Last year I was overjoyed when the IBT and Sandra Jimenez, who was then employed as a full-time organizer with TLU767, successfully organized the Fort Worth Americold employees. It was the first such victory for our local in over a decade, and, after having met many of the Americold workers and listening to their unbelievably desperate stories of workplace neglect, I couldn’t wait for their contract to be ratified.
Like I said, that was “last year.” This year, those employees who bravely fought for unionization, American workers’ rights, and our local’s proud legacy are still without a contract. Having participated in negotiation procedures with our local as a member of its past office staff, I remember how tedious such meetings can be. However, our parties were able to cut through every laborious compromise within the matter of a handful of conferences — unlike our brothers and sisters at Americold who have battled their ways to work every day for the past year with the hope that one day they’ll be protected by union language. They are ready and willing to pay dues.
As if that wasn’t enough, Sandra Jimenez — fresh from her Americold win and knee-deep in a second organizing campaign for 767 with fierce assistance from the IBT — was laid off in May, 2009. A junior, part-time employee was allowed to continue working in an organizing capacity with Teamsters Local Union 767, which is in direct violation of the labor agreement between the office staff and the local. Rumors circulated that Sandra was “suspended” for stealing time. As someone who worked side-by-side with Sandra on repeated occasions along with numerous other members from locals nationwide, IBT organizers, volunteers, and campaign leaders, I witnessed her never-ending dedication to unionization, which is why I suspect she was picked up immediately by the Teamsters to continue her efforts in a pressing campaign on the west coast. Nevertheless, Sandra was not given an official reason for termination with our local by its executive officers. Even worse, Sandra Jimenez, was denied to fully vest in her pension with the local, of which she had only a couple of payments left prior to fulfilling. At this time, our local does not have an assigned organizer without agent duties, structured ongoing organizing campaigns in external or internal capacities, or a bilingual field agent. All of these positions are vital to the growth of our great union. Without them, our cause suffers critical paralyzation.
That said, my faith in local leadership was growing thin, and I was questioning whether my silence regarding the dissatisfaction was truly benefitting the membership anymore. My daughter asked me, “Don’t you think the other Teamsters have a right to know, Mom? You always tell me to stand up for what I believe to be fair. That is the only way things ever get better, right?” My own advice came back to haunt me at the time I probably needed to be most reminded.
Something pivotal was around the corner: the E-Board election.
When Billy Smith and Scott Wallace first shared their reasons for wanting change within our local, I drilled them, “What change? What’s your platform specifically? Why would you want to work for the local? Do you know what you’re getting into here, guys?” They gave me a couple of hours of their time — something they’ve done for a lot of us at this point, and I was sold shortly thereafter as I followed them along their pre-campaign trail. Billy swore, “I want to bring representation back into the facilities for everybody — not just UPS, but also the people who are reaching out to us from Allied and AWG and Weber. I want to show the extended centers that we care about them as much as their co-workers in the DFW Metroplex. I am tired of hearing from people who want to get out of the union because they aren’t seeing new members coming into the union. I want to work with our Dallas brothers and sisters in Local 745 and support them in their efforts. Do you want me to go on? I can do this all night.”
And he did. Forever. We discussed issues at Americold, with the Combo workers at DFW, the problems UPS Feeder Drivers are facing again and again. The man spoke with absolute passion about where he expected our local to head and explained his business plan in great detail. I could tell Billy put extensive consideration into his ideas.
Scott Wallace, who is also ostensibly running with the Members First slate pending nomination, told me, “I want to run a positive campaign and focus on my brothers’ and sisters’ needs and what they’re wanting from us, rather than worry about mud-slinging and negativity. I am motivated. Billy is motivated. We have a planned slate full of other motivated individuals with similar goals.” The more Scott spoke, the more I was impressed by his sincerity. Plus, he seemed like a total brainiac. Big bonus, indeed.
I reviewed the credentials of the other possible candidates, crunched some numbers, checked around the circuit, and am pleased: here is a group with 145 combined years of experience working under union contract, a group that — even before its official nomination — is visiting members and collecting information about what all of our membership would like to see for its future well-being, a group that has deep history in promoting charitable events, a group cognizant of the skills necessary for successful small business ownership, a group willing to address both Republican and Democratic elected officials concerning labor issues for the good of the whole, a group supported by active members whom I know and respect.
In a couple of weeks, slates will be nominated, and campaigns will result. We’ll have many choices this time, and so I ask my brothers and sisters to listen carefully to what each candidate has to offer as our future elected officers. Additionally, I urge all members to make sure their addresses are correct with Teamsters Local Union 767 so they can participate and vote without delay or concern.
Please visit the official site for the Members First slate here for contact and event information, and refer back to this blog for future updates from this member’s perspective along the campaign route. Together, we stand in solidarity again.
