FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 27, 2004

PRESS CONTACTS:
Richard Berg
773)550-1467

RANK AND FILE TEAMSTERS INITIATE BYLAW CHANGE IN LOCAL 743.
AIM TO TAKE COUNTING OF BALLOTS OUT OF THE HANDS OF INCUMBENTS.
Only way to get fair election, say reformers.


For the first time in the history of Teamsters Local 743 there will be a vote initiated by rank and file members on whether to change the union bylaws. The vote will take place after a 6:00 PM picket line in front of the union hall at 300 S. Ashland on Monday, March 1, 2004. The union meeting where the vote is scheduled to take place will begin at 6:30 PM.

The reform caucus known as the 743 New Leadership Slate (743 NLS) has called for bylaws reforms aimed at taking the counting of ballots out of the hands of the incumbents and having the American Arbitration Association run the elections.

The 743 NLS successfully defeated the Jimmy Hoffa backed incumbents in the government run election for delegates to the IBT convention, but then were defeated in the officers election when thousands of ballots disappeared. It was discovered that a key to the P.O. box holding ballots was issued weeks in advance of the official count to Local Secretary Treasurer Diane Strickland.

Local 743 New Leadership Slate President Richard Berg said," This union is crying out for reform and it is only one fair election away from achieving it." Berg presented petitions with the signatures of hundreds of members at the January union meeting to trigger the vote that will take place on Monday.

Since introducing these bylaw changes, Berg was put on trial by the Local 743 executive board. The board is considering banning Berg from running for office against them this Fall.