Local 78 and 853 merge with 95% approval!

(Re-edited from Local 853's official newsletter, Connections)
On Saturday, January 5, 2008, members of Teamsters Local 78 voted to merge with Teamsters Local 853 by an overwhelming 95.5% margin. Local 78 Secretary-Treasurer Steve Mack explained that Local 78 is dealing with increasingly more national and multi-national corporations that are ever more aggressive and anti-worker. Merging would increase the Local’s size and assets, putting the union on a more equal footing with these corporations.

“With nearly 6,000 members, Local 78 is still one of the most viable and successful Locals in the country,” said Local 853 Secretary-Treasurer Rome Aloise. “Its members are fortunate to have such selfless officials who are putting the future of the membership ahead of their own interests and ambitions.”

As a result of the merger, Local 853 will have about 12,000 members. “I am excited about this, as Local 853 will be the largest Local in Northern California and one of the three of four largest in the West,” said Local 78 Business Agent Dan Varela. “I knew our members would see the value in getting bigger and better.”

“Local 853 officials also are making sacrifices to make this merger work,” said Aloise. “As Steve Mack becomes the new President, our current President, John Becker is stepping back to be Vice President. Trustees Jeff Belunza and Julie Molina will move to our newly created Advisory Board. Our members should be proud to have such dedicated people representing them.”

The merger has been approved by the Executive Boards of both Locals, by the members of Local 78, and by the Joint Council and International Union and will take effect on February 1, 2008.

Two powerhouse locals acting as one, this can only mean great things for the members in the No Cal area. Congrats on a wise decision.

Thrilled!! Estatic and Hoping for a greater benefit to all

Cheers To all who made this happen---
The Bay Area is served best under such leadership intergration

For the Future is Now!

To Steve To Rome: This could not come at a better time---
To Chuck: My hats off to your dedication and preservation of things noble

Brother Mack you we're the only man that stood up in the midst of a confused convention in 1991 and demanded the Government Out of the Teamsters.
That I remember, That I respect..
You should have seen yourself that day-- It was a beauty
Good to see you at the Labor Dinner Friday last
Cheers to Leadership to Equality to Selfless men to a Level Playing Field for All

For Duty For Honor above all, for what is good-

Cheers to Local 853

I talked to the Sysco driver that delivers to the place behind our Local, Brother Paul, and they are FIRED UP about this. They have contract negotiations coming up and they feel this gives them added clout and couldn't come at a better time. They have also heard about Brother Rome's reputation, and know he is the son of Vince Aloise-- a Teamster people still talk about today (someone mentioned his name to me yesterday) with reverence and respect.

This is a good thing!

Agree. The 853 and 78 merger is a good thing. This post does not reference that merger in any way.

Centralizing power to increase power usually works. Many Local Unions, particularly outlying area Locals and their memberships are parochial and feel a kinship to their area and identity. Now here is some FOOD FOR THOUGHT ON MERGERS. Should the entire Joint Council 7 be merged into a singular Local Union? Would that be good or bad? No doubt that it would centralize and increase power it would be far more efficient and cost effective and a lot of BIG egos would disappear. The kinship/brotherhood concepts (sense of belonging) would diminish. Would it be a good thing?

Now, if such a total merger is good in the JC 7, would it also be good elsewhere? Central California JC 38? Southern California JC 42? Do our overall membership numbers increase? Decrease?

Brother, mergers should be looked at on a case by case. Centralized control with local autonomy i.e JC's, has to have at the very least a conclusive review to deal with our current reality
Instances where the're maybe shortage of needs, it can be said that it was better we fought together than dry apart. Certainly, an achievable rate of success has to be measured to what and where resources can be best spent to benefit all and not to benefit few members. What sense when we are unsure where our members cannot benefit to receive medical care, sustenance or at border to poverty? This is the greatest country to whom? Who are we?

In the SF area. Consolidation to achieve valued services should be weighed to the extent of how best to serve our members. Don't know about healthcare plans of other local's in our area.
Our plan by all purpose cannot if not be made achievable for one of many reasons.
Should we lower the accumulative hours for coverage? Converge a health plan quasi-JC-7 sans International? Create a Captive Insurance Program? Don't know the answer. Needs to be looked at?

