A Strong Strike Fund is an Investment in your Working Future
When Teamsters fight and unite, Teamsters win! And a strong strike fund is key leverage and a critical pinch point when going to the negotiating table against Employers. When workers withhold their labor and go on strike, they are incurring a financial hardship. While the wheels of the trucks may stop during a strike, workers walking picket lines must still put food on the table for their families and pay light and heating bills.
On May 1st, 2022, and again on June 5th, 2022, a proposed Bylaws amendment was introduced and read into the record at the Local 162 General Membership meeting to increase the Local 162 strike fund benefit to three hundred dollars ($300.00) per member per week effective January 1, 2023. The current Local 162 strike benefit provides forty-five dollars ($45.00) per member per week. Both the proposed and current strike funds are dispensed according to the total balance in the funds.
The amendment will be read into the record a third time on October 2nd, 2022, at the Local 162 General Membership meeting followed by an in-person secret ballot vote of the Local 162 membership in attendance. The October 2nd meeting will start promptly at 10:00 a.m. and will take place at our Union Hall located at 1850 NE 162nd Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97230.
This proposed Bylaws amendment is enclosed for your review, and if ratified, will be funded by a five dollar ($5.00) per member per month dues assessment. Over a period of time the fund will grow to maintain a two and one-half million dollars ($2,500,000) war chest and provide much needed economic support to Local 162 members impacted by a strike.
The Local 162 Strike Fund benefits are in addition to those provided by the International Union and the qualifications for payment are the same as those set forth in the International Constitution.
Come out on October 2nd for the discussion and get all of the details about how you can invest in your future by backing an improved Local 162 Strike Fund benefit. The balloting will be by secret ballot at the October 2nd meeting immediately following the reading of the amendment and discussion from the podium and floor.
