UPDATED June 16, 2014: The Hoffa administration is headed to Federal court in a bid to end independent supervision of International Union elections.
Attorneys for the International Union have filed papers in Federal court to end the Consent Order, a court-approved agreement between the IBT and the Justice Department to rid the union of corruption and establish a culture of union democracy.The coming legal battle affects every Teamster. If Hoffa succeeds in ending the Consent Order, the Hoffa administration would write its own election rules and move to eliminate contested International elections by changing the nomination requirements so opposition candidates would be effectively blocked from getting on the ballot.
Judge Loretta Preska will make the final decision on the future of the Consent Order and fair International Union elections.
In a letter to Federal Judge Loretta Preska, the Justice Department acknowledges that the Consent Decree has brought about positive changes toward eliminating organized crime influence, but maintains that, “Corrupt and undemocratic practices persist at all levels of the Union.”
The U.S. Attorney is calling for government oversight of Teamster anti-corruption efforts and elections to be scaled back over time, not halted. TDU has also made a submission to Judge Preska, defending members’ rights to fair elections and a corruption-free union.
Ending the Consent Order would also immediately eliminate the Independent Review Board. IRB investigations have resulted in penalties against top Hoffa administration officials for embezzlement, sweetheart deals with employers, threats, violent retaliation and other corruption.Without the IRB, the Hoffa administration would be left to police itself.
Teamsters for a Democratic Union fought for and won our right to elect IBT officers in one-member, one-vote elections. Now, we are launching a new campaign to save fair, independently supervised elections and to make Teamster members’ voices heard.
Click here to download a flier of the petition and here to download an explanatory leaflet.
More Information:
Click here to read the Hoffa administration's submission to the court.
Click here to read the U.S. attorney's letter to Judge Preska.
Click here to read the submission from TDU attorney Barbara Harvey.
Do you like this post?