Trouble for the Boss of Union Bosses
By Chuck Muth (10/02/06)
Ballots go out this week for a critically important election in November.
No, not the referendum on what is passing for Republican "leadership" in
Washington. I'm talking about the election to decide which big-government
liberal union boss will run the Teamsters for the next several years.
The oddsmakers on the street say Jimmy Hoffa (www.hoffa2006.com) - the live
son, not the missing dad - will win re-election handily, despite the fact
that he chickened out of the one required debate with his opponent, Tom
Leedham (www.leedham2006.org), held in August. But that's not to say some
of the lemming-like natives in the rank-and-file aren't getting restless.
And since such unrest has ramifications for the business community and
national politics, now might be a good time to take a closer look at the
incredible shrinking labor movement in general, and the Hoffa-led Teamsters
in particular.
A friend sent me a copy of the September 2006 edition of the Teamsters'
monthly magazine, which focused almost entirely on the union's summer
convention held in Las Vegas. And for the uninitiated, the convention
coverage will tell you just about all you need to know about the Teamsters
and their decidedly left-wing politics.
For example, on Page 7 you'll find this socialist gem from Boss Hoffa's
keynote address to convention delegates: "We must grow if we are going to
make health care a right and not a privilege. We must grow if we are going
to make retirement security a right and not a privilege." Hillary Clinton
herself couldn't have said it better.
Then on Page 9 the magazine highlights two changes to the union's
Constitution. The first one added language "that prohibits membership
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation." I guess the only
surprise here is that it took them so long to adopt that one. The other was
adding language celebrating "diversity." You'll be happy to know that your
Teamsters union "is pursuing educational programs that emphasize diversity
at every level of the union." How sweet.
But in case you're still not sure as to exactly how far Left the union is on
the political scale, photos of two key speakers at the confab should remove
all doubt: Actor Danny Glover and comedian Al Franken. If the Teamsters
had been able to land Barbra Streisand, they'd have hit a liberal tri-fecta.
And what Big Labor get-together would be complete with a healthy dose of
world-class hypocrisy?
On the inside back-cover, in a special "Election Supervisor's Report to IBT
Members," Richard W. Mark explains that "Every member has the right to vote
their own ballot in secret" in the upcoming election of union leaders. Yet
on Page 28, the headline boasts: "Winning With Card-Check."
In case you don't know, "card check" refers to the process where workers are
coerced by union organizers to sign cards saying they want a union. When a
majority of workers sign the cards, employers would be required to recognize
the union. "Card check" means workers no longer get to decide whether or
not they want union representation via a "secret ballot."
So Teamsters members get to cast ballots for union leaders in secret, but
non-union workers don't get to cast ballots in secret when it comes to
deciding whether or not they want to become Teamsters. Secret ballots for
me, but not for thee. How typical.
All in all, the special "2006 Convention" issue of Teamsters magazine was
what you'd expect: a slick, multi-page campaign ad touting the success of
the Teamsters under the leadership of President Hoffa. However, union's
rules "permits a nominated candidate for International office to publish
campaign literature published in the Teamster magazine." And the
Leedhamites took full advantage of the opportunity with nine full pages of
anti-Hoffa material in the back of the magazine.
"To Hoffa, 'Teamster Power' is Just a PR Slogan" screams the headline on
Page 47. Featuring a picture of two picket-holding workers standing in
front of a Waste Management company trash dumpster, Leedham's ad reads:
"When these brave Teamsters went on strike against the world's biggest waste
hauler, Hoffa hung them out to dry. More than 8,500 Teamsters work for
Waste Management nationwide, but Hoffa left 115 members of Local 813 to
fight alone in New York City and condemned their strike to defeat."
Hardly a ringing endorsement for continued Hoffa leadership.
"Hoffa's pension cuts will cost me $500 a month for life when I retire,"
says Teamster John Morud in another ad on Page 49. "Hoffa says we need
early bargaining to protect our benefits. But who will protect us from
Hoffa?"
Then there was this headline on Page 50: "Fasten Your Seatbelts! Hoffa
Healthcare Cuts Are Next." The full-page ad explains: "First Hoffa cut our
pensions and retiree healthcare. Next, tens of thousands of Teamsters will
be hit by major healthcare cuts because Hoffa diverted money for medical
coverage to the Central States Pension Fund." The ad includes a picture of
Teamster Joe Medrano who is quoted as saying, "Because of Hoffa's cuts to my
healthcare, my family just got hit with whopping co-pays. Our annual
out-of-pocket maximum skyrocketed."
On the opposite page, Teamster Rick Slather puts his feelings toward the son
of the legendary union boss in stark terms: "Hoffa Lied and Cut Our
Benefits." On Page 52, Teamster Jim Price says, "I saw firsthand how Hoffa
destroyed our organizing drive at Overnight." On Page 53, Teamster Kathy
DeBorde declares that "Hoffa put us in this mess," while Teamster Dan Scott
says, "Hoffa's all talk."
And finally, on Page 55 Teamster Victor Emeric concludes: "Hoffa lied to
members about raising our dues and cutting pensions. Now he's lying about
Tom Leedham. Fortunately, the truth is out. Hoffa's negative attacks have
worn thin in my local. We're voting Tom Leedham."
Can't you just feel the love?
The Hoffa-istas countered with some pretty tough language of their own. On
Page 56 the pro-Hoffa headline proclaims: "Tom Leedham Is A Front Man For
Anti-Teamster Groups." According to the Hoffa campaign, Leedham and his
followers "are being bankrolled by a union busting lawyer" and are "also
backed by corporate foundations who own stock in non-union companies like
Wal-Mart."
What? Wal-Mart? Heaven forefend!! Bring me the head of Tom Leedham!
Seriously, though, Hoffa's name, organization and money should easily win
him another term as the Boss of Union Bosses over at the Teamsters once the
ballots are counted on November 14. But any notion of "solidarity" in the
ever-weakening union movement, as witnessed in this campaign, will continue
to prove elusive. Which is a good thing for those of us who still support
the radical notions of limited government and a free market economy.
Copyright 2006 Chuck Muth. All rights reserved.
Chuck Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, a non-profit public policy
advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. The views expressed are his own
and do not necessarily reflect the views of Citizen Outreach.
(Printer friendly version) Email: Chuck Muth
