Ask Ai: has TDU lost favor with left progressives?

[OT+]

The answer according to Google Ai:

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[Doctorpepper782]

Wow!!
That was AI generated?
Seems spot on to me!!

[AlJackson1962!]

As Bob Dylan aptly wrote “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.”

[Gimliboston9]

Makes me wonder how long before all those groups who have funded TDU and TRF will continue to dole out all that cash for an organization that has betrayed its core values?

[jerseymike78]

Who were these groups? Why would they fund TDU?

[X-TDUer]

This is actually too funny. Even Google AI thinks TDU, once the reform organization, has sold-out to O'Brien, I think the word "lapdog" was mentioned. Sad legacy for a once courageous organization.

[Bob Randall]

Here...I'm just gonna come out and say it. Some will respond and dismiss it immediately because they don't want the truth to be real. The extent of reform that was necessary at one point in time is not necessary at this point in time. To a great extent the Teamsters have been reformed. In great part because of the consent decree. (I mean, c'mon. Who was gonna take on Tony Pro and the Mafia?) In an almost equal part because of TDU. For reform to last, build, etc. there must be a market for it. That market level is not present at this time. That said, I still hate O'Brien's relationship with a union busting POTUS. O'Brien has limited vision of the Labor Movement. The Teamsters should be doing so much more on a national and global level. However, O'Brien is more concerned with "states' rights". Yeeesh! He's a sellout that needs to go. Personally, and emotionally, I would prefer TDU to remain a watchdog of the IBT as well as of irresponsible Locals. I had expected that we had learned a lesson subsequent to having given beloved President Ron Carey all of the "keys to the shop". It appears to me that TDU has reinvented itself. I can see how it has transformed into a quasi-educational department of the IBT's as a result of its "partnership" with O'Brien. It does provide a valuable service by teaching membership involvement through bottom to top strategies. However, the reality and question remain: How does successful, direct, reform action take place when needed absent the necessary machinery?

Forget trying to change or harm TDU with name calling. Cripes! Ya'll been doing that for decades. Worked good, didn't it? Organize!

[AlJackson1962!]

Brother Randall:

TDU, first and foremost, must be transparent, democratic, and take members' concerns seriously. I have been seeing TDU's double standard evolve (commencing with the OZ Coalition), wherein, TDU chooses it's battles carefully, and such battles will not rock the boat of the OZ "leadership". That selective approach makes a mockery of what TDU as an organization used to stand for, and the multitudes of TDU activists have been fighting for.

Lots more to say. But, I never signed up to support a Teamsters union led by the current Sean O'Brien, nor GEB members that draw a salary and remain silent and sit on their hands in the face of the current state of our Union. When I say "current Sean O'Brien", that's not the one he presented to the rank and file when he was campaigning for GP and allied with Bernie Sanders and Sara Nelson and speaking at anti-oligarchy rallies. I believe we're on the same page there.

I don't agree that, as you stated in your above post::" I would prefer TDU to remain a watchdog of the IBT as well as of irresponsible Locals. I had expected that we had learned a lesson subsequent to having given beloved President Ron Carey all of the "keys to the shop". It appears to me that TDU has reinvented itself. I can see how it has transformed into a quasi-educational department of the IBT's as a result of its "partnership" with O'Brien."

TDU was organized to build rank & file power to win stronger and better contracts to protect the members, and to fight against corruption, business unionism, sellout leadership. Those are no longer priorities for TDU "leadership". My discontent is not based solely on O'Brien's allegiance to Trump and his MAGA agenda. It's also based on the direct sellout of the members' interests. TDU "leadership" does not care about basic rank and file rights and democracy. It has become a sham organization led by Paff (who I assume has been on honorable withdrawal since around 1976 and David Levin, who advised me he was an active member of Boston Local 25 back in 2023, but not before then.(How does that work/happen?) Levin told me this when I complained to him of the banning by TDU of Local 251 Organizer, Mike Simone who registered for a 2023 New England TDU Conference in Woonsocket, RI. They returned his registration fee then; a precursor to the bans imposed on Teamsters Mobilize members and IBT VP At Large, John Palmer.

I complained to TDU about very serious circumstances involving uncollected pension contributions for a unit of Local 251 members, only to be told by Levin that there were events during Ron Carey's leadership that did not go the way TDU wanted as well. Levin had no interest in the circumstances I brought to his attention (nor apparently did Ken Paff - he was copied on that matter).

Brother Randall, your above post that states: "The extent of reform that was necessary at one point in time is not necessary at this point in time. To a great extent the Teamsters have been reformed."

Tell that to the twelve Local 251 members employed by Crown Linen, that never had pension contributions collected for the nineteen months they worked under a collective bargaining agreement until being permanently laid off. I asked O'Brien at the 2025 TDU Convention about this matter, given his role as Union-Co-Chair of that Fund. His response: "It's illegal." I asked why is it illegal? O'Brien responded: "I'll check into it." Paff and Levin were standing and listening to this conversation. Still waiting for O'Brien to check into why he claims payments to the New England Teamsters Pension Fund by Crown Linen were "illegal" and could not be collected by the Fund. But if I hear anything let me know if you're interested.

