During the turbulent 1920s, Tobin emphasized several policies to the membership that he believed to be the underpinnings of his leadership.

First, Tobin was very careful about Teamster participation in sympathy strikes, boycotts or other struggles undertaken by other unions.  He wanted to make sure he understood the cause and the ramifications of the disputes clearly and he wanted to know exactly what was being asked of his Union.  

Second, Tobin was convinced that union strength lay not only in a healthy membership but also in a healthy treasury.  To this end, he supported raising the per capita tax from the local. 

Finally, he implemented specific rules for approving strikes by the locals, thus having more control of strike benefit usage.

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share via email