Learn about the influential people in our Labor history
Sept. 1, 2014  | The workplace rights and protections we enjoy today were won for us by generations of America's working heroes. The brief biographies of some the greatest figures in working America history – César Estrada Chá

vez, Joe Hill, Mother Jones, Frances Perkins and others – may inspire you to join in and continue the fight for American Labor.

Sign the petition against elections controlled by the 1%
Sept. 5, 2014  | When the Senate returns from a month-long recess next week, they will be voting on a motion to proceed to a resolution (S.J. Res. 19) calling for a constitutional amendment overturning the Citizens United and McCutcheon Supreme Court decisions. Citizens United opened the floodgates for political spending by outside organizations. In the four years since the decision was handed down, spending by outside groups has increased by over 500%. Most of the new outside money, over 70% of it, goes to support anti-worker candidates backed by big corporations and billionaire plutocrats like the Koch brothers. Please sign our petition today calling for the U.S. Senate to vote “yes” on this measure and overturn these anti-democratic rulings that have shifted control of our elections from the will of the people to the wallets of the super-rich.

'Be strong and believe in yourselves'
Sept. 8, 2014  | "Employers will continue to shock you with unfair labor practices and it is possible that your employer will do you wrong, but the Teamsters will fight for you. And you will win." Laura Lucafo, a pharmacist and member of Teamsters Local 727 in Chicago, told her story of unfair treatment at last week's 2014 Teamsters Women's Conference. "I was called into the office at my work one day, when I was three months pregnant with my first child, and terminated. I was told my termination was effective immediately. There was no notice or cause given. I was shocked…" Read an excerpt from her story here.

Teamsters aim to organize FedEx Freight Indy drivers
Sept. 11, 2014  | The Teamsters union is trying to whip up pro-union sentiment among 250 local FedEx Freight drivers as it lays the groundwork for a possible unionization vote. An organizing campaign that began in January "is going absolutely great," and an election could be coming for the drivers to vote on unionizing, said Jeff Combs, an organizer for Teamsters Local 135 in Indianapolis… The Teamsters have already filed with the NLRB to hold secret ballot union elections for FedEx workers in eight cities… Full story here.

Teamsters celebrate Truck Driver Appreciation Week - again!
Sept. 15, 2014  | Last year, we asked Teamsters to submit photos of themselves and their trucks to the Teamsters Facebook page. The response was overwhelming Hundreds of Teamsters sent in photos, along with their comments. This year, the Union is asking you again to send photos of you and your trucks, either by posting directly to the Teamsters Facebook page or by sending a direct message to the page. Go ahead, do it!

Con-Way Freight workers in Texas join Teamsters LU 657
Sept. 15, 2014  | On September 12, 2014, drivers and dockworkers at Con-Way Freight in Laredo, Texas voted to join the Teamsters Local 657. “This is a great victory for the workers at Con-Way and we hope this campaign spreads,” said Frank Perkins, President of the San Antonio-based Local 657. “These workers are seeking fair wages, respect on the job and job security. They also want to have a pension and improved health care coverage…We choose Laredo because it is the busiest inland port in the United States. Seven thousand trucks cross the border with Mexico every day.”

Leaked memo: YRC tweaks discipline policy; union takes exception
Sept. 16, 2014  | The IBT is taking exception to a new discipline policy at YRV Worldwide Inc., according to a leaked internal memo. The memo, shared on industry message board TruckingBoards.com, details a new, zero-tolerance policy concurring actions that will harm its DOT safety scores. Full story here.

Labor poised to unseat Pennsylvania’s Corbett in Nov. elections
Sept. 16, 2014  | A new election poll last week brought good news for Pennsylvania unions. The latest data… shows Tom Wolf, a pro-labor Democrat running for governor in Pennsylvania this November, trouncing the conservative Republican incumbent by more than 30 points. If the poll proves predictive come Election Day, Wolf’s win would be a historic one, defying the trend of near-automatic reelection of incumbent governors, and ushering in a huge victory for the state’s unions. Continue reading here.

Burning landfill near a nuclear dump? Sign this petition to Bill Gates!
Sept. 26, 2014  | Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is the dominant shareholder of Republic Services, which owns the burning landfill. He has the power to convince Republic Services to evacuate families living next to the burning landfill. State health investigators found a high rate of brain and nervous system cancers among the children in the area near the landfill. The Teamsters represent about 9,000 of Republic’s workers and despite a contentious relationship with the company, has joined the call for buyouts and removal of the waste. Bill Gates can help protect families living in the nearby community. Please sign the petition here.