RON CAREY'S reelection president of the 1.4 millionmember International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) was an important victory for rank-and-file Teamsters and for the entire American working class.
The narrow 52 to 48 per cent victory by the Carey slate over the oldguard, led by James Hoffa Jr, shows that mob-connected business unionists have nevertheless retained a apparatus at the local and regional Unusually close attention was paid to the clection by the capitalist-controlled mass media. Hoffa Jr. gang as the protagonists of and the Carey faction as mere fighters against corruption. They gave credence to the Hoffa gang's claim original James Hoffa, the candito have been murdered by the mob.
As important as the fight for union democracy is, it is the Carey side that proved in action that it repremilitant trade unionism as 368888 well as reform. It is the Hoffa Jr. side that stands for subordinating workers' interests to profits, as well SOME OF the most dramatic and inspiring events in the history of the American trade union movement are contained in the history of the Teamsters' union from the 1930s to the mid 1940s.
Farrell Dobbs, then a member of played a leading role in those battles TRADE ONIONS as for corruption and ton-down control over the rank and file.
Carey, carly in his first term in office, called a national strike against the United Parcel Service (UPS) in defiance of a federal antiofficialdom represented by Hoffa Jr. ordered UPS workers to cross their own picket lines!
The New York Times was at the forefront of the media campaign against Carey. Labour expert Steven Greenhouse wrote on December 22:
"Many in the teamsters' rank and file... appreciated Mr. Carey's battle against corruption. But the (Hoffa forces) had a persuasive appeal, saying that membership and power had dwindled under Mr. Carey and contracts he negotiated were deeply flawed...."
The reporter doesn't mention that Carey left nothing on the bargaining table that he was strong enough to take and that the contract a 24-day strike - the first national freight strike in 18 years. Neither does he say that most of the weak. previously incorporated in contracts by the old guard waca they were in charge prior to 1991.
Carey indicated in a recent speech that there has been a sea Socialist Dutiook of activists that official opfile activism. Such an organisation must be democratic and open to all Teamsters.
When the capitalist government interycaca in inc Teamsters through Karelac Influenced Corrupt