Welcome to the Teamsters eDispatch. Stay tuned each week for the latest news from and about Teamster.org.

Teamsters Launch Major Campaign to Fire U.S. Transportation Secretary
The Teamsters just launched a nationwide grassroots campaign to fire Transportation Secretary Mary Peters for unlawfully opening the border to unsafe trucks from Mexico.

Visit www.firemarypeters.com for more details and to find out what you can do to help end this criminal act.

Teamsters UPS Freight Campaign Reaches 4,100-Worker Milestone
The Teamsters organizing campaign continues to move forward as an overwhelming majority of workers at UPS Freight throughout the nation have recently signed authorization cards to unionize, bringing the total number of drivers and dockworkers seeking to join the union to more than 4,100 since January 16. Find out which workers have chosen to become the newest Teamsters. 

TAKE ACTION
Tell Congress: Hold Mary Peters in Contempt
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters is the latest member of the Bush administration to break the law: She is opening our border to unsafe Mexican trucks despite a law passed overwhelmingly by Congress that forbids her from implementing the reckless pilot program. The law was enacted with bipartisan support and signed by President Bush. Contact your legislators today. Tell them to fire Mary Peters and put an end to this criminal act.

BLOGWATCH
Good Morning, DOT Workers, Let's Fire Your Boss
This morning, a group of Teamsters were down at the Navy Yard Metro Station just outside U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters. We were there passing out Fire Mary Peters cards and telling folks what's going on with the Mexican Trucking Program.
 

The More Americans Demand Change, The More the State of the Union Address Remains the Same
 

MORE TEAMSTER NEWS
Teamsters, Business Travel Coalition to Hold Summit on Aircraft Maintenance Outsourcing
The Teamsters Union and the Business Travel Coalition will hold a summit on aircraft maintenance outsourcing on February 11, 2008, in Washington, D.C.

United Airlines Mechanics' Election Set for February 26
The National Mediation Board notified the Teamsters Union and 9300 active and furloughed United Airlines mechanics that a representation vote will take place between February 26 and March 31.  
 

NAACP, Teamsters Call on Major League Baseball to Help End Racial Discrimination at New Era
NAACP Chairman Julian Bond and Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa asked Major League Baseball (MLB) to intervene with the MLB’s exclusive on-field cap manufacturer, New Era Cap, in an effort to end racial discrimination and worker rights violations in New Era's distribution center in Mobile, Alabama. The NAACP also released its report of the investigation it recently undertook at the request of workers at the facility. 
 

MCLAC Agrees to Teamsters National Freight Industry Standards
MCLAC, a multi-employer bargaining association for freight employers, agreed to be bound by the Teamsters National Freight Industry Standards, which will create the 2008-2013 National Master Freight Agreement.
 

ABF Agrees to Be Bound by 2008-2013 National Freight Standards Agreement
ABF Freight System, Inc. has agreed to the Teamster Union’s demand that the company should agree to be bound by the proposed 2008-2013 Teamsters National Freight Industry Standards, which will protect union members’ futures.
 

Florida Retirees to Meet February 20, Discuss Elections
Teamster retirees in Florida will meet on February 20 to discuss political action and key issues of the 2008 elections.The meeting is organized by the Local 79 Bay Area Retiree Club and Local 237 Retiree Division in cooperation with the Retiree Affairs Department.
 

Teamsters Praise Granholm's Executive Order Denouncing Employee Misclassification
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm issued an Executive Order to stop employers from illegally classifying its workforce as independent contractors. Granholm’s action will increase oversight over employers to assure that properly classified employees rights and benefits are protected.
 

TRAINING
N.O.T.E. Program Scheduled February 20-22
The class, designed for new principal officers, secretary-treasurers, and trustees, will be held at the IBT Headquarters.

Teamsters National Black Caucus to Convene August 18-24
The Teamsters National Black Caucus (TNBC) will hold its 33nd Annual Educational Conference and Banquet August 18-24 at the Crowne Plaza Downtown in St. Louis, Missouri. 

JRH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Don't Forget to Sign Up for the Tournaments
Register early to reserve your spot in the seventh annual Drive for Education Golf Tournament and the third annual All In for Education Texas Hold'Em Poker Tournament, May 19–21, 2008, which will be held in conjunction with the Unity Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.