GENERAL TEAMSTERS, LOCAL UNION NO. 362
affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Unofficial slate count for 597 locals:
The Hoffa Slate, elected for another 5 year term pledges to continue the hard work and dedication it has shown in the past.
Overall, only 18.35% of the Membership voted. Unfortunately Canada's return was only 10.1% and a disappointing 7.5% return from Local 362.
Bearing in mind that the campaign information including a ballot and return envelope, was sent out to all the Members, the number of ballots returned was disappointing.
The Teamsters is one out of only two International Unions that have each Member vote for their International Officers. Other unions have the delegates at their conventions vote and elect their International Officers. Although this eliminates the Members it is still done democratically, as those delegates attending the convention were elected by the Membership. After seeing the decline in participation and the apathy towards such important union business, is this a direction our union should take? Our Union would save approximately 14 million dollars , and spare our Members and those that watch us closely of all the slanderous comments made during elections. This American style of campaigning proves to be very negative and harmful to our Union's image. We would appreciate any feedback you might have on this subject.
October 03, 2011
Rob Ferguson
Dalton McGuinty’s Liberals are the beneficiaries of “loose” campaign finance rules that allow unlimited anti-Tory ads by third party groups like the Working Families coalition, making a “mockery” of spending limits for political parties, says the author of a new study obtained by the Star.
While federal rules on third-party ads limit spending to $188,000 per group, there is no such cap under provincial law, Robert MacDermid, an associate professor of politics at York University, said Monday.
“The rule is too loose. We need the teeth of the federal rules if we’re to keep elections from being swayed,” added MacDermid, whose 28-page study looking at political party financing since 2004 also called for an end to corporate contributions in Ontario, as has been done federally and in Toronto municipal elections.
“The possibility of corruption is so much less,” he said, noting the Liberals have taken money from corporate donors that end up getting millions in government contracts.
The Working Families ads — which totalled $1.1 million in the 2007 provincial race alone — are continuing in the Oct. 6 election, and paint Hudak as a lackey of Bay St. corporate interests.
MacDermid’s study found, however, that the Liberals got $35.1 million in corporate donations during the study period, compared with the Progressive Conservatives at $26.5 million.
The Progressive Conservatives have repeatedly complained about the union-funded Working Families Coalition being a Liberal front group, but an investigation by Elections Ontario found no violations. Working Families, whose members include teacher and construction unions, has been credited with helping to oust the Conservative government in 2003.
“While the Conservatives are complaining about it now it’s because they don’t have a group doing that for them,” said MacDermid, noting a similar group called the Coalition for a Better Ontario aired anti-Liberal ads in the 1999 Ontario campaign, which saw Conservative Mike Harris win a second term as premier.
McGuinty said he doesn’t believe the unlimited spending by third-party groups is unfair.
“We’ve got a great system here,” he told reporters in Vaughan, where he toured a Magna plant just hours after visiting a Dana Corp. factory in Oakville. Both make parts for the Chevy Volt.
“There are so many different avenues for people to give expression to their opinion. I believe in a strong collision of ideas.”
Campaigning in Amherstburg, Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak called on McGuinty to come clean on “what promises has he made in return for the millions and millions of ads from the special interests in the Working Families Coalition.”
Hudak is promising “paycheque protection” that would allow union members to “say no to their union dues being used for political campaigns that they don’t support.”
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said ads should be restricted to the official campaign period, and pre-campaign ads by parties or other groups — such as those seen over the summer — should be outlawed.
“I talked about perhaps getting rid of some of that inequality that exists, restricting advertising to that campaign period time and making sure all ads, negative or otherwise, were clearly indicated to which political party or leader, actually, took responsibility of that ad,” she told reporters in Brampton.
(TEAMSTERS COULDN'T AGREE MORE)
BROKEN FAMILIES: Have Your Say - And Win $2,000
WITHDRAWAL CARD
Upon termination, layoff, leave of absence, change of employment or in some instances, a medical leave, you are advised to contact the Local Union office to obtain a Withdrawal Card.
Effective January 1, 2009, there is no fee for this card which terminates your membership in the Local. Should you return to a Union position at a later date, it ensures that you will not be charged a re-initiation fee or payment of back dues.
NOTE** Be sure to obtain your Withdrawal Card as soon as possible after you leave your place of employment. After ninety (90) days of no dues remittances, you become a suspended member and are ineligible for the Withdrawal Card.
You may obtain your Withdrawal Card by contacting the Local by phone, fax or email (teamcal@teamsters362.com or teamed@teamsters362.com). Include your Social Insurance Number, your current mailing address, your employer and your last day worked at that employer. Your Withdrawal Card will then be mailed out to you.
**REMEMBER** It is your responsibility to obtain your withdraw card. DO NOT ask your Shop Steward or your Business Agent.
Hoffa congratulates DAVE HANSEN on recall victory in Wisconsin,
NEGOTIATIONS
AGREEMENTS RATIFIED
OPEN AGREEMENTS AS AT OCTOBER 17, 2011