Thanks for listening Brother.

P.S. O'Brien, Taibi, and Levin are probably thinking (if they were to read this): "Robbins is still complaining about delinquent pension contributions owed by Crown Linen! That's old history."

Hey, while we're at it. Does anyone reading this know whether UPS does not have to pay Health and Welfare contributions for SSD bargaining unit members under the New England Supplement? They pay Pension contributions - why not H&W contributions?

Dave Robbins, Local 251, retired

[Bob Randall]

Dave...in a way you seem to be giving credit to my statement. In my opinion there is a need to organize around issues. I don't define organizing as sitting at a keyboard angrily, obsessively, pounding it while calling TDU names because of its transition. That is purely self-serving. Organize. Where? How? I'm not certain. I think that some of those that supported Hooker, along with Hooker, may have been at a starting point. However, they were set up for failure as Hooker clearly is not cut out for such a movement or campaign. I personally offered my help until I saw that I would have been set up for failure as well. The TDU Convention was an ideal event for Hooker to have taken advantage of. Cripes! That was a no brainer. If you believe publicized numbers there was 10% of TDU members that rejected an O'Brien endorsement. Holy shit! 10%! If I were Hooker I would have spread my cheeks for 5% knowing that they were potential organizing committee members of mine. Moreover, the event was held in Chicago at a time when the whole goddamn city was protesting Trump's ICE agents in their city. Picture Hooker in Chicago as a candidate opposed to O'Brien's BFF (Trump). Hooker would have been all over the media getting name recognition.

Teamsters Mobilize is well intended with the beginning of a structure. However, as an organization its youngness along with its inexperience appears to me as if it does not wish to primarily learn from those that have great experience. As an example, I intended one of its ZOOM meetings out of curiosity. Also in attendance was John Palmer along with Tom Leedham. I mean...Tom Freakin' Leedham! Although, I could clearly see that they had taken a bit of my suggestion to have a more organized meeting with an intended end goal for that meeting...Tom Leedham was immediately rejected with disagreement when he gave what I believe to be a great issue to organize around. Rather than rejection, or even any doubt as to his suggestion, TM should have immediately been making a plan in their heads to move on the issue.

Maintaining reform, as well as maintaining democracy, is seriously demanding work. Keyboard warriors should shut the fuck up about TDU and organize!. TDU has done nothing but grow over the past five decades in the face of attacks much more vicious than those on t-unionlink.

[Barry455]

TDU has been living off a reputation for success that's a minimum 25 years old. It's a completely different organization than what people outside the union think, as others have pointed out it's now a subsitiary IBT education department. Also as others have pointed out it has a big financial interest in keeping the status quo in place. It's survival depends on it. The problem for union democracy lovers is the TDU seal of approval means something to outsiders that is 180 degrees from reality. That's how you end up with a Trump loving union president. Fortunatly, as the google ai post indicates, progressives are finally coming to their senses. It's about time and the more true unionists understand the TDU of 2026 and that reality the better for all of us.

[NYNick]

Agree 100%!

[WTF891]

Yes,Barry TDU is dead as a reform organization. Bob can rant all he wants about their past battles. This organization is simply flying the TURD flag in the name of Benjamins, tens of thousands of them.

[X-TDUer]

Sums it up nicely.

[AlJackson1962!]

Bob Randall: You posted above:

"Maintaining reform, as well as maintaining democracy, is seriously demanding work. Keyboard warriors should shut the fuck up about TDU and organize!. TDU has done nothing but grow over the past five decades in the face of attacks much more vicious than those on t-unionlink."

I took the time and spent my hard-earned pension benefits to drive 2500 miles roundtrip to the 2025 TDU Convention. I proposed four amendments to the TDU Constitution and supported motions brought to the floor by others fighting the "transition" (as you characterize it) of TDU into a lapdog for O'Brien.

Among the motions that were overwhelmingly defeated (including all four of the amendments I introduced), was the following motion made by the dissidents at the TDU Convention:
"TDU calls on Teamsters at every level to unite with other Unions against attacks against Unions and workers by the federal government and administration." This motion was made as an addition to the TDU ISC strategic planning document for 2026. It was overwhelmingly defeated as well and characterized as a hostile amendment and 'clearly anti-Trump'.

I'll be glad to share the four amendments I proposed; all of them, including the motion stated above, were defeated with a no vote recommended by the TDU ISC.

Yes, TDU might be dead as the organization it once was. But I say your advice to "shut the fuck up about TDU and organize!", you can put where the sun don't shine Brother. I have not engaged in that sort of dialogue here on t-unionlink, in the past. But I took the time and effort to confront the "transition" of TDU and to picket Sean O'Brien's arrival at the TDU Convention. I missed seeing you there if you attended.

