Contract Proposals

Today I (and you) received a letter asking for contract proposals from our Business Agent of 5 months, Mike Carey.

Even though he has never come out to meet the rank and file members he did meet with all of the Stewards on May 4th. We were very straightforward.

At that meeting we asked that a copy of the contract be mailed to all of the members. He said it would be. It has not, yet you are now asked to make proposals on a contract many of you don't have a copy of.

On May 4th we also discussed the very contentious 28 day schedule and the shift survey we filled out. He told us that overwhelmingly 6/3 was the choice and he'd be sending a letter out to the members. That has not happened either.

At the end of the meeting Mike Carey said to me, "We have to make this work." When I got home a message about me was posted on the Internet (under one of 320's many aliases): LASZLO, JENSON AND DEAL CAN GO FUCK THEMSELVES! Posted at 1:29 PM, right as we were leaving the building.

On August 9th there was a step 2 grievance hearing with Hennepin County Labor Relations regarding the monitored sick time issue. Mr. Carey was not there.

He has however found the time to meet several times with management about the new dispatch center.

On August 4th I wrote him a very detailed letter asking several questions. He has not responded.

At the Teamsters Convention right before the State shutdown, Ed Reynoso our DRIVE representative (lobbyist) told me, one of your elected delegates, "Fuck You Wade" every time he saw me for the first three days of the convention. He never left the convention even when the State shut down! However he did write a full page article in the Joint Council 32 magazine about the shutdown as if they gave a rats ass.

Maybe the folks we pay to represent us should find the time to mail out copies of the contract, address the shift preference survey, and answer the questions asked in the letter. Unless of course they are too busy attacking members on the Internet.

You cowards like to hide behind fake ID's on the Internet, I challenge you to answer this using your real names.

Teamsters had a big drive this summer to "Stop the War on Workers." Maybe Teamsters Local 320 should stop the war on its' members.

You can reach your Business Agent Mike Carey at mcarey@teamsterslocal320.org or call him at 612/378-8727

August Updates

1. A grievance has been filed regarding the crackdown on sick time use. More specifically the use of monitored sick time without any previous warning to members.

2. Lexipol . What you say? Yesterday Lt. Mathison and Sgt. Hughes gave myself, stewards from the AFSCME clerical unit, HCSDA and the Detention Sergeants an overview of our new policy and procedures. They've contracted with a Risk Management Company calledLexipol and redid the Policy and Procedure Manuel and in the process DOUBLED the amount of P&P's we have. It's all about risk management through better P&P's. Of concern is that they pay a per employee cost, I hope they don't try to consider this an employee cost come contract negotiations.

One of it's features is that our P&P Manuel will ONLY be accessible via the Internet and we will be getting Daily Training Bulletins (DTB's). That's right 30 a month, but we will only have to complete 5-10. I was quick to point out the Jail has no Internet access. It's a problem they will have to address. I also pointed out it's been a problem for completing the Health Care questionnaires for lower co-pays. Maybe some benefit will come to us.

See our e group for more 'private' matters. As we continue to do more with less.

In solidarity,

Wade

A greeting to us from Henry Perry

Teamsters Local 320 Delegates at the IBT Convention

Last March the Teamsters Local 320 members elected the Anyone But Hoffa slate of delegates to represent our local at the 2011 IBT Convention. The mandate was clear, we were to get other Candidates on the Ballot for the October IBT elections to unseat Jim Hoffa. We succeeded.

People said we couldn't beat the Sue Maren slate, but we did.

People said that Fred Gegare and Sandy Pope didn't have enough delegates to get on the October ballot, but with our help they did!

Hoffa's supporters are saying it's a waste of Union money to hold an election because Gegare or Pope can't win.

With your, the member's votes, we can get a new General President elected this fall. One that remembers the members are the union, not the hierarchy.

Watch these videos and smell the victory. When Hoffa's supporters saw that Fred Gergare had enough delegates to be on the ballot the Hoffa delegates walked out rather then listen to an opposing view.

Watch their immature behavior as they try to boo down Fred Gegare's nomination and Sandy Pope's. They didn't even want other candidates nominated.





Then watch Gegare and Pope's acceptance speeches and make up your minds. I support Fred Gegare, but each Teamster has one vote, use it wisely and let's get some change.





