After 41 Years, The Teamsters Reform Movement Is Finally Building Power

[ABFwife]

In the beginning, Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) was full of spunk. But they didn’t have any union leaders on their side, nor many rank and file supporters, nor much strategy about turning around a corruption-riddled union.

“When they said we didn’t know what we were doing, it wasn’t totally false,” says Ken Paff, who has led the TDU almost since its founding 41 years ago. “We knew what we didn’t know.”

In time, the TDU learned how to become a thorn in the union’s side, challenging its contracts, finger pointing to officials’ corruption and lopsided multiple salaries, and electing reform-minded members to local and national positions.

At its 41st convention from October 27 to 29 in Chicago, TDU will mark last year’s national campaign that fell only 6,000 votes short of ousting James P. Hoffa. He has led the nearly 1.3-million-member union since 1999, four years longer than his father, James R. Hoffa.

After 41 Years, The Teamsters Reform Movement Is Finally Building Power

[fxstc07]

Every leader, every company, every organization needs a watchdog.

TDU was a word that was never mentioned at the union hall. I wonder why ... ?

[Walleye]

Every leader, every company, every organization needs a watchdog.

TDU was a word that was never mentioned at the union hall. I wonder why ... ?

I once asked my BA about TDU,..

Wow did he get PIZZED!!!!

That was enough to tell me that TDU is a good thing,........