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Ron Carey Speaks Out On The Contract
The labor magazine Labor Notes interviewed former Teamster President Ron Carey last week. Here is an excerpt:
The proposed contract is a complete sellout. It gives back to UPS monumental gains that the members sacrificed for and won in 1997.
In 1997 we stopped UPS from taking control of the Teamster pension plans, and we provided record increases. We made it clear that "Part-Time America Just Won’t Work." We forced the company to create 10,000 full-time jobs by combining 20,000 part-time jobs.
That achievement provided for part-timers a sense of connection, a sense of belonging to something. It gave them an opportunity for a good full-time job. And it dispelled the feeling that they were second-class citizens.
That translates into a stronger union, when it’s working for all the members. This contract eliminates new full-time jobs. And it makes new, part-time jobs a disaster by freezing starting wages and cutting benefits
Well, first of all, UPS always wanted to take control of Teamster pensions. That’s not new. I f they succeed in the Central States, UPS will save billions by reducing their pension contributions. Teamster members will pay the price for that, with weaker pensions, company dominated plans, now and in the future.
For example, under the contract the 30 and out benefit in the Central States will be $3,000 per month in 2013. That’s the same benefit level we won in 1997. What they’re doing is freezing the benefit at the 1997 level, and that represents a 16-year freeze.
In Local 804 in New York, where I’m from, they want to eliminate the "25 Year and Out" pension plan for new hires. The union officers who negotiated this rip-off know that the "25 Year and Out" pension benefit was something we fought for and won 25 years ago. And it took a 13-week strike to do it.
This has been a vital benefit for our members for 25 years. The elimination of the benefit for Local 804 members is incredible—union officers selling out the future. And they know they won’t be around to answer for their deal-making.
I know Local 804 members won’t be fooled by the union and its propaganda, about how good this contract is, and why they are not to blame for this sellout.
Maybe the members should give some consideration to some union by-law changes that provide for part-time union officers with frozen benefits and frozen wages.
I’m confident that 804 members will vote "no" on the national agreement and the local supplement. They have the power and they have the courage to vote down the supplement and the national agreement, and send these phony negotiators back to the bargaining table to make it right for the members.
The fate of this contract is in the hands of the members. It’s their job to reach out to the brothers and sisters and explain two simple facts. The union did not force UPS to put its best offer on the table.
And the membership has a right and the power to vote "no" and to send the negotiators back to the bargaining table to win a fair contract that benefits all of the members. Fortunately UPS teamsters don’t have to start from square one.
They already have a national network in place, Teamsters for a Democratic Union. And they were vital in the 1997 strike. I could always count on them to get information out to the members.
(Go to labornotes.org or watch the entire video of the interview on Youtube.com)
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