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IBT: Putting the “Team” in Teamsters!
The IBT, or International Brotherhood of Teamsters,
proclaims to be “the most powerful labor union” in the world. While this may or may not be true, the IBT
certainly comes quite close. With over
1.4 million members in its membership, the Teamsters are a force to be reckoned
with. It is without a doubt one of the
most diverse unions in the nation. From
airline pilots to zoologists, this union represents employees in almost every
industry imaginable. A fact from the IBT website: One out of every ten union members is a
Teamster.
Unlike other labor unions, the
Teamsters Union is structured to promote strong local unions, and strong local
leaders. Contracts are negotiated on a local level rather than a national
level, meaning that more of the membership dues stay within their designated
locals. Furthermore, the locals provide
an expert staff of professionals to help them with negotiations; national
assistance is needed only if necessary.
Bylaws are decided by the neighboring membership (provided they do not
breach International laws) and can be tailored to suit localized needs and
issues.
The Teamsters are a strong
political group, with a large degree of their departments focusing on political
and legislative policy. The IBT
understands the importance of a voice on Capitol Hill and is constantly
lobbying for legislation that will further help their membership. They encourage all of their union members to
actively vote in elections and take an interest in the politics that will
affect them. The Teamsters do not hide
the fact that they openly support specific candidates and oppose those who
oppose them. And rather than using up
valuable membership dues to support candidates, they have formed DRIVE
(Democrat, Republican, and Independent Voter Education) to raise funds.
To see the Teamsters in action,
please visit their homepage. Or to find an IBT union near you, please use
the Unions.org Local Search page.
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