Message from the President

Our Future Depends On Electing Candidates Who Share Our Principles

IBT Local 295 has a more than 50-year history of success in representing our members on the shop floor. We also look out for you, and your family in the communities where you live by getting involved in local, state and national politics.

Some people want to know why we are active in politics and legislative affairs. The answer is simple, the people elected to public office can pass legislation to help workers or hurt us. Like it or not, the decisions politicians make directly impact our quality of life, the security of our jobs, and the future for our families.

Look no further than the current mortgage mess and Wall Street meltdown and you will see the importance of electing worker-friendly candidates to office. The U.S. economy is tanking because our public officials have let bankers and their corporate allies run amok. Our elected representatives’ jobs are to represent our interests. They have failed us miserably. Now it’s our responsibility to do something about it by electing people who will represent our interests and those of working people in America.

Political Labels Mean Little
Politics is much more than just a debate between Democrat and Republican. Political labels mean very little to workers who are losing their jobs, health care, pensions or homes. What matters most is the person. Where do they stand on pocketbook issues? What will they do to help struggling working families? What is their feeling about labor unions? And most importantly, what are they going to do to help us?

Local 295 members don’t vote for candidates based upon a particular political party. Our members vote based upon principles. The principles of good jobs at good pay; quality and affordable health care; strong pensions; solid workplace safety laws; and, of course, the rights of workers to organize and join unions. We vote because we want good schools for our children, safe neighborhoods for our families, and strong communities in which to live. We vote because we know that the only people who will stand up for us — is US.

We are patriots
We are doing our part to fight the two major threats our country faces today: terrorist attack from our enemies abroad, and the continued war against the middle class. Our members battle both of these by being responsible, hard working Teamsters who stand up for what is right in their workplaces and in this great country of ours. No matter which candidate we choose to vote for, our patriotism cannot be questioned.

We support candidates who are running for office that recognize these two threats and serve the people by defending our nation and defending workers’ rights. A weak Middle Class hurts everyone and opens the door to outside meddling. The only way to build the Middle Class is through unionism. Teamsters know this because we fight for decent pay, health coverage and pensions for all Americans.

We enjoy the fruits of our labor and want others to be able to do so as well.

Consider this:

• Median household income in our nation has fallen by $1,300 since
  2001.
• A record 47 million American men, women and children don’t have health coverage.The number of companies that have frozen or terminated pension plans has tripled since 2001.
• Millions upon millions of jobs have been “outsourced” to foreign countries.
• Home foreclosures and personal bankruptcies are at historic levels.

Something is wrong — and something must change. 2008 will be our opportunity to make the changes we need. Local 295 and our members are going to be an active player in bringing about changes that benefit our members and their families. The stakes for us have never been higher. How things shake out in 2008 will determine the strength of our union, the future of our jobs, and the security of working families, for decades. It all comes down to political power — and how we use it to our benefit.

We must use our political power to:

• Protect and create good-paying jobs in America.
• Restore strength to our nation’s pension system.
• Demand that Congress fix our broken health care system.
• Fight for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.

A union card remains the single best ticket into the Middle Class. We believe that workers must be given a truly free choice about whether they want to improve their wages and working conditions by joining a union.

The election 2008 countdown is underway. Between now and November; I urge all Local 295 members to get involved.

The bottom line is that if we are not politically involved, then someone else will be making decisions that will directly impact our lives and our jobs. If we sit back and watch the political process unfold, instead of standing up and participating, we risk losing everything we hold dear. That is one risk that we are unwilling to take!

We have a tough year ahead of us. The DHL contract expires in February of 2009. The Danza and other contracts are up for negotiations as well. When we negotiate in hard times like these, it’s more important than ever to stand strong, stand united, and to stay focused on what’s really important.

Speaking on behalf of the entire Local 295 Executive Board I can tell you that we are looking forward to standing with you as we face the challenges ahead.

Fraternally,
Lou Calemine