How your dues are spent.
The Local 812 Executive Board knows you work hard for your money and we want you to know where your monthly dues go. Here is a breakdown of how your dues are used to protect you and your loved ones:
Contract Negotiations
Local 812 members have the best contracts in the industry — the highest pay, best health benefits and guaranteed lifelong pensions. We are able to do this by going toe-to-toe with corporate bosses and their attorneys, and winning. In order to win fair contracts, we must have the necessary financial resources to pay the best and the brightest lawyers to represent your interests.
Representation
We succeed because of you and the solidarity you have with your co-workers, Local 812 members in other shops, and other Teamsters. We build our strength by being in constant touch with rankand-file members and we know what is happening on the shop floor and on each and every route. This takes manpower. Your union representatives are out there every day, listening to your ideas and concerns, enforcing your union contract and ensuring fair treatment.
Grievances and Arbitrations
Our employers are always trying to weaken our collective bargaining agreements and abuse rights that are guaranteed by our contracts. In order to defend our members we need the best attorneys and the fairest industry arbitrators to hear disciplinary cases quickly. We have an 80% victory rate with grievances and arbitrations. When we do our work right, our employers take us seriously and we can avoid unnecessary unfair labor practices.
Political Action
Our jobs and the contract gains generations of Teamsters have fought hard to win can be taken away with the stroke of a legislator’s pen. Bloomberg’s sugar ban, water rates at Coca-Cola in Elmsford, a soda tax (“fat tax”) in Albany, health and safety laws, licensing requirements, and more, are all governed by decisions elected officials make. We have to be involved in the political process to protect ourselves and our families.
Infrastructure
Running an organization that does the best job for our members requires a stable infrastructure. That includes support staff, a building and rent, office equipment and more.
Strike Fund
Because our employers know how strong we are, we rarely have to strike. In the rare times we do, we need to make sure striking members have the necessary support to continue to pay bills and feed, house and clothe their families. Through our six most recent major strikes – Clare Rose in 2017, Meadowbrook Pepsi in ‘87, Newburgh Pepsi in ‘89, Sound Budweiser in ’90, Pepsi NY ‘96, and Canada Dry NY in 2000 – Local 812 did not suspend benefits for any member. This was due to a healthy strike fund. We need to be prepared for any eventuality.
Organizing
“Organize or die” is a labor saying that we take seriously. We need to be aggressive in bringing new members and employers into the Union. Organizing victories help raise living standards for everyone working in the soft drink and brewery industry, and protect you, our active members’ jobs, wages, and benefits.
Education
An informed membership is an empowered membership. That’s why we conduct regular Steward Seminars to make sure that your representatives in your shop know how to represent you best.
Teamster Power
We are part of the country’s most powerful union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT). We cannot separate what we have from what our relationship with the IBT brings us. Many of our employers are multinational corporations that wield a tremendous amount of power at all levels of government and within the corporate community. We need every one of the IBT’s 1.4 million members to protect our gains. And they need us, too. We are also part of the IBT Joint Council 16, the NY metro area grouping of all Teamster locals. In order to keep our parent and regional union strong, we pay monthly per caps (dues). We are also part of local Central Labor Councils and pay per caps to them.
Civic Duty
Local 812 is also active in the communities where our members live and work. Relationships we build outside of our workplaces ground us in neighborhoods. Without these relationships we would not be as strong as we are. As such, donations are made to such groups as civic organizations and youth groups.
For questions about dues call the Local 812 office -- 516-303-1455 -- and speak to Dues Manager Lorraine Rotante, ext 212, or Louise Mazzeo, ext. 213.
