Social Security debate lauded (by Teamsters Union President)

[Freddie Stubbs]

By Brian Tumulty / Gannett News Service

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WASHINGTON -- In a break with other union leaders who have opposed Social Security reform, Teamsters President James P. Hoffa commended President Bush on Tuesday for starting a national conversation on the issue.

"Social Security is a major problem in this country," Hoffa said during an interview in his office two blocks from the U.S. Capitol. "We have to make sure that it's preserved for those that come after us. I think President Bush should be given credit for the fact that he has initiated a debate regarding what we should do."

Hoffa, who described his union's relationship with the Bush administration as "not close" but also "not far away," campaigned for Bush's defeat last year. But he also has sided with the administration on issues such as drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and renewing terrorism insurance to help the commercial real estate industry.

The Teamsters leader is hoping the administration and congressional Republicans will shepherd into legislation a proposal that would help the long-term financial viability of multi-employer pension plans to which many of his members belong.

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/25/education/25diversity.html?

[whistle]

1. Well, a much bigger problem for unions are company pension

...funds, which are being looted and abandoned by major corporations everywhere leaving both union and non-union workers near retirement age without a pot of retirement money or a pot to piss in!

[Toots]

2. Fuck Hoffa and the horse he rode in on and fuck the teamsters that back hi

I will never honor the teamsters in any thing again until they get rid of their scum.

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. Apperently a lot of teamsters like Hoffa

Not only was he elected President in 1998, he was reelected in 2001 by a close ta a 2-1 margin.

[Algorem]

7. "...only 22% of the members returned their mail-in ballots..."

Inside the AFL-CIO
Issued Every Tuesday
Column #37 December 4, 2001

http://www.laboreducator.org/inside37.htm

If Hoffa Can Make a Deal with Bush,
Why Not an Understanding with TDU?

By Harry Kelber

Are George W. Bush and James P. Hoffa, the sons of two famous fathers, planning to make a deal in which the U.S. President would put an end to the 12-year federal oversight of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in exchange for the union president’s enthusiastic support in the 2004 election?

Rumors to that effect are more rampant since “Junior” Hoffa won a five-year term as president of the 1.4 million-member IBT last month. He defeated Tom Leedham, standard bearer of the union’s reform wing, by a convincing 2-to-1 margin, although only 22% of the members returned their mail-in ballots.

The final tally, announced by Election Administrator William Wertheimer on Nov. 16, gave Hoffa 200,168 votes (64.8%) to 108,389 (35.1%) for Leedham, secretary-treasurer of a Portland, Ore. local.

Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU), the principal supporters of the Leedham-led Rank and File Power Slate, found some solace in the results. Leedham won by decisive majorities in four key constituencies for which Hoffa’s staff negotiated contracts during his two years in office: car haulers, Northwest Airlines flight attendants, Iowa Beef production workers and Anheuser-Busch brewery workers...

http://www.tdu.org/html/hoffawatch.html

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. An unpopular incumbent could have caused a high turnout

of people who wanted to send him packing.

[Zorra]

3. This guy has no legitimate business heading a union.

The Teamsters need to get rid of Hoffa yesterday and get a genuinely pro-worker President.

[Algorem]

5. He should make like daddy and disappear.Get hoffa America's back.

[The White Tree]

6. I agree with Mr. Hoffa

I'm willing to give the President all the credit his ego can handle for saying - "Hey we should do something about social security" four years after it was a prime topic of debate in his first presidential election and he did nothing about it for 4 years.

Better late then never I guess, as long as those tax cuts for the rich that could have made social security a moot issue got passed.

So all due credit and applause to the President for bringing it up.

However, no credit and major discrediting to a man who brought up the problem, had a "solution" that didn't even address the problem, wasted and continues to waste taxpayer's time and money trying to convince everyone his non-solution is the solution and then gets huffy because nobody else will agree with him or offer a plan that incorporates his "solution"

Truly that is leadership at it's worst.

If Hoffa thinks that's commendable, I'm glad I'm not a teamster.

:banghead:

Edited for spelling error