CONVENTION UPDATE: NO WAGES, NO VISION, NO DENTAL AND NO JURISDICTION---NO NOTHING

In order to avoid a showdown with GES and Freeman John Phillipenas and Donny Weimer raised the white flag and surrendered in negotiation with the two companies. Wages will be frozen for the entire three year agreement as the entire economic package of $1.00/hour is needed merely to maintain the current reduced level of benefits in the Security Fund. No  progress whatsoever was made in negotiations on securing jurisdiction over the Arizona warehouse, dealing with the jurisdictional raid by the Laborers or eliminating the 1 for 1 practice recently introduced. Friends, family and supporters of Phillipenas and Weimer will keeps their jobs and special benefits...well at least until next January. 

WILLIAMS PIMPS REPUBLIC MEMBERS OUT OF HOUR GUARANTEE

We hear Kermit Williams signed an addendum with management at Republic Services which removed the hour guarantee language from the labor agreement. Federal labor law requires that any change to the terms of a labor agreement must be approved by the membership but with the local union election just six months away it looks like Williams is desperate to curry favor and insure he has a management job waiting for him at Republic next January.

NO PROGRESS IN CONVENTION NEGOTIATIONS

Donny Weimer spent last week passing out disinformation about the status of the negotiations in Conventions. An electric buzz flowed across the floor about the "best contract in the history of Conventions." The truth on the other hand  is that no progress whatsoever has been made in negotiations. Weimer and Phillipenas have not negotiated jurisdiction over the Arizona warehouse or stopped the jurisdictional raid by the Laborers. There is no progress on negotiating sufficient contributions to restore vision and dental benefits. If fact Phillipenas admitted last week that he doesn't know the contribution rate necessary to fund the Security Fund. With Construction working under posted conditions and a $13/hour cut can anyone really expect better in Conventions?

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS TODD CLAPPER?

It's not like members of Local 631 have very high expectations in terms of representation but members at First Transit, UPS,Freight and other locations handled by Todd Clapper are questioning whether to contact Metro and file a missing person report. Not to worry, with the local election looming we're sure Todd will start showing up to shake hands around November 1st. In the meantime if you need Todd check the bars around the hall anytime after noon.     

PHILLIPENAS LEFT BEHIND

Mass depression descended over the membership of Teamsters Local 631 at 3:01 p.m. today when they learned that John Phillipenas was left behind from the long awaited end of days Rapture. Said one member "I feel like today is an Evangelical Groundhog Day and now we have to deal with six more months of Phillipenas."  Phillipenas who was reportedly hosting a private party in the Penthouse Suite at the Wynn could not be reached for comment.

WEIMER LEADS CONVENTION NEGOTIATIONS

"I know we've only reached a TA on the table of contents language but I swear this is the best contract in the history of Conventions."----Donny Weimer  

PHILLIPENAS STATEMENT ON END OF WORLD

TO: ALL MEMBERS OF LOCAL 631
FROM: JOHN PHILLIPENAS
DATE: MAY 21, 2011
___________________________________________________________________________________
Listen up you trolls. At 3:00 p.m. today the world will end. I know many of you are concerned about what will happen to your leader. I have consulted with my spiritual adviser and determined that I will survive the end of days. That's correct at 3:00 p.m. I will be partying like a rock star with the Goddesses Patrick D. and  Johnny G. awaiting the Rapture from the Penthouse Suite at the Wynn.  To bad for you.

EXCLUSIVE SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF BUSINESS AGENTS

CHECK OUT THIS FOOTAGE OF YOUR BUSINESS AGENTS!

ANOTHER 39 JOBS LOST TO SUBCONTRACTING WITH NOTHING BUT FINGER POINTING IN RESPONSE

Members driving transfer at Republic Services were shocked to learn on Monday that their jobs were being subcontracted out of existence. Kermit Williams and Joe Rivas who have been aware of the job loss since May 6th failed to mention the fact to transfer drivers or at the membership meeting last week. Neither offered an explanation on why they failed to disclose the information for ten full days. Pressed by members, Williams and Rivas have refused to file a grievance challenging the subcontracting and instead blamed former Local 631 President Tommy Blitsch who negotiated the subcontracting language in 2007. The 2007 labor agreement has been plagued with controversy with two different executed copies surfacing  that contain very significant differences.

PHILLIPENAS STATEMENT ON TRUSTEESHIP DECISION

TO: ALL MEMBERS OF LOCAL 631
FROM: JOHN PHILLIPENAS
DATE: MAY 16,2011
RE: TRUSTEESHIP DECISION

_________________________________________________________________________________

WINNING!!! You crybabies sent thousands of complaints to the IBT about me and my Administration and what happened? Absolutely nothing. Sweetheart contracts, incompetent business agents, bad representation, corruption, bankrupt benefit funds blah, blah, blah. None of it matters because I have tiger blood. I'm not going to apologize to you members for being a rock star.  You're nothing but working stiffs and I'm a warlock so how could you expect to understand me.

 So stop over and the hall and you can say hello to me and the Goddesses Patrick D. and  Johnny G. If  you're nice maybe I'll even have Joe R. give you  a mani-pedi.

NEWS FLASH....HOFFA PUNKS PHILLIPENAS

Late yesterday the IBT ruled that "real problems" in the operations of Local 631 require the following action:

1. Appointment of an additional Personal Representative to oversee Convention Industry negotiations and operations of the Funds,

2.Immediate imposition of a  summary trusteeship if John Phillipenas  refuses to implement changes suggested by the Personal Representatives or fails to negotiate a good contract in the Convention  Industry including maximizing job opportunities and protecting jurisdiction,

3. Approval by the IBT of an independent election service to insure a fair local union election this fall.

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOGRAPH OF RICK GALLEGOS AFTER DUI ARREST

We received this photograph of UPS Business Agent Rick Gallegos passed out in his cell after being arrested for DUI last year. No word yet if video exists of his job interview with John Phillipenas.

RIVAS SPANKED BY JUDGE

Poor Joe Rivas finally faced Kevin Hardison in Court last Thursday and emerged broken and defeated. After listening to the bogus claims of Rivas in support of his frivilous Protective Order the Judge denied the request of Rivas that Hardison be restricted access to the union hall, ordered Rivas to stay 10 feet away from Hardison and prohibited Rivas from driving on the street where the home of Hardison is located. Rivas was warned by the Judge he faces 25 days in jail if he violates these terms. Be nice to Dirty Joe he had a really bad day.

SLIP SLIDING AWAY

With the Security Fund facing additional benefit cuts,a looming financial crisis, an investigation by the Department  of Labor and  a participant lawsuit in Federal Court you would think John Phillipenas would have his hands full working to resolve the mess he's created. Instead Phillipenas threw his latest tantrum when the Trustees of the Security Fund refused to replace Fund legal counsel with his personal Attorney. Phillipenas  demanded the issue of hiring his attorney be arbitrated by the Fund. Arbitration will cost the Security Fund significant dollars in legal fees not to mention Local 631 which will pay the legal fees of his Attorney to arbitrate the case and to attend Fund meetings until a ruling on the arbitration is rendered. Did we mention that Phillipenas is having Local 631 pay his Attorney to sit in Fund meetings but he isn't permitted to speak?