Chicago, IL – The union officials at Teamster Local 743 in Chicago never fight the bosses. They never strike, and tell members that striking is bad. The result is poor contracts, smaller and smaller raises, non-union workers doing union jobs, and once good benefits disappearing. The nearly 14,000 members of Local 743, who are health, industrial, office, and warehouse workers have had enough.

Chicago, IL – For the members of Teamsters Local 743, being sold out by their union officials is a commonplace event. Rigged votes on contracts, rigged votes for union stewards, back room deals with the boss around grievances and contract issues is the normal state of affairs.

Chicago, IL – “We are making history,” said Teamster activist Antonio Caldera, “we are going to change the Teamsters and we are going to change the entire labor movement.” Caldera is one of many Teamsters across North America who collected signatures in support of union presidential contender Tom Leedham.

Chicago, IL – Local 743 Teamsters are fed up. Their union officials refused to fight for a decent contract with the University of Chicago Hospitals (UCH). So Local 743 members at UCH finally decided to do something about their do-nothing leadership.

Chicago IL – Teamsters working at the Frederick Cooper Lamp Company elected Tony Caldera to be their union steward by a vote of 62 to 30. This is a significant victory for the reform movement in Teamsters Local 743.

St. Paul, MN – A standing room only crowd filled Weyerhaeuser Chapel at Macalester College on February 12 and 13. The seventh annual Meeting the Challenge Conference attracted hundreds of labor activists and their supporters. Participants heard about key labor struggles, management attacks, and discussed the growing upsurge in the labor movement.

Chicago, IL – Following a crooked union election in Teamsters Local 743, management has gotten more aggressive in its attacks. Among those hit hardest have been employees at the University of Chicago Hospitals (UCH), Local 743's largest workplace with over 1300 Teamster members.

With just 30 percent of all Teamsters voting, Jimmy Hoffa, Jr., was elected president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. He got fewer votes than when he ran and lost the election in 1996. Hoffa, Jr., will be in office two years before the post is up for election again.

Chicago, IL – In an election to decide control of Chicago's powerful Teamsters Local 743, the Hoffa Take Back Slate (HTB) has declared victory over the reformers in the 743 New Leadership Slate (NLS). The Hoffa Slate is closely connected the Chicago underworld crime scene.

In a few weeks, members of the largest union in the United States, the Teamsters, will be voting to elect new leaders. This election will effect the whole American labor movement.