Bob Guastella, Maspeth

He was the greatest labor leader of all time and I’m glad I was around him for the 34 years . As co-worker, union leader and neighbor, he will be missed

Doug Corbett, Shop Steward, 43rd Street

It was a dark day when Ronnie was taken from us the first time and a very sad day when he left us for good.  God bless Ron Carey and his family.  Semper Fi brother.

Pete Bullwinkle, Local 804 (Retired)

Ron Carey was not part of the labor movement. He was the entire labor movement. His ability to challenge corporate America, fight for stronger legislation for Teamsters and their families, travel all over the country to help others become motivated and more involved with their union made him what he was. Ron Carey was a working man’s man. Always there when you needed him and always “Fighting for the Future.”

Larry Perrin, Local 804 (Retired)

First to the Carey family my deepest sympathy. As a former member of Local 804 and a shop steward who new Ron for over 32 years, a man of integrity who always told the members the truth and never turned his back on us, I thank him for all that he has done for the members of then the greatest local in the world. With out him and his courage we would not have what we have today. I will truly miss him as a leader and a friend. God bless him. May he rest in peace.

Peter Lipinski, Island City, Feeder

On December 11th, 2008 we lost a great union leader. There was a time when you could not mention Local 804 without including Ron Carey’s name. He was the heart and soul of this local. He had a natural ability to lead and was a great charismatic speaker. I did not know him on a personal level, but I did have the honor and pleasure of shaking his hand a few times. No matter how one feels about the controversy that surrounded him, you cannot deny the fact that he was an advocate for the everyday worker. May he rest in peace.

Let’s Get It In Writing From the Fund

President Howie Redmond and the Local 804 Executive Board sent a letter to all Local 804 members promising that no matter what happens on Wall Street our pensions are secure.

They say that under a Letter of Understanding negotiated with UPS, the company is responsible for making extra contributions to our pension fund as needed to maintain our benefits at the current level for the life of the contract.

Since our Executive Board made this guarantee, the stock market has continued to nosedive. The Local 804 Pension Fund could lose $150 million in assets this year. Our pension fund would be more than $500 million short of being fully funded. Half a billion dollars.

With so much at stake, it’s time to get this Pension Guarantee in writing from our Pension Fund. Read more…

Could Lose $150 Million+ in 2008

The Local 804 Pension Fund lost $58.8 million in assets in the first six months of 2008 according to fund documents obtained by 804 Members United. Our Pension Fund had $736.9 million in assets at the beginning of the year. Now we’re down to $678.1 million.

The worst news is still to come. We won’t know the full damage the stock market meltdown has had on our funds until we get the Investment reports for the Third and Fourth Quarter. What we do know is that our Fund is seriously exposed to the stock market meltdown. More than 64 percent of the Pension Fund’s assets were invested in stocks as of June 30. Read more…

Documents obtained by Local 804 Members United reveal that Local 804 officials were talking with the company about pension cuts as early as January 2005—nearly two years before the membership was blindsided by pension cuts.

According to the documents, our Pension Fund Trustees had actuaries running projections that included cutting benefits to as low as $2,500 per month for 25 years of service. Other projections looked at cutting our pensions to $3,300 and $3,200 for 25 years of service. Read more…

Remembering Ron Carey 7 Years After His Vindication

By Tim Sylvester, Local 804 Steward

The purpose of this website is to unite the members of Local 804 through speaking the plain truth. Some people like the truth and others fear it. Regardless, we will report it. When our history has been neglected or just ignored, we will try to bring it to you.

This month marks the 7th Anniversary since our previous local president, Ron Carey, was found Not Guilty of all the charges that had been brought against him. Read more…

The Cost of Living in Metro New York is up 5.4 percent compared to one year ago, according to a new report released by the Department of Labor on Sept. 16.Since last August, fuel and utility prices in our area are up 23.7 percent.

No wonder that 35¢ on Aug. 1 didn’t feel like much. And it could have been even less. Remember, the first tentative agreement would have diverted 10¢ out of our wages for the pension fund. Good thing we voted NO!

Under our contract, we may be eligible for a cost-of-living increase next year, depending on what inflation is like. But our negotiators left a COLA out of the contract this year when we really needed it.

Click here to see the Department of Labor report.

Click here to read a recent New York Times article: Cost of Living Going Up Fast in New York.

Was Members’ Money Used to Pay for Approval Rating Poll?

By Tim Sylvester

“How am I doin’?” Mayor Ed Koch used to ask that all the time. It was kind of his signature line. As an elected official, it was good for him to know where he stood with the voters.

Koch’s question didn’t cost New Yorkers a dime. But in Local 804, it’s a different story.

Many Local 804 members report that they received phone calls from a professional polling company located in Alabama. Members were asked questions about how we felt about the UPS contract, our stewards, our benefits, and our union officials.

The poll included questions about Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain but a major item was how Local 804 members feel about our union leaders.

