the Teamsters of organized crime influences. This was supposed to set the stage to end government oversight of the Teamsters. Instead, when Steir found evidence of corruption and mob ties in Chicago, Hoffa ordered him to not pursue his investigation of Hoffa allies. Steir and his entire staff resigned in protest. Hoffa no longer talks about how he will rid the Teamsters of corruption.

Finally, after negotiating insufficient employer contributions to maintain current benefit levels in Teamster pension funds with United Parcel Service (UPS), Hoffa declared that he had negotiated the best contract ever. The same was repeated with truck drivers in the master freight agreement. Now, as the Teamsters Central States Pension Fund and other Teamsters funds make major benefit cuts, it is apparent that Hoffa lied to us.

Fight Back!: Why is the Tom Leedham Slate such an improvement over Hoffa?

Berg: The Tom Leedham Strong Contracts, Good Pensions slate understands that we need a fighting union again. We understand that our power comes from the rank-and-file workers and not a famous name. The bosses from UPS to University of Chicago Hospitals, where I work, are interested increased profits, not improving the lot of their workers.

The Tom Leedham slate is committed to using the resources of the union to fight to improve the condition of all workers. Instead of raising officers’ salaries, we will use that money to organized new members in core industries. We will use that money to research Teamster companies and organize the rank and file to fight for better wages and working conditions.

The famous abolitionist Frederick Douglas told us that, “Power concedes nothing without a demand.” We have learned this lesson in the Teamsters as well. The Tom Leedham slate is committed to build a fighting Teamsters union that is up to the challenges of the most hardnosed employers.

Fight Back!: How are working Teamsters reacting to your campaign?

Berg: I have traveled extensively and the response has been wonderful. Teamsters know that Hoffa lied to them. They want to hear what we have to say. They listen, they ask questions and they respond positively. The Leedham slate has a plan to get us out of the hole that Hoffa put us in. When working Teamsters hear it, they approve. Teamsters can see that our plan could lead not only to a new Teamsters union, but a new and stronger labor movement.

#UnitedStates #Interview #Interviews #Teamsters #TomLeedham #RichardBerg #JimmyHoffa

Las Vegas, NV – Richard Berg, a long-time leader in the Teamster reform movement in Chicago, was assaulted at the International Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.

On Tuesday, June 27, Berg was nominated for vice president for the central region with the Tom Leedham slate. Leedham is Jimmy Hoffa’s opponent for president.

After his nomination, Berg was punched in the mouth by Richard Lopez, recording secretary of Local 743. Lopez is the head of the official delegation from Local 743. The 743 delegation tried unsuccessfully to block Berg’s nomination.

The assault occurred one hour after the announcement that Berg had survived the challenge and would be the candidate for vice president for the Central States region.

Berg was coming out of a Leedham meeting when Lopez and his group came down the corridor. Lopez started shouting insults at Berg and then struck him in front of witnesses.

Berg has filed battery charges against Lopez. The election supervisor stated that the Las Vegas police have a warrant out to arrest Lopez. Lopez hasn’t been seen at the convention since the attack.

Tom Leedham – Strong Pensions, Good Contracts Slate

Leedham, the leader of the reform movement, has come up with an aggressive local autonomy plan that gives more power to the rank and file as well as local officers. Leedham argues that the local unions know what’s happening on the ground. This attempt to revitalize democracy within the Teamsters may get some local officers’ support but it has been bitterly opposed by Hoffa and his top-down ‘Change to Win’ cronies.

Leedham also proposed to cap the salary of the International President at $200,000 a year and allow no other officer to make more. Hoffa did not even allow discussion on this issue. The ‘Strong Pensions, Good Contracts’ slate proposal for accountability of the union pension funds was similarly shot down.

But the attack by Lopez is the first time that Hoffa’s allies have turned to violence. Lopez is likely infuriated because he is facing charges filed by the Labor Board for having stolen the Local 743 officer elections in October 2004 from Richard Berg’s slate. As a result of this, Lopez and the other officers of Local 743 are under investigation by the U.S. attorney.

