Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

Now as our tenure comes to a close, for many of us for several years or terms, for Ernie and I it’s been 18 YEARS, who would have thought?

During this time, we’ve been part of a LOT of changes in our industry. At UPS, we witnessed the implementation of the SPA system ( the national complaint that was deadlocked and settled in negotiations, bringing them into the bargaining unit, was our case) , Telematics, EDDs, ORION, several changes of operations, new centers, and numerous attacks on our contracts.

We’ve seen the addition of UPS Airport operations, UPS Freight, CSI (Cartage Services Inc.), Customer counter clerks (first in nation), Data Acquisition clerks and Revenue Recovery to our ranks. We’ve had precedent setting cases both good and bad.  

We’ve watched as our Teamster Brothers at Consolidated Freight (CF - Corn Flake) and Dallas Mavis lost their jobs as their companies filed for bankruptcy and closed the doors (CF on Labor Day 2002) We’ve had some close calls with both YRC/ USF Holland and UPS Freight on their contracts and companies possibly going out of business or just closing the doors. So far, we’ve weathered the storm, but you’re NOT out of the woods yet. We’ve battled FedEx Freight to bring them into Union, 2^nd Local in the nation. We may have lost the fight, but they KNEW we were there!!! That’s something very few other Locals can EVER say!!!

We’ve been the ONLY Teamster Union in the Southeast US in years to build a brand-new Union Hall, bought and paid for in full, a beautiful building, something this membership and our administration can be PROUD of.

We’ve done our jobs, whether many of you realize it or not, to not only keep this Local in the black financially over the past 18 years, but fortunately excel both financially and asset wise. We’ve increased our net assets from 1.5 million dollars to nearly 2.4 million dollars. We’ve increased our net asset and finances in the past three (3) years alone over $272,000.00, despite many obstacles.  So, whether you, the membership realizes it or not, we’ve done our job. Correctly!!!

Unfortunately, very few of you have any comprehension of what goes on here on a daily basis. But this IS a business, a NON-profit business that must answer to far stricter laws than ANY normal business, thanks to the NLRB and the Department of Labor. These rules, regulations and laws not only hold us, as members of this Executive Board accountable financially, but CRIMINALLY. Unions DON’T have the options of filing for bankruptcy or asking for a bailout.   I certainly hope for the sake of our members, the new administration realizes this.

I can honestly say that it’s been REAL, and it’s been fun, AT TIMES; but never REAL FUN. It’s work, hard work 24/7. You’re NEVER really off work even on a so-called vacation, because it’s ALWAYS on your mine. When you come back to work, it’s all just sitting there, waiting on you. You’re constantly dealing with everything from drugs to dishonesty to someone getting their “feelings hurt” to someone losing their career, their livelihood, their benefits, their family or their lives. Whether you, the membership realizes it or not; that can be a heavy burden to bear.

I know I can, and I truly believe most of my staff and Executive Board can say for the most part, it’s been a privilege and an honor to serve you, the Membership.

Now as WE leave our positions, whether anyone else in here agrees with me or not, I KNOW we can walk away with our heads held high, knowing we have done our jobs to the best of our ability, we’ve represented our membership and we’ve left Teamster Local Union # 71 in  far better shape than when we started 18 years ago.

Finally, as I step down as President of the this great Union and President of the Joint Council #9,  I’d like to express a heartfelt  thank you to my Executive Boards, my  Business Agents and my office staff and peers because they are far more to me than their title or position says; they are my FRIENDS. And for that I will be eternally grateful. I’d like to say THANK YOU to those of you who have supported us and who have become true friends over the years. My sincerest prayer is that this will always be the case and will continue long after we leave this office and that God will continue to bless each of you, as several of you have blessed us.

            Last but not least, MERRY CHRISTMAS, God Bless and farewell!!!

                                                                                                                                Fraternally Your,  

Joe Eason

President

Teamsters Local Union #71

The monthly Membership Meetings are held the 2^nd Saturday of each month with the exception of June, July, and August, which these months will be voted to suspend for the summer at May’s Monthly Membership Meeting.  Monthly Membership Meetings begin at 10:00 am at the Union Hall at 2529 Beltway Blvd., Charlotte, NC.

2020

January 11, 2020

February 8, 2020

March 14, 2020

April 11, 2020

May 9, 2020

(WASHINGTON) – General wage increases for full-time and part-time UPS Teamsters of 75 cents per hour will go into effect August 1, 2019 under the nation’s largest collective bargaining agreement that took effect earlier this year benefiting 250,000 workers represented by the Teamsters. Also on August 1, part-time workers represented by the Teamsters will get a boost in their starting rate to $14 per hour.

Recently, as a result of the new collective bargaining agreement between the Teamsters and UPS, workers received retroactive wage increases estimated at $660 million for hours earned from August 1, 2018 until final ratification in April. The Teamsters agreement with UPS is the richest in Teamster history.

The Teamster-UPS contract includes wage increases of $4.15 per hour for both full-time and part-time workers over the term of the contract and will increase the part-time start rate by $5.00.

“Our members are dedicated, hardworking men and women who are the backbone of this country’s package delivery system,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “They have well-earned all of the back pay from the company as well as the August 1 general wage increase.”

The Teamsters Package Division has advised local unions representing UPS workers that members should review their paychecks and if discrepancies are found, the union business agent should be contacted so that the matter can be resolved with the company.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.