In solidarity,
Wade Laszlo

Thank You 320 members

I just want to take the time to thank the Teamsters Local 320 members for electing the Anyone But Hoffa slate to represent 320 at the 2011 Teamsters Convention.

Through much adversity we succeeded in getting both Fred Gegare and Sandy Pope on the ballot for the October elections. This means there will be a choice to Hoffa and an election.

The members spoke and we did what you elected us to do!

I will post more in the near future including video.

Hoffa's Corrupt Campaign

This is page 32 of the April/May Teamster Magazine. Click on the image and at least read the highlighted parts. Hoffa offered jobs as bribes for support. This behavior is rampant among Hoffa Supporters. Including our own pro-Hoffa Sue Mauren who was found guilty of taking an illegal contribution:

Richard W. MarkElection Supervisor

The Election Supervisor has found that Sue Mauren and the Mauren slate violated the Election Rules by accepting web design and hosting services for the Mauren website from Razworks LLC, a commercial web design and hosting service. Campaign contributions from non-members are strictly prohibited by the Rules. The Election Supervisor has directed Mauren to pay Razworks its usual and customary charges for the services provided and to cease using non-member contributions to campaign.

The Election Supervisor has issued this decision in Laszlo, 2010 ESD 87 (January 27, 2011). You may read this decision at http://www.ibtvote.org/protests/2010/2011esd087.htm.

As many of you know the Anyone But Hoffa Slate (ABH) won the election over the pro-Hoffa Sue Mauren Slate in the Teamsters Local 320 Delegate Election. Rather then accept that we are the elected delegates to the Teamsters Convention and being good sports, these sore losers continue to attack the elected delegates. Check out this website they created to attack me: http://www.youtube.com/user/WadeLaszlo1satanist

Rather then debate the issues of stacked salaries, bribes, wasted member money and cronyism they can only create websites like this!

As a delegate, I will be at the Teamsters Convention in support of Fred Gergare for Teamster General President. I believe the Union should represent the members, not the other way around. Fred Gergare thinks likewise.

You can also watch the video, I Am A Teamster I made in response to one of their many childish attacks.

To keep up on the facts go to AnyoneButHoffa.com

In solidarity,
Wade

Business Agent Tom Perkins Leaving

Tom Perkins is leaving us as our Business Agent. Who ever replaces him has big shoes to fill. History: Tom Perkins took a 6 month unpaid leave of absence in the late 1990’s to get us our 55 retirement. Tom Perkins fought to get us the Blood Borne Pathogens Bill (forced inmate blood draws), and just last month Tom Perkins went to the legislature and saved us from cuts to our pension. Tom was available in the middle of the night and on weekends for us, even though he was Monday through Friday on paper. Tom will be greatly missed and the void damn near impossible to fill.

We Are One Rally-St. Paul, MN

The Front

The bill HF813, that would have required us to pay 3% more into our pension and the employer 3% less has died in committee. It will not be part of the budget. Special thanks to our B.A. Tom Perkins who had representative Hackbarth ready to amend it to exclude the Corrections pension. Next, please attend the rally on April 4th if you can. We need to show strength and solidarity as Public Union members. Our right to organize and pensions are under attack.

April 4th Labor Rally

Thank You Department of Labor

Last Friday you should have recieved your overtime augment backpay. We've been fighting for this since last July.

Thanks to Bill Buckingham at the Department of Labor for all of his hard work to get us the long overdue back pay!

Also thanks to Dave Bentzen for discovering the County's mistake!

Pension Alert

Source: PERA website http://www.mnpera.org/

"Senate bill calls for pension funding shift PERA Coordinated and Correctional members would effectively pay 50 percent more for their pensions under a bill introduced Monday, March 14, by Sen. Mike Parry, Waseca, and Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, Vergas. Employer contributions to the plans would drop a similar amount under Senate File 813.

The 3 percent of pay increase would mean a contribution rate of 9.25 percent for Coordinated members and 8.83 percent for Corrections officers as of July 1. Employer rates would drop to 4.25 percent and 5.75 percent, respectively. The bill does not affect the Association's Police & Fire Plan.

......Unlike Wisconsin, where, until this month pension funding has been primarily an employer responsibility, PERA members and employers have traditionally split pension costs. Both members and employers pay about 50 percent each for the General Plan and divide the costs 40%/60% for the public safety plans."