Speaking from the convention hotel, Berg had this to say about the desperate attempt by Lopez. “He knows that honest Teamster leadership will put an end to the gross corruption that now exists in 743.”

#LasVegasNV #News #Teamsters #TomLeedham #RichardBerg #JimmyHoffa

Chicago, IL – Richard Berg stood with workers who are members of Teamsters Local 743 in front of the Russian Turkish Bathhouse on Division Street. “This place is run by the mob. Everyone knows it,” stated Berg, presidential candidate for the Teamsters Local 743 reform group, the New Leadership Slate (NLS). “Our local is run by gangsters as well. We want it back.”

The reform group held the press conference to announce that it is suing Local 743 officers on behalf of the 13,000 members of Local 743. Berg said, “Local 743 President Robert Walston and the rest of the board have spent many thousands of dollars of our money to cover up their wrongdoings. We demand that they pay back this money to Local 743 members, resign their positions and let the rightful winners take office.”

The New Leadership Slate obtained documents from the U.S. Department of Labor that detail how the executive board of Teamsters Local 743 misdirected many hundreds of ballots in bundles to friends, loyal stewards and even the infamous Russian Turkish Bathhouse. These ballots were used to provide the margin of victory in the most recent Local 743 officers’ election.

The Russian Turkish Bathhouse was cited by the Chicago Tribune and Teamsters anti-organized crime chief Edward Steir as mob owned. The Tribune cited it as the secret meeting place of Local 743 president Robert Walston and banned former president Robert Simpson

In an attempt to cover up their wrongdoing, the heads of Local 743 destroyed election documents that the law requires saving for a period of no less than one year. Since stealing the election, Local 743 Secretary Treasurer Diane Strickland has resigned. “And the rest are in trouble,” said NLS supporter Debra Simmons, “Reggie Ford and Bob Walston’s days are numbered.”

The 743 New Leadership Slate is represented by attorney Thomas Geoghegan. The NLS is utilizing its rights under the provisions of Title V of the Labor Management Reporting Act to recover union monies Robert Walston, Reggie Ford and others agents of Local 743 used to defend their theft of ballots.

The New Leadership Slate is also running a slate of delegate candidates to represent Local 743 with honest leaders at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters convention. They support Tom Leedham for president of the International Brotherhood Teamsters.

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal743 #NewLeadershipSlate #RichardBerg #electionFraud

Recently the powerful reform caucus Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) endorsed Tom Leedham for International president. Leedham came out of the gate quickly, leading many to believe that he may upset the media-savvy Hoffa. “The press love the ‘son of a dead mobster’ story,” said TDUer Maria Trevino, “But the truth is that he has done nothing but raise our union dues and the salaries of top officials. Leedham will win, because the working Teamsters know that it is time for a change.”

Leedham surprised many when his supporters swept an early election of delegates to the Teamsters convention in the huge Louisville, Tennessee local that includes the United Parcel Service’s air hub. TDU compared it to “winning the New Hampshire primary,” when Louisville’s Local 89 went for Leedham. Local 89 is the fourth largest local in the Teamsters and, as Fight Back! goes to press, the largest to hold a delegate election.

Delegate elections will continue in Teamster local unions across the country until the end of April. These delegates will then attend the Teamster convention this summer, which will nominate international officers, including president. “These elections are crucial,” said past convention delegate Richard Berg. “If you don’t get enough delegates, you don’t get nominated.”

Tom Leedham is preferred by many Teamsters because of his strong background. Unlike Hoffa, he joined the Teamsters as a rank-and-file worker, when he got a job at a grocery warehouse in Portland, Oregon. Leedham led the reform movement in his Local 206, to which he was eventually elected president. He is known for fighting concessions and negotiating industry-leading contracts. Leedham renegotiated retiree health benefits that his old-guard predecessor had given away.

Leedham was eventually elected International vice president on the Ron Carey Slate. Carey appointed Leedham to run the warehouse division where he negotiated agreements that substantially raised the wages and benefits for warehouse workers, especially in the grocery industry. These higher wages became the industry standard.

