Teamsters United slate supporters, petition gathering starts now

ReformTeamster

TB Lurker
Credits
0
A CALL TO ACTION

The Teamsters United slate is now asking keyboard warriors (like us) to actually do something in the real world to help the campaign become accredited. Becoming accredited would mean that T.U. would be allowed space in the TEAMSTER magazine to place campaign ads, and T.U. would be allowed to get a copy of the membership list for all Teamsters.

I am not an official spokesperson for the slate. I am just a rank and file member who strongly supports the reform camp, and I have asked members to sign accreditation petition for Sandy Pope and for the Tom Leedham slate during past election cycles.

First go to http://www.teamstersunited.org/petition_drive

Choose the petition for your region, read the instructions, and read the flyers. You may need to print out some petitions and flyers, unless somebody else in your area has already done that.

You should coordinate with other reform supporters in your area, so as to not waste effort by going to the same shop where other T.U. supporters have already visited and collected signatures. So you might need to call the campaign office first.

Before going to a Teamster employer's parking lot, bring a clipboard and two pens. I used a rubber band to hold down the bottom of the petitions to keep them from flapping in a breeze. If you have T.U. clothing, wear that. If not, wear a Teamster hat, shirt, and/or jacket.

Here's an example of what you might say to Teamsters coming in to work, or leaving work, and answers to common questions from Teamsters.

YOU: “Hello, my brother/sister Teamster :) We are asking members to sign petitions so that the Teamsters United slate can get space in the Teamster magazine to place campaign ads.”

MEMBER: What is this about?

YOU: “This is for the election of the Teamsters General Executive Board which will happen next year.”

MEMBER: If I sign does that mean I have to vote for them?

YOU: “No. These petitions go to the slate's office, then to the independent Election Supervisor who checks to be sure that it really was Teamsters who signed the petitions. So we need to have you write the last four numbers of your Social Security number, so that the Election Supervisor can confirm it was really you who signed.”

YOU: “We are also asking signers for an email address, but that is not required. Then T.U. could send you updates and messages.”

Also, after somebody signs, give them a flyer that came from the link above. Then each day or two, once some petitions pages have been filled, one person in your group will collect the full petition sheets, and mail them to the T.U. office.
 
Top