Teamsters Local 70 Workers Locked Out, Company Pays $600K Per Day ... of Taxpayer Dollars

[Omaha Steve]

http://unionreview.com/teamsters-local-70-workers-locked-out-company-pay-600k-day-taxpayer-dollars

Over the weekend we posted an article about Waste Management locking out some 500 Teamsters after labor negotiations came to a stand-still.

What is very interesting about this Teamster issue is this: The workers were not going to strike at all! They chose to continue to working while negotiations and talks continued; and they pledged to do so. The company, however, is making this a major labor dispute by taking the action that it did -- and in the end the community of Oakland and East Bay will suffer.

What the community of Northern California, and the rest of the country needs to consider is this: The company, instead of holding on-going negotiations and having the skilled and trained workers do their jobs simultaneously, chose to spend a reported $600,000 A DAY. Here's what that kind of money can get you in a day:

*Scabs
*Hotel Rooms
*Security Goon Squads
*Video Cameras
*A cache of anti-union consultants

According the local's site, there will be a rally on Wednesday throughout the area and all are weclome to stand in solidarity -- in doing our part, we are working to get as much awareness of the issue spread around the country as fast as possible.

This morning I invited, by email, Secretary-Treasurer Chuck Mack to join our online community and to provide us with updates of the struggle. I am not certain that he received the email as it was bounced back the first time - hopefully the second push made it. To that end, if anyone is out in this area of California, please help us keep the story updated with whatever you can find out being where you are.