Winter 2001
Volume 109 - No. 1
Winter 2001
Volume 109 - No. 1
Guest Comment
On common ground
IBT-BLE merger or affiliation would unite two unions with a common interest - helping members
From left: BLE President Hahs, Teamster President Hoffa, BLE First Vice-President & Alternate President Ed Rodzwicz, & BLE International Vice-President & U.S. National Legislative Representative Raymond Holmes.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers' Advisory Board and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters General Executive Board have agreed to explore a merger or affiliation of our two great unions. This proposed action would give Locomotive Engineers membership in the largest union in the AFL-CIO and the largest transportation union in North America. It is a win-win proposition that will benefit all of our members.
By joining together, we will be celebrating a shared history and a shared purpose. Next year, the Teamsters Union will be marking its 100th anniversary. That means that both of our organizations were created in a time when working people lacked the most basic protections - when most of the labor rights that we now take for granted were distant dreams. We were born to struggle.
Teamsters have much in common with Locomotive Engineers. We have an understanding of the unique issues and challenges facing transportation workers. We are militant in our determination to win and enforce strong contracts. We believe that every member deserves the strongest possible representation. We take seriously the commitment to enhance the lives of our members all across North America and to win justice for working families. We are dedicated to the highest principles of trade unionism and solidarity.
Increasingly, transportation decisions that affect our families are made by federal and state regulators. Now more than ever, workers need a strong voice in Congress and statehouses across the country. With the largest labor Political Action Committee in the nation and a team of lobbyists that consistently wins out over corporate interests, the Teamsters Union is that voice. The Teamsters command respect from employers, government, the media and the legions of anti-union forces that want to destroy our movement. By joining forces, we can be an even more powerful positive force in the social and economic life of our nation.
Our two unions serve a common purpose of transporting goods from manufacturers to consumers. By joining together, we will create a seamless transportation union under the umbrella of the AFL-CIO. That means that employers will no longer be able to pursue their divide-and-conquer strategy to weaken transportation labor.
The Teamsters Union has considerable experience in this area. In recent years, we have formed partnerships with the International Longshoremen's Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, both AFL-CIO affiliates, to help bring the power of union representation to port workers across North America. The three unions agreed to respect each other's traditional jurisdictions, eliminate any competition at ports and coordinate their efforts to organize non-union workers. That's how solidarity works.
The Teamsters ensure that all of our members maintain power at the national
and international levels and aggressive representation at the local level.
Our ability to support each other across industry lines, throughout the
transportation industry, will give all of our members the support they need
when negotiating contracts and organizing.
Both the BLE and the Teamsters Union are strong, democratic institutions structured to empower the membership. The Teamsters are known for strong local unions and strong local leaders. While enjoying their independence, Teamsters locals benefit from the expertise and assistance of their International.
The BLE has elaborate procedures for considering this proposal. As the BLE's Executive Committee maps out the details for the proposed merger or affiliation, we will work closely with International President Don Hahs and the entire BLE leadership to protect the rights and interests of both unions' membership, and to ensure that members are kept fully informed of developments.
The prospect that our two great organizations will be working together is very exciting. It offers a rare opportunity for dedicated trade unionists to build on their current strengths and prove the axiom that the whole truly is greater than the parts. I look forward to joining with you as we set out to make history in the 21st Century.
Since taking office on March 19, 1999, JAMES P. HOFFA has been rebuilding the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Under Hoffa's leadership, union membership has increased and, for the first time in nearly 10 years, the union budget is balanced. As a result of renewed solidarity, Teamsters are winning industry-leading contracts, engaging in vigorous contract enforcement and organizing the unorganized. Teamster positions on the issues of the day - from unsafe Mexican trucks to misguided trade concessions for China - now hold sway in Washington's power corridors.
James P. Hoffa grew up on picket lines and in union meetings. He is the only son of James R. Hoffa, former General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. On his 18th birthday, Hoffa received his own union card and was sworn in by his father. Prior to becoming Administrative Assistant to Michigan Joint Council 43, Hoffa was a labor lawyer in Detroit for 25 years.
President Hoffa holds a degree in economics from Michigan State University
and an LLB law degree from the University of Michigan. He and his wife,
Virginia Harris Hoffa, have two sons.
© 2002 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers