ABF | What are we voting for?

[vongrimmenstein]

What are we voting for?

We being 319 & 050 in Indy have not heard one word from our local on voting again on the Central States Supplements Road & City. We have no idea what the contents of any change, if any to the, supplements. Does anyone have any documents that show what we voted down so we will know what changes there might be? Talk about being treated like a step child, @ I give em $61.00 every month so they can **** me. Unfortunately or fortunately, Indiana is a right to work state now. As soon as this new contract goes in to effect, I am gonna cut my dues in half. Then I can afford more K-Y Jelly, maybe it won't hurt so badly upon insertion.

Oh yea, I spoke with the President of Local 135 about 8 days ago & he said " I believe all Central States ABF employees will be allowed to re-vote on the Road & City Supplements". We will see.

 

[Deleted member 5115]

Nobody seems to have heard anything, the longer this saga goes on the worse it smells. If IN is a RTW state wouldn't your dues drop to $0 and not just in half?

 

[$outh$side $tre$$]

Well yesterday was the first time we heard a whisper at ups frght. And it was an extension with no deadline. So i understand ur frustations at abf. It just shows us all that us due paying teamsters are getting the best leadership from hoffa jr. Its almost to the point that i dont feel comfortable wearing my teamster jacket,shirt, hat, etc in public anymore

 

[Homesick]

You know the old joke about mushrooms! That is how I feel. Angry and frustrated!

 

[iam4us]

stop paying and withdraw, you are not being represented anyway!! you will be treated better and respected more by the company if you choose to continue to work there. I am going to withdraw and I don't work in a right to work state,

 

[vongrimmenstein]

stop paying and withdraw, you are not being represented anyway!! you will be treated better and respected more by the company if you choose to continue to work there. I am going to withdraw and I don't work in a right to work state,

Now the catch 22. If we stop paying dues all together the Union will fold in a heartbeat. That I don’t want to see. But I can promise you I will reduce my dues based on the total % loss of all that I lost from pay to vacation. If my union leadership preaches I have to give money & vacation so ABF can fatten their bottom line, & the union leaders won’t even give up anything of their own to even appear that they care, why would anyone still pay full boat for services not rendered? I do not believe I will ever see it, but a large system wide action by members in the money they pay each month to the IBT is the ONLY think that will get there undivided attention. They see a large & immediate loss of monies they will be at you barn night & day with their hand out. When was the last time our union leadership should up @ your barn?

 

[iam4us]

the union will not fold if abf teamsters stop paying dues, they have nurses, funeral directors, trashmen, bus drivers, hookers, and clergymen paying dues!!! this is about the Pension Funds, Central States to Boot.

 

[vongrimmenstein]

the union will not fold if abf teamsters stop paying dues, they have nurses, funeral directors, trashmen, bus drivers, hookers, and clergymen paying dues!!! this is about the Pension Funds, Central States to Boot.

You are right. Maybe I should ask for the blue light special 39.95. On the other hand if I reduce my dues do they reduce the service they are required by law to provide? Don't answer that, we both know the results. von.

 

[Deleted member 5115]

Von, it sounds like you don't completely understand how the dues thing works. If you are not in a RTW state you have to pay dues or a user fee, which is almost as much as dues. In a RTW state you either pay dues or you don't, no in between amount. If you are in the wrong and stop paying dues you can lose your job.

 

[canaryinthemine]

Although I believe in Solidarity, Brother Von,....and the idea that the Teamsters are US,....not the ones in D.C. temporarily in charge,...I believe you could become a Fair Share payer,...the amount of your dues directly going to represent you, minus about 10%- 20%. I believe, in a RTW state, if you decide to use the Beck vs. Communication Workers of America ruling, it's either all or nothing. However,....one Brother to another,.....Re-think your decision about dues. In the long run, all that does is de-fund, cripple,...and eventually de-certify Local Unions. It's not your local leadership that negotiated this ....mess,...they are just the messenger from the IBT. We should all be working to strengthen our Locals,....so they don't feel so subservient to the IBT, and have the members' backing to stand up to the Washington crowd. The dues assessment that goes to the IBT is pretty small...out of that $61.00,...only about $10-$15 goes to the IBT. Check with your Local, they can tell you what they are assessed by the International. But,......keep in mind, Brother,.....when they get so carried away down in Washington that there's a national outcry to get rid of that crew,.........and most of us have quit paying, or are paying reduced dues,....by the time a Reform group of new officers get in there,...they are inheriting a hollowed-out shell, and the new officers will take the "blame" for the financial collapse. Won't do any of us any good. Union membership,....and organizing, is a long-term prospect.........Sometimes it takes 20 years to win a war, and you lose a few battles on the way............but there ain't no army ever won a war,.....or a battle.....by retreating. This last contract.....and YRC's,......shows us that the current temporary "leadership",...is either criminally incompetent,....or criminally complicit. Use the existing framework,...our Union membership,....to get the word out, turn that anger and frustration into action,....and WORK HARD to vote them out......RESOUNDINGLY. If it takes going to every bus garage, nursing home, and police station,....and explaining to Teamster members,....our Brothers and Sisters,...(whether they know it or not...),...and telling them HOW BAD our current "leadership" is,.........Well,.....that's what it will take. Nothing worse than an angry truck driver who's been ***** through his own wallet,....by people he trusted. Get everyone in your barn to show up at the meetings.....use that anger to express Solidarity,....not frustration,.....and MAKE SURE your Local officers KNOW it's better to "be with you, than against you"......"you" being you and your Brother employees. You always get more attention when you're angry in a group,...with a purpose and a plan,.....rather than 25 individual frustrated guys planning to quit. Fight the Good Fight, Brother........

