Some understandably upset Teamsters United supporters are blaming the membership for the low voter turnout. This is looking at the situation upside down. The membership is weak because our local leadership has no desire to have them active at the workplace.

Violations of the contract happen regularly, but there's no coordinated response by business agents or stewards to organize mass grievance campaigns, much less more militant activity to stop these abuses.

My local went 75% to Teamsters United, with 25% turn out. I saw zero outreach from the union on getting people to vote. The only people who brought it up were rank and file Teamsters United supporters.

On the rare occasion when we do get organized enough in my area to make a stand, management almost always caves. The issue isn't that the union is weak. It is apathetic. Usually enforcement happens when a handful of hourlies decide to get combative. Once you realize you can't get fired for it, yelling about filing grievances is a very powerful tool that can replicate itself into adjacent areas, regardless of if the area's steward is turning a blind eye or not.