Correct - BUT
but what you described happened, is a big reason why so many want nothing to do with the union.
..... at whose hands? Can we, without a shadow of a doubt, point our fingers to the teamsters, for ALL the scare tactics, ALL the terror, everything? You have to remember I was one of the strongest defenders of "O", never wavered for one instance.
Until, on a dare, I took "a walk on the wild side", not just once, but quite enough to realize that I was a freaking fool, and being used by "O" management. Geeeesh - did I ever fall off of that high horse and hit the ground hard. Let us just say that I have no illusions about anything anymore, even after all these years, except that there is God in Heaven, and Satan in Hell. Everything else is "Yeah, riiiiiigggght - and donkeys fly.", along with that 1,000 yard stare.
So, yes - the terrors did what they were intended to do, the intimidation too, but like I asked - exactly WHERE has it been proven that it was all one sided terror and intimidation on the part of the teamsters? If you wanted to tame a wild animal, would you terrorize it, make it afraid of you? Where is that proven to be a wonderful way of making friends and influencing people? Did the terror reign have the desired result? It did if the purpose of it was to turn people against the teamsters and the IBT. I learned people are strange sorts - they will do anything for the mere acknowledgment from higher powers. Including hurting other people physically and mentally if they think they can get away with it. There are people that would never believe there was anything other that the gospel truth coming out of "O" management mouths during that time. Still won't believe it. Would you stake your life on it being ALL teamster doings during that time? I would have, but not after my walk on the wild side.
I have to say, there were hot headed people on both sides of the fence, but I also have to say that I worked the late shift - sometimes until 2am and I drove in alone, went home alone out on the expressway - you know, lots of places where an overpass could have hidden a sniper. All that time, everyone walking the lines day and night in Memphis, those visiting, knew who I was, what my car looked like, where I lived. I was never harassed, never received a threatening phone call, never had my tires cut, never had my car damaged - not one unkind word spoken to me. I am not a special person, I walked the walk, talked the talk and minced no words where the teamsters were concerned. IF it was ALL teamster doings, don't you think they would have taken me out one way or another early in the strike? Maybe I just didn't have sense God gave a goose to be afraid, but then, the teamsters never gave me anything to be afraid about.
And, neither did the "O" guys/ladies walking the lines. All of that came later, after the strike. From "O" management. From an operations manager that stopped me one afternoon and out of the clear blue sky told me they could give the jobs I was doing to a male co-worker and do away with me and my job and laughed. I then told him that I could go downtown the next day to the labor board and report his abuse and threats (the Memphis "O" terminal was deemed to be the worst labor law violator by the entire labor board lawyers) - he countered by calling Richmond and telling them I had threatened his life. They even sent someone down to investigate it. Of course the gentleman had to side with him, but he shook my hand and told me he felt it was something of a "put up" situation. I thanked him for his trouble, took the reprimand, and went back to work. That particular threat was never made to me again. Of course, it could have been - had the operations manager not sat on the side of his bed one night and fell over at the early age of less than 46 years old and died of a heart attack. I did not dislike him, did not "hate" him - after all, he was only doing what he was told to do by upper management.
Everyone has their own stories, everyone sooner or later has been ground down under someone's foot or thumb at one time or another. And, I do believe everyone agrees it is more than time for it to be stopped stone cold in it's tracks.
"O" is now dust in the wind, but most of the dregs of sorry management are still in place. Don't for one minute think they are going anywhere, either. They may be biting their tongues, just waiting - but if they are not stopped now, you can be sure they will not hesitate to start up at a moments notice.
You remember that story that circulated about how the teamsters drove up to the home office in a "blue" bus dressed up as clowns and drunk as skunks? Everyone of us had a good bellylaugh over that one - however, did you know that it was filmed by the teamsters from the get go to the end, and amazing - not a one of them were dressed as clowns, not a one of them were drunk, and they certainly were not driving a "blue" bus. And, it was not a put up video, I recognized people in that video on both sides, and it begs the question -
who shot the "O" road driver from the overpass that day as he was coming in to the Memphis terminal - a teamster, a teamster sympathizer, or a hired shooter from a place you would never have believed?
Darkstar