 

[canaryinthemine]

Von, it sounds like you don't completely understand how the dues thing works. If you are not in a RTW state you have to pay dues or a user fee, which is almost as much as dues. In a RTW state you either pay dues or you don't, no in between amount. If you are in the wrong and stop paying dues you can lose your job.

I was typing one-finger while you were answering him, Brother.......but you're absolutely right....

 

[vongrimmenstein]

Von, it sounds like you don't completely understand how the dues thing works. If you are not in a RTW state you have to pay dues or a user fee, which is almost as much as dues. In a RTW state you either pay dues or you don't, no in between amount. If you are in the wrong and stop paying dues you can lose your job.

I do understand how the dues work. I took a vacation day in Jan of 2012 & marched on the state house for a rally on the RTW bill before the IN Senate Committee. Right now the Indiana Law has no effect because we are under the old contract. When the new one goes in to effect sometime this year, I, and I alone, will decide the amount of money I send my local each month. I understand it all too well. von. Maybe I don't have a firm grasp on the law. Please explain why I have to pay all or nothing. Is there anything in the rules that says I can not choose an amount, say 50 bucks instead of 61 dollars a month? I want to pay a portion of what they want each month. All your comment are welcomed.

 

[canaryinthemine]

Brother Von,...I believe the ability to pay a partial amount to a Local would be decided by the Fair Share provisions of existing Labor law. In the LM-2 financial filings every Local has to submit to the Dept. of Labor, each Local has to determine the value of their representation, minus the International assessment, and minus any political activity they are restricted to by law....i.e...donating money to your state's Conference of Teamsters, or the amount the Local sends to DRIVE through Officer donations. The only problem is that the Local, itself, determines that value. It must be reported to the Dept. of Labor,...and, therefore, it must be a reasonable amount, defendable in an audit,....which every Local is required to go through once a year. Current law does not allow an individual to set the amount HE determines the Local has represented him....Representation must be unilateral across the membership, which is why the law allows the Local to set a standard amount to be applied to all members, instead of members paying what they think is the dollar amount they were represented. RTW allows a member to step completely outside representation....you lose your right to go to meetings, you lose your vote on internal Union motions, you only retain your vote for employment-specific items........RTW states still require Local Unions to .....ummmm....."Represent"....non-dues payers in grievances and discipline hearings..........that would be the anti-Labor group's way of depleting a Local Union's resources by the company hiring bad employees and forcing the Union to represent them. Remember,...the Union does not hire you, neither do they fire you,....but in the meantime , they MUST, by law, represent ALL the employees the company has hired , no matter what kind of an amoral nincompoop brother-in-law was hired by the HR Dept. When I hear people say: "The Union protects the lazy".:...I tell we have to,....unilaterally, by law,...but it was the COMPANY that hired that lazy fool,....and sometimes I think the company does that on purpose.

 

[canaryinthemine]

And ,...Good for you, Brother Von,..for taking your time to stand up for working peoples' rights. That raises my opinion of you mightily in my estimation....there are fewer Teamsters, nowadays, who are willing to invest their own time for a Noble Cause. Thank You!

 

[vongrimmenstein]

Dues

Brother Von,...I believe the ability to pay a partial amount to a Local would be decided by the Fair Share provisions of existing Labor law. In the LM-2 financial filings every Local has to submit to the Dept. of Labor, each Local has to determine the value of their representation, minus the International assessment, and minus any political activity they are restricted to by law....i.e...donating money to your state's Conference of Teamsters, or the amount the Local sends to DRIVE through Officer donations. The only problem is that the Local, itself, determines that value. It must be reported to the Dept. of Labor,...and, therefore, it must be a reasonable amount, defendable in an audit,....which every Local is required to go through once a year. Current law does not allow an individual to set the amount HE determines the Local has represented him....Representation must be unilateral across the membership, which is why the law allows the Local to set a standard amount to be applied to all members, instead of members paying what they think is the dollar amount they were represented. RTW allows a member to step completely outside representation....you lose your right to go to meetings, you lose your vote on internal Union motions, you only retain your vote for employment-specific items........RTW states still require Local Unions to .....ummmm....."Represent"....non-dues payers in grievances and discipline hearings..........that would be the anti-Labor group's way of depleting a Local Union's resources by the company hiring bad employees and forcing the Union to represent them. Remember,...the Union does not hire you, neither do they fire you,....but in the meantime , they MUST, by law, represent ALL the employees the company has hired , no matter what kind of an amoral nincompoop brother-in-law was hired by the HR Dept. When I hear people say: "The Union protects the lazy".:...I tell we have to,....unilaterally, by law,...but it was the COMPANY that hired that lazy fool,....and sometimes I think the company does that on purpose.

Learned a lesson today. Based on what you said & the Labor Law I will have to pay my dues in full. I do not believe in paying NO dues. No dues & the Union would suffer a finical disaster it would not recover from. Do that & Management wins. Can't allow that to happen. Now leave me alone I have to go cut some grass. Ah, the wonderful world of chores.

 

[vongrimmenstein]

And ,...Good for you, Brother Von,..for taking your time to stand up for working peoples' rights. That raises my opinion of you mightily in my estimation....there are fewer Teamsters, nowadays, who are willing to invest their own time for a Noble Cause. Thank You!

Why not show up. There is always strength in numbers. And there were a lot of digits that day. There was a huge turnout of Labor from Indiana & surrounding states. But our efforts failed. They passed the RTW bill later in the year before they adjourned. We failed in the halls of the State capitol but I have not failed @ the ballot box since then.

 

[Seamus20]

stop paying and withdraw, you are not being represented anyway!! you will be treated better and respected more by the company if you choose to continue to work there. I am going to withdraw and I don't work in a right to work state,

I truly doubt that you'll be treated better. if this is how they treat us with union representation without would be horrofic