DumpHoffaNow, on October 12 2010 - 10:40 AM, said:
What the hell does Gegare have to do with mortgaging the IBT? Hoffa mortgaged the IBT - not Gegare - not Keegle - not Mickey Mouse - it was Hoffa and it was for $20 million - and it was because the IBT is broke because of financial mismanagement - not because of a bad economy. If Hoffa had not cashed in the 3 non erisa portfolios in 2009 and lost $30million he might not need to mortgage the IBT but hell thats in the past and we can't do anything about that. What really cracks me up is you Hoffa chearleaders know all the failures of the IBT and you want to blame it on someone else. If you realize the failures and don't do anything about it YOU ARE THE PROBLEM>
Dump,.. That is why I'm trying to bring together some real conversations on topics and not name bashing/blaming as it is important to discuss the issues and not point fingers. I personally speaking have nothing against, Rome or Gegare or Keegel whatsoever, as I like these men!-Teamsters. I'm not taking sides with you dump nor Lando, just so you know that. I will respond to any Teamster who wants to address me on topics regardless of what slate side. I'm not saying I'm against Hoffa either, as I have personally never met him, we'll I've met him a few times but he would not remember as it was in the crowds of many. Moreover what I meant by that statement is that I have in all my years in the Teamsters have sat behind every GP desk and had long discussions on union topics including with other trade craft GP's while I was in the Teamsters and thereafter and still, except for this GP Hoffa? So I have no negative or positive comment regarding this Hoffa. I'm not one to jump on a band wagon/spring board and cheer on a slate side that quickly without first weighing the scales of what is best direction for our organization of improvements.
The problem right now is the division of the Teamsters, and in the two slate sides, Rome/Gegare slates as both these Teamsters are good Teamsters. If Rome, Gegare, Keegel and Hoffa all came together then there would not be this division as we have at the moment. So now Teamsters throughout have to make a wise decision for the betterment of our organization, with the issues and improvements that the strongest slate sides can provide without the name bashing of good teamsters. I know both Rome and Gegare and if I were to call them tonight and leave a voice message for whatever reason, both of them would probably return my call 2morow if not tonight, as that is the way they both are, good Teamsters that way!
However, I am NOT for TDU slate, as I see nothing they can bring to the table in all the past years to current date.
In regards to the Micky Mouse decision to mortage the IBT building, no I'm not in agreement with that at all. I don't believe any Teamster is? Whether that was the only option or not?--That is the question we all like to know. But it is in the past now, as it's been already done. Now the focus is what to do now?! With no time to waste!
My local was never in the red! And it's not rocket science to keep a local in the black. And the IBT should be more fiancially secure than the local unions, but the locals keep the IBT running. Without pushing blame to Hoffa or Gegare or anyone else, the fact is someone needs to go into IBT and go over all the fiancials and make changes to how it's been. We are in bad economy times and that does not help matters. Locals are merging or in or near in the red and that does not help matters. Things need to change and serious discussions need to happen soon on improvements asap! Regardless who is the GP. Every department in IBT needs to be looked at closely and by Teamsters that know how to keep fiancials in the black and good decision making to the satisfaction of all parties involved. Even if that means temp pay cuts during a recession, instead of layoffs. It is better to have a job than not to have a job at all. The union members sacrafice a lot, and still pay union dues even through tough times and it is time for the reps, vp'S, GP to also sacrafice and even if that means pay cuts from what they are use too.
Union members usually don't have a problem with what there reps make in wage as long as the locals remain in the black and the reps are working for the union members. And that goes for the international as well. But when there is a fiancial problem, we need a solution to that problem.
I'm not married and nor do I have a child, but if I was married and had a son, I'd sure like to know my International would be around for my son and his generation of children to come,etc. --In a way my child would be proud of as I had been and my father and grandfather before me in the Teamsters.
Personally speaking, I'm a service oriented person, in my time in my prior Teamster local, my position was to create and find jobs and represent my union members the best of my ability. And I did so. And that's returning every phone call, listening to each and every member, regardless the topic. I never acted better than any union member because I was a representative, yet I was the same. And their problems and concerns were my problems and concerns. Once a rep loses sight of that, all is lost.
I came out of a large membership local on west coast compared to some smaller local memberships and it's not the size of the local that matters, yet how it's run. And although we had a large membership local and never in the red, but always in the black,..At one time I believe our members were once on strike(Not sure how long it would last?) and within our local it was decided from the get go-- that we will take precaution measures to insure we remain in the black, in that myself and my S/T and some reps took pay cuts and yes still keep the same long overtime working hours! I at the time personally volunteered to cut my pay in half! And although, that wasn't necessary at the time and advised by my S/T I don't need to do that, I did it anyways. Other staff close to retirement we didn't ask that of them and those reps that were younger that refused to take a temp pay cut, I then sized them up as not service oriented to the union members. There is no place for greed and selfishness in the Teamsters! After the strike was over, things went back to normal, our local still very in the black, and I had a slight pay increase but not to where it was prior, although I could have, but as long as I could pay my personal bills and live comfortable that was all that mattered to me at the time. My members saw the sacrafice I had made and appreciated it. Because I did it for them! And when it came to organizing, and picket line duty, I had the participation of my members even more so after that!
And right now, I believe or think that many union members throughout are losing faith in the Teamsters to a degree-how it is now currently. We'll reps, step up to the plate and take a pay cut and show that you are on the same level as the union members, as this is their union as much as yours too. In 07 the economy starting to take a dive for the worst, and our economy is still not up to par yet. This is not the time for greed or pay increases. Yes, the Teamsters is about a better way of living and good wages and all of that,etc. But sometimes we all have to make solid decisions for the betterment of our organization.
More later on key topics.
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