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The DRIVE For Working Families
Working families sat out the 2014 elections and the results showed.
Anti-worker legislators were elected at the state and federal level across the board. However, the Teamsters led successful efforts to pass pro-worker legislation in numerous states and 2014 was a particularly good year in politics for working families in one state – California.
State Minimum Wage Wins
The Teamsters Union is about obtaining the maximum wage and benefits package for its members. However, the minimum wage is the first step in moving up the economic ladder.
In November, voters in five states ratified proposals to raise the minimum wage – Alaska, Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota. Earlier in 2014, then-Massachusetts’ Gov. Deval Patrick signed legislation creating a higher minimum wage.
“All workers benefit from a raise in the minimum wage rate,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “A rising tide lifts all boats; therefore, fighting for higher wages at the federal level has a positive impact on the wage rates for working families in all industries. We will continue to push for a higher minimum wage as much as we do for safer working conditions and improved benefits.”
On the local level, voters in San Francisco voted to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2018. Oakland voters passed a ballot initiative raising the minimum wage to $12.25 per hour in 2015, but also ties future increases to inflation. Oakland’s measure also included paid sick days for workers. In Wisconsin, voters in nine counties and four cities also raised the minimum wage.
Key Election Victories
In Pennsylvania, Teamster-backed candidate Tom Wolf easily defeated anti-union Gov. Tom Corbett’s bid for reelection. Corbett was widely panned for pushing for right-to-work (for less) legislation and a paycheck deception bill.
“We were able to mobilize our members statewide and join with other unions in the state to elect Tom Wolf, a pro-worker, pro-union leader,” said Bill Hamilton, International Vice President and President of the Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters. “In addition to active rank-and-file members stepping up their pressure at the voting booths, our retirees joined in to make sure that the former governor was shown the door.”
Right-to-work (for less) and paycheck deception legislation are both designed to weaken unions’ power and silence workers. Teamsters nationwide have been fighting any efforts by lawmakers to institute such legislation.
Anti-worker governors in Michigan, Ohio and Florida were re-elected while pro-worker candidates held on in Colorado and Minnesota. Local Teamster participation made the difference in Colorado and Minnesota as members participated heavily in early voting, Election Day turnout and community education.
California Legislative Strategy
California Teamsters, led by Joint Councils 7 and 42, sponsor voter registration drives, candidate rallies and voter turnout programs every election cycle. With continued success in electing pro-worker candidates, the legislature passed some of the most pro-worker legislation in the country in 2014, proving that electing pro-worker candidates can make a huge difference for working families.
In late September, Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 1897 into law. The legislation holds employers accountable when the temp agency they use violates California labor laws such as overtime, workers’ comp and health and safety regulations. Since employers throughout the state are increasingly using temp agencies, especially in warehousing, distribution, food processing and solid waste/recycling, the new legislation helps level the playing field. The law came into force on January 1 and is the strongest of its kind in the nation.
Workers at Taylor Farms in Tracy, Calif., were a prime example of how employers were flouting the law by using temp agencies.
When the 900 workers at Taylor Farms began organizing with Local 601, the company hired union busters to spread fear and intimidation. Workers stood up to blow the whistle on state labor law violations, only to be caught in a back-and-forth between Taylor Farms and its temp agencies. Now with AB 1897 on the books, employers will be held accountable for their actions.
Municipal Efforts
In Alameda County, Measure BB, legislation was passed that will allocate hundreds of millions of dollars for projects employing thousands of Teamsters. Joint Council 7 played a leading role in the campaign that enhances transportation infrastructure – creating and supporting Teamster jobs such as ready mix concrete drivers, locomotive engineers, trainmen, maintenance of way workers and paratransit drivers. The legislation also supports more than 500 Local 853 members at Gillig who make the only buses that are 100-percent made in America.
Joint Council 7 also helped elect the new mayor of Oakland, along with a clean sweep in Oakland’s city council and school board races.
“Our members outdid themselves teaming up with Joint Council 7 and 42’s political teams to be united in our drive to get the word out to the public about voting on issues of concern to working families,” said Rome Aloise, International Vice President and President of Joint Council 7. “Without the strength that is inherent in our union, we wouldn’t have been able to defeat the corporate interests that were working against us on AB 1897.”
Southern California legislators submitted a variety of bills backed by the Teamsters, such as a bill extending film tax credits which will result in expanded job opportunities in the film industry, and a bill requiring the training of supervisors to prevent workplace bullying.
“By having Teamsters and other union support, both the film tax credit and bullying prevention bills were signed into law,” said Randy Cammack, President of Joint Council 42. “Fighting for more good jobs and helping ensure that workplaces are safe are primary responsibilities of our union. We are proud to keep the pressure on lawmakers to enact laws which support working families. Together, our members, staff and officers worked on voter registration, our annual DRIVE campaign and lobbying efforts in order to bring about these successes.”