I must ask why pick on Corrections officers and leave Police and Fire alone? When Tom Perkins got us the 55 retirement the main selling point to the Minnesota Legislature was the fact that Corrections Officers have higher injury rates and lower life expectancy then cops. If you go to the PERA website or read the mailing you got from PERA you'd see that the Corrections Plan is at 97%, Fully Funded! Should you take a 3% paycut for a fully funded pension?

Call Joint Council 32 DRIVE at 612-331-5514. Tell them you want our lobbyist in St. Paul on this ASAP. (You pay the DRIVE lobbyist $105,000 a year with your dues).

Call your State representatives.

You might find this info useful when talking to your reps: Myths vs. facts on PERA

DON'T LET MINNESOTA BECOME WISCONSIN!

Bad News for Wisconsin Unions

"In 30 minutes, 18 state senators undid 50 years of civil rights in Wisconsin," Democratic Sen. Mark Miller said in a statement. "Their disrespect for the people of Wisconsin and their rights is an outrage that will never be forgotten."

Full Story

Support Fred Gergare & Brad Slawson Sr. 2011

I support Fred Gergare & Brad Slawson, Sr. in the 2011 Teamsters General President Elections. I urge all of you to vote for him in the October elections.

I can't thank you enough for supporting the Anyone But Hoffa Slate in the Teamsters Local 320 Delegate elections, but we're only half way there. The next step is to elect a General President worthy of that title. I believe that man is Fred Gergare and his running mate Brad Slawson, Sr.

In Solidarity,

Wade Laszlo

Congratulations Letter from Sandy Pope

Congratulations Letter from Sandy Pope.

March 7, 2011 in ABH

Dear Members of the Anyone But Hoffa Slate:

Congratulations on a well-deserved victory in your Convention Delegate
election. Our union and our country needs your activism and
leadership more than ever!

Politicians across the country are coming after public sector workers’
wages, benefits, and union rights. It’s the fight of our lifetimes.

Corporate politicians are trying to divide us and turn public and
private sector workers against each other. Our real enemies are the
reckless Wall Street bankers who drove our economy over the cliff—not
the fire fighters and teachers and Teamsters who provide the public
services we need.

Public employees have power and can be a tremendous force for change
when we get active and get involved. That’s the lesson of
Wisconsin—and that’s the lesson of your victory in Local 320.

I congratulate the “Anyone but Hoffa Slate” and Local 320 members for
standing up for change.

Your successful campaign to win this delegate election is a model for
what it will take to turn our union around. You reached out to your
brothers and sisters, member-to-member, talking face-to-face and on
the phone about what it will take to turn around our union.

That kind of grassroots activism is what my campaign is all about.
That’s why I was honored to back your slate.

I look forward to working with you to stand up to corporate
politicians, defend working families and rebuild our union’s power.

In solidarity,

Sandy Pope

Reposted fron the Anyone But Hoffa Site

Corrections News & Views, vol. 9

Anyone But Hoffa Slate to Represent 320 at the IBT Elections

March 5, 2011 in ABH

The Anyone But Hoffa Slate won the Teamsters Local 320 Delegate Election by a nice margin. You can see the vote count here and it will also be posted early next week on the Election Supervisors site, IBTVote.

We thank all of those that assisted us with getting the word out.

Without your support and feedback, we would not have been able to focus our efforts and our campaign would have been less effective. We now need to focus on the Delegate Convention and getting the word out to more members to vote this fall in the IBT election. As you can see from the number of ballots in this election, only about 25% of the membership returned a ballot. We need to get ALL of our members involved and voting so that their voice is heard. We, the members, ARE the Union. Let no one take that away from you, misrepresent you, or use your resources against you.

(Reposted from the Anyone But Hoffa site)

Fred Gergare Congratulates, Anyone But Hoffa Victory

VICTORY: ANYONE BUT HOFFA!

The Anyone But Hoffa Slate has WON the Teamsters Local 320 delegate election.

THANK YOU all for voting. We will do our best to bring the Teamsters Union back to you, the members.

Anyone But Hoffa

Public Employees: Myths and Realities

Public Employees: Myths and Realities

A must read from Labor Notes!