Teamsters Local 888

Today in Labor History
Dec. 4, 1943
President Roosevelt announces the end of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), concluding the four-year run of one of the American government's most ambitious public works programs. It helped create jobs for roughly 8.5 million people during the Great Depression and left a legacy of highways and public buildings, among other public gains.
~ DC Labor

Local and National News

Tips for members & shop stewards posted every Monday
Dec. 2, 2020 | For more than 18 months, the Teamsters worked hard in key states like Michigan to get a pro-worker president elected. So the union was delighted when Joe Biden emerged victorious and looks forward to his swearing in as the 46th president next month. President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are committed to moving forward on an agenda that prioritizes working Americans, both on the job and in their golden years after work is done … Teamsters

Hoffa: The Teamsters will help Biden protect workers
Nov. 30, 2020 | The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund has begun accepting applications for the 2021 award year. The Fund awards financial scholarships to the sons, daughters and financial dependents of Teamster members. Academic awards in the amount of $1,000 or $10,000 are awarded to eligible high school seniors. Vocational/Training program awards are available ranging from $500 to $2,000. In 2020, $1.2 million in scholarships were awarded. Details on the application process can be found here.

Tips for members & shop stewards posted every Monday
Nov. 18, 2020 | Members, research shows that union membership brings a sense of empowerment that comes with the security of a union contract. Every Monday we offer information and tips to help you learn more about the Union and your role in it. Check out Weekly Tip for Members under the Members tab on the left. Are you a new steward? There are a few things you should know if you want to be effective: Learn more at Weekly Tips for Stewards under the Shop Stewards tab on the left. (Note: If you've forgotten your password, email teamstersjc62@gmail.com for assistance.)

Advisories, industry-specific fact sheets, and resources for members
Our Union is closely monitoring the global health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Working with other unions, public health officials and other experts in our Safety and Health Department, the Union is focused on providing Local Unions and staff with the most up-to-date information and resources to help everyone in this difficult time. Click on COVID-19 Outbreak Resources for Members for local and regional resources. On the left column, click on COVID-19 News for Industry-related Fact Sheets and other critical information from the IBT.

Older news items can be viewed at 888 News.

Elsewhere in The News

Reinventing Workers for the Post-Covid Economy

Dec. 2, 2020 | JOBS | The labor market has recovered 12 million of the 22 million jobs lost from February to April. But many positions may not return any time soon, even when a vaccine is deployed. This is likely to prove especially problematic for millions of low-paid workers in service industries like retailing, hospitality, building maintenance and transportation, which may be permanently impaired or fundamentally transformed… New York Times

Hoffa: This Holiday Season, Give Essential Workers the Unions They Deserve

Nov. 30, 2020 | WORKERS’ RIGHTS | This was already a devastating year for hard-working Americans, struggling to keep their jobs amid a pandemic made worse by corporate greed. Now, with the holiday season underway, “essential workers” employed in warehouses, delivering goods, and stocking grocery shelves find themselves in an even bigger crunch. For millions of people who are unemployed or underemployed, it’s easy to lose hope. But it is at this moment, when working people are experiencing multiple intersecting crises, that a mass movement for livable wages, safe working conditions, and equality is more critical than ever… Fast Company

Workers in North Dakota Strike to Demand Covid-19 Protections

Nov. 25, 2020 | SAFETY & HEALTH | […] Since March, essential workers across the country have walked off the job at Whole Foods markets, Amazon warehouses, Taco Bells and McDonald's restaurants, and poultry packing plants to protest working conditions during the pandemic, some asking for hazard pay and others demanding protective gear. Few of these strikes have resulted in major commercial disruptions and product shortages—but as the workforce behind a massive food distribution company, the 75 striking Cash-Wa workers are in a unique position to disrupt a major supply chain if their employer refuses to provide them with more protections. "Workers are asking for temperature screenings, divisions between employees in break rooms, and adequate cleaning supplies," Brian Novak, a business representative at Teamsters Local 120, the union that represents the workers in Fargo. This week, North Dakota reported the COVID-19 highest death rate of any state or country in the world. … Vice

Millions of Workers for Corporate Giants Rely on Food Stamps, Medicaid

Nov. 25, 2020 | THE MINIMUM WAGE | A new GAO (Government Accountability Office) report commissioned by Sen. Bernie Sanders shows that corporations are soaking up profits—while paying workers so little they depend on government assistance to survive. Millions of full-time, adult workers in the United States — many of them employed by Walmart, McDonald’s and other highly profitable corporations — are paid wages so low they’re forced to rely on public assistance to make ends meet. For all 15 agencies, Walmart was in the top four employers of Medicaid enrollees and SNAP beneficiaries, while McDonald’s was in the top five for 13 of the 15 agencies. Other major retailers and fast-food companies were found to be among the most common employers of workers receiving Medicaid and SNAP, including Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Target, Amazon, Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walgreens and CVS… In These Times