Leedham’s slate is called the ‘Strong Contract, Good Pensions Slate.’ His track record in his local and as International vice president indicate that his success in these areas is based on his reliance on rank-and-file mobilizations. “It is not surprising that rank-and-file activists are drawn to Tom Leedham,” said Chicago rank-and-file IBT leader Richard Berg. “He is one of us, he knows that a strong union means a strong, educated rank-and-file movement.”

In contrast, Hoffa and his gang cut pension benefits and raised union dues without a membership vote. “The Hoffa name means cronyism and corruption,” said Minnesota Teamster David Skeie. “It’s time for the deal making to end. It’s time for real Teamster leadership.”

The current delegate elections and summer convention will be followed by a mailed ballot vote in the fall. All Teamsters (in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, etc.) will be allowed to vote.

#ChicagoIL #News #Teamsters #TomLeedham #HoffaJr #RichardBerg #theMob

Berg recently ran for president of the local union on the 743 New Leadership Slate, challenging the current officers. These old guard officials had become known for selling out to University of Chicago management. First, Local 743 officials and the University of Chicago Hospitals management colluded to try to prevent Berg from running, by kicking him out of the union. They brought him up on bogus internal union charges, but were foiled by the 743 New Leadership Slate (743NLS) legal team.

When this didn’t work, their efforts became more obvious. Old guard officials issued ballot box keys to themselves and stole hundreds of votes. This however was not enough because the workers voted against the old guard in such large numbers that Berg and the

743NLS won the election by a margin larger than what the old guard was able to steal.

Then, in true old-time Teamster mafia fashion, they canceled the election they had lost and held a new election. In this election they eliminated all safeguards and made sure they stole enough votes to ‘beat’ the 743 New Leadership Slate reformers.

But then the Local 743 sellouts and the University of Chicago Hospitals did something even more shameful. They colluded to have Richard Berg fired from his job of 16 years at the University of Chicago Hospitals. “UCH management and Local 743 are always making deals behind our back and Richard calls them on it,” said environmental service worker Chantell Harlin, “That’s why they wanted to get rid of him.”

Berg was starting to become a national figure in the Teamsters. Together with Tony Caldera, secretary treasurer of the 743NLS, he led a delegation to the last International Teamster Convention. There Berg and other reformers spoke out against General President Jimmy Hoffa’s dues increase. “We opposed their fat salaries and believe me, they didn’t like it,” said 743NLS delegate Esmerelda Cuevas.

Berg has been an active player in the national teamster reform movement headed by Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU). TDU supported reform candidate Tom Leedham in his bid to unseat Hoffa in the last Teamster national election. Because of his leadership role, Teamsters from around the country elected Berg to TDU’s leading body, their International Steering Committee.

“They don’t want Richard to run against them anymore because they know that they can never beat us unless they cheat,” said Tony Caldera, “and lately they have been getting caught cheating a lot.” Caldera’s comments are borne out by the fact that the Department of Labor has subpoenaed all the documents from the most recent elections that the old guard Local 743 officials stole. The Department of Labor investigation could still lead to Berg taking office.

The picket line in front of the University of Chicago administration building wasn’t just about Richard Berg. The university had disrespected their students, their workers and the surrounding Black community. These movements were starting to come together. “When they attack Brother Berg they attack all union workers,” said Randy Evans, a member of SEIU Local 73. “He understands the need to fight for workers’ rights, not just to accept the cuts management keeps demanding.”

“When the students organized against the war, Richard and the 743NLS were there. When the community organized against the University’s gentrification efforts, when SEIU Local 73 or the Nurses union were fighting for a better contract, Richard and the 743 NLS were there. Now we need to be there for them,” said recent U of C graduate and community activist Matt Ginsberg-Jaeckle.

“The great abolitionist Frederick Douglas taught us that power concedes nothing without a demand,” said Berg. “We are even stronger when we make our demands together.”

Berg gave special praise to the Students Organized and United with Labor (SOUL). He noted that the students uniting with university workers especially disturbed management.

To support Richard Berg, you can sign the online petition at www.743newleadership.org. The 743 New Leadership Slate will post other calls for support at that site.

Contributions to Berg’s legal defense can be sent to Chicago Labor Support Committee, P.O. Box 805104, Chicago, IL  60680.

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