Teamsters Union needs to come up with our own solutions to some of life's difficult questions
Vintage Teamsters is to return to our roots. Solve Poverty. For this is who we are.

now we can see why the dime got dropped on John Kikes.

I know Bill Hogan, and I know John Kikes.

Don't you DARE, you internet coward, even attempt to insinuate Brother Aloise had ANYTHING to do with this unfortunate bullshit. Because everyone knows he didn't.

Just another of your endless negative postings about our Union. NOTHING positive. Just lies and bullshit designed to present our Union and it's leadership in the worst possible light, always. If I didn't know better (and I do!) I'd think you were a Union buster, on a anti=Labor jihad sponsored by corporate America.

Just because you deny the truth doesn't make it a lie...

fat boy, who is it that you are assuming is denying the truth?

Realteam...

I don't spend all day on the computer. I leave it on. I return to it frequently during the course of the day, depending on what I am doing that day. I'm in the trenches alot too. You know that. I'm REAL easy to find. You know that too.

Having said that, I will say this: I have a pretty good idea of who you are. Based on an innocuous conversation with another Teamster who didn't even realize he was telling me who you were. I understand where you are coming from. I don't agree with you, but based on your history (and I've never heard a bad word about you from ANYONE throughout the years) I can certainly understand how you might be a little bitter and resentful. What can I say, Brother?

I hope things work out better for you. You certainly deserve it!

Please also let me say this. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I believe that. The apple simply CANNOT fall that far from the tree. Brother Rome Aloise is the son of VINCE Aloise. I adamantly refuse to believe that any apple could fall that far from so great a tree. I could be wrong, but in my heart I know I'm not.

Go to Martinez, CA someday. Walk down it's Main Street. You won't be there for long until someone comes up to you with a fond Vince Aloise story. Simply the truth, Brother. You can't deny what I experience in the town MY grandfathers name is on the granite statue about the Pony Express on the corner of Main and Ferry Streets-- not to me at least. Others perhaps, but to me-- no.

You can deny, but you cannot eradicate the stories the old timers there KNOW about Vince Aloise.

I once went balls to the walls to help a guy (when few else would help him, or even be known to be associated with him) beginning in 1992. That guys name is James P. Hoffa. I didn't really know Brother Hoffa. But my Father spoke about his Father. That was good enough for me. I am among many Teamsters nationwide, in Canada, and in Puerto Rico who are defiantly proud of Brother Hoffa today. Do we always agree? NO! But I have faith. He knows the big picture. I know bits and peices of very little. I voted for him a couple times, I guess I just have to have faith he's doing the right thing! My Father has since passed away, but many people my Father respected and considered friends in Martinez still speak very highly of Vince Aloise to this very day (as recent as two days ago, when I was there last). That's good enough for me as well.

You got a beef with Brother Rome, take it up with him. Better yet, take it up with me. I'm not that hard to find.

For the record, I do NOT associate with Brother Aloise, and I barely know him. I do, however, like his style. So do many other Teamsters in our State, Brother, and in our area. I respect that.

I agree with you that the incomparable Brother Chuck Mack is the real deal as well.

I know that JC 42 dwarfs us in size and numbers. I like to think that what we may lack in sheer numbers, we more than make up for in enthusiam and militancy. If we fall short, it's not from lack of effort!

I was asked not to go to the LA rally. In agreeing to not go,I was able to help another Teamster who was truly deserving of help.ut I was chomping at the bit all day. I really wanted to go.

I hope that JC 42 will buy a couple tickets to the Aug 21 pension fund event in SF. I hope that Jim Santangelo buys three. One for him, one for Manny, and one for me to sit in between both of them. I don't need a ticket but it's the gesture that counts, right? There's nothing wrong with having some good food, and a little small talk between Brothers, is there?

I'm everything from a rat to a punk, depending on who you talk to on what day. Do I really give a f--k? Not really.

I'm far from denial, Brother. But to play the Devil's Advocate, if you can PROVE otherwise, BRING IT!