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#1 Local 100 Straw Vote
I think this straw vote is such a bad idea on several levels.
Local 100 held their IBT mandated straw vote last night at the monthly nembership meeting.
Local 100 has about 4500 members according the the LM2. During peak that number grows, during the summer when school bus drivers are off, it shrinks to about 3500.
In our grand history, local 100 was a midwest powerhouse with 13,000 members. Chartered in 1913, Local 100 has proud legacy.
Last night we had about 30 members present, including officers and agents. Of the 30 about 10 are unemployed (movies, construction) or identified by the local as retired.
So during the meeting, during the reading of the minutes, financial reports and BA reports, one of the BAs, creeped around the room, hand delivering ballots to select members. As he explained the ballot to people, he often interrupted the meeting. It was poorly done.
There was no public discussion about the issues, no opportunity to discuss the candidates, issues or the voting process.
As the BA creeped around it more like the popular kid inviting only the cheerleaders to his secret party.
As an unemployed movie driver (retired UPS driver), I was not included in their little poll vote. Infact, they tip-toed around the 10 of us that they denied a right to vote.
I was told (they didn't bring a ballot close enough to see) included of course an opportunity to pick Biden or Trump.
They also listed key campaign issues. Asking members to identify the most important items.
One of the members came to me to complain that "the straw vote was rigged. it didn't even list the boarder crisis as an important issue." Which opens the door for Trump supporters to claim the poll was biased.
For those that don't know Ohio, once a battleground state, it is now a clear red state. Many of our members vote Republican every election, even when it is clearly against their own interests.
The completed ballots were placed in a steward election box. Security behind a $2 luggage pad lock. Which every BA and officer has a key to open.
They were not counted in front of the members present. Again, no transparency to this at all.
And only 66% of the members present were permitted to vote. At that point alone, this vote is improper.
I surveyed the crowd, handful new DHL workers (not in the Central States), few bus drivers (not in CSPF), a couple of UPS drivers (not in the CSPF), a couple Zenith guys (no CSPF) and one guy from Bluelynx (not CSPF).
I'm sure the officers and agents voted, four of them were absent for one reason or another. Of those, the recording secretary, all three trustees (are not CSPF). The full tine officers and agents are in the CSPF.
At this point 20 people, many who have no idea how important it was that Biden saved multiemployer pensions for 10 million workers and their families and 440,000 Teamsters in the CSPF.
20 people's votes are now representative for 4500 active members and the legacy of Local 100.
In 1980, we had 13,000 members mostly freight drivers and mostly in the Central states pension.
Every member has the right to vote for the candidate of their choice, but we elected IBT leaders to lead.
If anything, this poll should have been conducted 6 months ago, before the IBT met with candidates.
Nothing good can come from this straw vote.
What happens if by chance (it could happen) the .5% of our members that vote in this poll, vote to endorse trump.
And, his promised first act, is to support a National Right to work bill, which coukd cut Teamster membership by 500,000 members?
This why we elect IBT officers. Sometimes we need a say, sometimes we need them to LEAD. In this instance, Joe Biden saved Teamster pensions, we need to show him some loyalty, show him some respect.
The IBT's political theater is no better than the fake strikes last year. A bunch of double talk and no action.
I think this straw vote is such a bad idea on several levels.
Local 100 held their IBT mandated straw vote last night at the monthly nembership meeting.
Local 100 has about 4500 members according the the LM2. During peak that number grows, during the summer when school bus drivers are off, it shrinks to about 3500.
In our grand history, local 100 was a midwest powerhouse with 13,000 members. Chartered in 1913, Local 100 has proud legacy.
Last night we had about 30 members present, including officers and agents. Of the 30 about 10 are unemployed (movies, construction) or identified by the local as retired.
So during the meeting, during the reading of the minutes, financial reports and BA reports, one of the BAs, creeped around the room, hand delivering ballots to select members. As he explained the ballot to people, he often interrupted the meeting. It was poorly done.
There was no public discussion about the issues, no opportunity to discuss the candidates, issues or the voting process.
As the BA creeped around it more like the popular kid inviting only the cheerleaders to his secret party.
As an unemployed movie driver (retired UPS driver), I was not included in their little poll vote. Infact, they tip-toed around the 10 of us that they denied a right to vote.
I was told (they didn't bring a ballot close enough to see) included of course an opportunity to pick Biden or Trump.
They also listed key campaign issues. Asking members to identify the most important items.
One of the members came to me to complain that "the straw vote was rigged. it didn't even list the boarder crisis as an important issue." Which opens the door for Trump supporters to claim the poll was biased.
For those that don't know Ohio, once a battleground state, it is now a clear red state. Many of our members vote Republican every election, even when it is clearly against their own interests.
The completed ballots were placed in a steward election box. Security behind a $2 luggage pad lock. Which every BA and officer has a key to open.
They were not counted in front of the members present. Again, no transparency to this at all.
And only 66% of the members present were permitted to vote. At that point alone, this vote is improper.
I surveyed the crowd, handful new DHL workers (not in the Central States), few bus drivers (not in CSPF), a couple of UPS drivers (not in the CSPF), a couple Zenith guys (no CSPF) and one guy from Bluelynx (not CSPF).
I'm sure the officers and agents voted, four of them were absent for one reason or another. Of those, the recording secretary, all three trustees (are not CSPF). The full tine officers and agents are in the CSPF.
At this point 20 people, many who have no idea how important it was that Biden saved multiemployer pensions for 10 million workers and their families and 440,000 Teamsters in the CSPF.
20 people's votes are now representative for 4500 active members and the legacy of Local 100.
In 1980, we had 13,000 members mostly freight drivers and mostly in the Central states pension.
Every member has the right to vote for the candidate of their choice, but we elected IBT leaders to lead.
If anything, this poll should have been conducted 6 months ago, before the IBT met with candidates.
Nothing good can come from this straw vote.
What happens if by chance (it could happen) the .5% of our members that vote in this poll, vote to endorse trump.
And, his promised first act, is to support a National Right to work bill, which coukd cut Teamster membership by 500,000 members?
This why we elect IBT officers. Sometimes we need a say, sometimes we need them to LEAD. In this instance, Joe Biden saved Teamster pensions, we need to show him some loyalty, show him some respect.
The IBT's political theater is no better than the fake strikes last year. A bunch of double talk and no action.
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