I was very naive when I went to work for the Seattle School District in the mid-1980s. I knew very little about unions and was scarcely aware that I even had one.
The school district’s almost unbelievable dysfunction, corruption, and tyranny took my breath away. After years of abuse, I suddenly opened my eyes and began asking questions. It was then that I discovered my union, the Seattle Education Association (a branch of the National Education Association). When I began attending union meetings, I immediately discovered that the NEA/SEA was totally corrupt. Years later, I would discover that one of the SEA’s leaders, Kraig Peck, is a Jew.
I acquired a new union, the Teamsters, when I went to work for UPS. Having learned from my experiences in the education wilderness, I quickly noticed some eerie similarities between the Teamsters and the teachers union.
The Teamsters, of course, are more famously corrupt than teachers unions. After all, they’re closely associated with Jimmy Hoffa, who was joined at the hip with organized crime. Hoffa wasn’t alone, however. The Teamsters’ shop stewards and business agents are collectively a bunch of lying, back-stabbing thugs.
Jimmy Hoffa’s son retired in 2022, replaced by Sean O’Brien, who appears to be just another asshole. The #2 guy is Fred Zuckerman. Do you suppose he’s a Jew?
So, what do I think about the 2023 UPS contract and the tentative strike?
I say fuck UPS and fuck the Teamsters. I’m voting NO on the contract, and think we should strike against UPS and the Reamsters both.
Unfortunately, it’s probably a lost cause. The Teamsters have been selling us out for so long, how can we catch up? We have no friends or allies. Labor in general is corrupt, and don’t even think about getting help from the government or media; they’re all assholes. At the same time, UPS is a virtual caste system, with drivers vs building personnel and building personnel divided between full-timers and part-timers. The drivers get 90% of the gravy, full-timers 9%, and part-timers virtually nothing.
Moreover, very few UPS employees have a clue about the workplace politics. Many hate the Teamsters, but many others mindlessly support them.
Then there’s automation, which is going to dig our grave that much deeper. UPS has been automating its hubs for several years now, and it’s already taking a toll.
Fortunately, I’m already collecting my pension, though I’m not sure how long it will last. As you may know, the new contract promises UPSers a big pay raise (though it’s actually a joke), but with the other hand they’re going to cut funding of the pension. In fact, there are already UPS retirees across America who aren’t getting their full pension because of various scams. Between UPS and the Reamsters, what help is there?
In the meantime, Republican pResidential candidates are openly talking about pulling the plug on social security. I predict that Donald Trump will be re(s)elected next year, and I predict that social security will get the axe shortly after that.
So, let’s put it all together: Social security may soon be history. UPS pensions have never been shakier. The Teamsters never were a real union, and their power will only diminish as automation things out the ranks of their dues-paying members.
If you work for UPS and you won’t be eligible to retire for another ten years or more, God help you. As I suggested earlier, UPS veterans who are already retired are even looking over their shoulder, wondering if their pension will still be there tomorrow.
But what about the contract and the strike? Should we just cave in and vote YES, like we always do?
As they say, misery loves company. If UPS wants to screw us, I say screw them right back, and screw the Teamsters at the same time.
With climate change bearing down on us, the national debt over $30 trillion, and the U.S. fighting a losing war against China, what hope is there? I prefer to go out with my boots on.
As I find time, I’ll relate some of the things I’ve learned about the Teamsters. Wait until I tell you about the UPS supervisor who turned out to be a serial rapist and serial murderer. Fortunately, the Teamsters took care of him.
Just joking! His Facebook friends included shop stewards!
So, fuck you, Reamsters. Burn in Hell.