I have an old contact sheet of black and white film I took in 1979 at a meeting near your Local Connecticut 559 at a VFW Hall; the Boston TDU chapter organized the meeting that kicked off the TDU Hartford area chapter at that time. Attending for the Boston chapter were me, Dave Wolfinsohn and Arthur Doty, Jr. The result of that meeting was a Local 559 slate winning the next election, led by Bob Dubian and including future IBT Eastern Region VP, Tom Gilmartin.

That was a long time ago. I make no apologies for remembering all that went into the struggles to build TDU, and protesting what it has now become.

Dave Robbins, Local 251, retired

[Doctorpepper782]

Well said!!

[WTF891]

They have become nothing more than TURDs churning out Leprichaun shit.

TURD (1).jpg

[Knucklehead]

My problem with TDU was the two faced (double turd?) nature of their contract debates over core industry contracts. Privately, Ken and crew would tell insiders 'that realistically this is the best we can probably get' but on the web page "it's the worst contract possible'. That was a betrayal of honesty to the r n f. SOB AND Fuzzy Fred figured that out, eventually and knew they would have to co-opt TDU ers to get past it the biased rejections. To their 'credit', it worked out politically but was not good for keeping union presence and members in core industries. Then add in a heavy dose of non union PR priorities from the Communications world, and "losing campaigns' like 10 Roads, XPO, Owners operators in the ports, DHL contractors, and now Airline Pilots and Mechanics get dumped like bad habits. TDU spent lots time killing contracts for 25 years. Some were weak but not most if you saw where dereg and corporate power were trending. But the sewing of unnecessary discontent and poor economic analyses had severe consequences. It caused disintrest, low voter turnout and a lot of distrust. Who's gonna figure out how we get that back? TDU?

[Bob Randall]

Look. I'm not gonna sit here and say that I don't share some of the sentiments. My point is that there is so much energy spent (wasted) on a keyboard. My comment "shut the fuck up" was not meant toward any specific individual. It was directed at the collective wasted energy spent by those that are genuinely having animosity for an underperforming union. (See issues above.) Some issues are a result of Locals and/or IBT. Throwing a keyboard every day, or so, at TDU is not an effective means of organizing and correcting issues that the union is responsible for). TDU has been under attack for 50 years while it has grown. I realize that in today's world we choose to use keyboards and monitors rather than to get off of our asses and take part in the grinding, difficult work that it takes to be even marginally effective. Let me try to give an example that might possibly resonate or that might be something ya'll can relate to. How many members are we aware of that piss, moan, complain about their union? Subsequent to no effort to change the status quo we said, or thought, "Hey, that's what you deserve. You haven't done anything to try to change it."

Now, at the core of these issues (in many minds...mine as well...) is the IBT. Not TDU. Not even close! Yet 95% (whatever) of the complaining here is directed at, or about, TDU. WTF? Relying on social media has become part of our culture as it has very much, ineffectively, replaced the hard work that is necessary. As an example, Hooker announced candidacy. Although he did get out a bit with John to collect signatures he came woefully short of accreditation. How do you come short of accreditation when you have a partial slate? Hell, Sandy did it without a keyboard. The answer? Sit in front of a laptop and monitor/screen. That's how. If anyone truly believes that change is important and necessary...yet you wake up every morning, run to your keyboard and start punching...I'll repeat myself. Shut the fuck up and organize. It gets old. Cripes!

Dave, again you make my point: "Who's gonna figure out how we get that back? TDU?"

[AlJackson1962!]

Brother Randall:

Sandy Pope ran in 2011 with the full support of TDU. That was a major factor in her getting her campaign material in the IBT magazine and getting on the ballot. Today TDU is in a Coalition with a pro-fascist Teamsters GP, an IBT GEB (excepting John Palmer) that by their silence is complicit in that alliance with the most anti-union President in our lifetimes. I wonder what Sandy Pope might be thinking today about the "transition" of TDU (as you describe it). Are you not bothered by TDU leadership barring TDU members from it's Convention, including John Palmer? Can you provide a straight-forward answer to that question?

[Bob Randall]

You want a straightforward answer? Here is one. Anyone that sits in front of their laptop every day while pounding it and yelling at individuals or groups and does hardly anything to make a material difference...needs to shut the fuck up and organize.

[jerseymike78]

And just what are you doing Bob? You seem to be doing the same to anyone who speaks against the new version of TDU.

[Graveyard]

I posted this a while ago,
I am sure TDU’s convention had great workshops that informed members of their rights and how to protect. That is until the Local, Joint Council or the IBT declines to be involved or union/worker rights/safety are destroyed by Trump’s annihilation of the NLRB, or by O’Brien’s heavily promoted Secretary of Labor that instantly supported “Right to Work,” reversed the “Joint Employer” rule. Trump fired thousands of federal union workers, significantly curbed the collective bargaining rights of over one million federal workers, while TDU because of their newly found pot of gold remains silent supporting O’Briens vision for the Teamsters, “Teamsters (TDU) Vs Everybody,” except Trump.

[Thisischange?]

You can't possibly understand the brilliance and strategery of a man named SOB.