The poll-takers specifically asked us to rate each of the three H’s: Howie, Hoffa and Hall. They even asked how we grade our Executive Board.

It seems like Koch is not the only one who likes to know where he stands with the voters.

Politicians do polling all the time. But they don’t make voters pay for the polls. If our dues dollars or DRIVE contributions were used to pay for this poll, then Local 804 members should be told the results.

Local 804 officials are responding to our report on the Health Fund by telling members that the Fund did not “lose” $18 million; it just “spent” $18 million more than it took in!

Accountants call that losing money-and so do the fund’s own financial reports. Local 804 members deserve more than word games-especially when our health benefits and retiree healthcare are at stake.

No one has suggested that the Fund’s money mysteriously disappeared! On the contrary, we have carefully explained in leaflets, bulletins and meetings how the Fund’s assets dropped by $18 million.

In particular, we pointed out how Local 804 officials voted to reduce contributions to the Health Fund and divert the money to the Pension Fund even though the Health Fund was losing millions–a move that accelerated the Health Fund’s multi-million dollar losses.

Click here to download to a leaflet that looks at “What happened to the money?” in our Health Fund.

Watch the Video! Fast Forward to the 6-Minute Mark.

In his “Letter from the President” in this month’s 804 News, Howie Redmond wrote, “We can proudly say that we are taking care of business in the one area that we are responsible for—the union contract.”

Taking care of business: that’s right. And the name of that business is UPS!

Don’t take our word for it. Look at what financial analysts are saying. The host of Mad Money on CNBC says that the company “pantsed” and “pummeled” the Teamsters. The Wall Street Journal says the company will enjoy big savings under the new contract. Read more…

After violating federal law for more than four months, the Local 804 Pension Fund finally responded to members’ legal requests for documents from our pension fund. But our fund continues to violate the Pension Protection Act by refusing to turn over the most important documents that members requested.

What are our trustees hiding and when will they comply with federal law? Read more…

Local 804 Members United is holding informational meetings in Queens and Long Island to bring together Local 804 members who want to get informed, get involved and bring the pride and power back to Local 804.

Click here to download a leaflet for the Queens meeting, Sat., July 12 at 10 am.

Click here to download a leaflet for the Long Island meeting, Sun., July 13 at 9:30 am.

Read more…

While members’ eyes have been on our local’s pension problems, our Health Fund has lost at least half its assets in just five years.

Research by Local 804 Members United reveals that the Local 804 Health Fund has lost nearly $18 million since June 2003. Just five years ago, the Fund had more than $32 million in reserves. That number dropped to just $14.5 million in June 2007, the most recent figures available from the Fund’s 5500 Financial Reports.

Our Executive Board has told members that our health fund faces challenges. But they have never disclosed the full magnitude of the Fund’s problems. Local 804 Members United is committed to giving you the facts. Members can only protect our pensions and healthcare when we’re kept informed.

Click here to download the Local 804 Health Fund Update.

Read more…

When members hear that our Health Fund lost nearly $18 million or 55 percent of its assets from 2002 to 2007, the first thing they ask is: What happened to the money?

The first answer is Local 804 officials did not make sure there was enough money going into the plan. Healthcare costs are rising sharply. When we voted on the 2002 contract, we were promised that it included enough money to protect our pension and healthcare benefits. That proved not to be true.

But there is another answer to the question: What happened to the money? When our Health Fund was losing millions of dollars every year, our own Local 804 officers diverted millions of dollars from the Health Fund to the Pension Fund starting in Aug. 2005.

Click here to download the leaflet “What Happened to the Money?”

Read more…

Our Local 804 Executive Board never reported to the membership that our Health Fund had lost nearly $18 million or that millions of dollars had been diverted from the Health Fund to the Pension Fund.

Local 804 Members United uncovered this information by reviewing the Fund’s own financial data as reported to the Department of Labor each year in a Form 5500 report.

Now Local 804 Members United is making these reports available to the membership. You don’t have to take our word for it when we cite financial data. You can review the Fund’s own reports for yourself.

Read more…

Members’ Attorney Warns Fund

A pension attorney representing Local 804 members has warned our Pension Fund trustees that they are in serious violation of the Disclosure Rules of the Pension Protection Act, a federal law that requires the Fund to turn over financial, actuarial and other fund documents to participants who request them.

This message was delivered to our fund in a May 17 letter from pension attorney Ann Curry Thompson who represents Local 804 members Bill Reynolds and Tim Sylvester, who have been waiting to receive the information they have requested since January 22.

Read more…

A feeder driver in Farmingdale who reported a safety problem was rewarded by management with a 72-hour notice. Fortunately, Local 804 Teamster Joe Miller stuck to his guns.

The result? The company fixed the safety problem and dropped the 72-hour notice.

The incident reveals a lot about the company’s real attitude toward safety and what Local 804 drivers need to know to protect ourselves. Read more…