Hoffa Names 7 to Leadership Posts
 James P. Hoffa (TT File Photo) |
This week at a meeting attended by more than 300 Central States union leaders, Hoffa announced the selection of key members of his incoming administration.
Phil Young, president of Local 41 in Kansas City, Mo., will serve as national freight director, and John Murphy, secretary-treasurer of Local 122 in Boston, will be organizing director.
In addition, Hoffa, who is waiting for a federal election overseer to confirm his election, announced his picks to head several union divisions.
“It is no secret that we have had our differences in the past, but we cannot afford disunity,” Hoffa said. “John and I are interested in one thing: rebuilding the labor movement.”
Hoffa was instrumental in getting the AFL-CIO executive board to adopt a resolution opposing the opening of border states to Mexican trucks. He also outlined his goals for the labor movement.
“We must commit vast resources to organizing,” he said. “We must save Social Security. And, we must work to secure strong contracts for our members.”
Hoffa’s choice for freight director got his start in the union as a driver of a cement truck and has been active in union affairs for more than 20 years. Young served on the United Parcel Service negotiating committee in 1997 and was chairman of the Central Conference Over-the-Road Negotiating Committee during negotiations for the National Master Freight Agreement in 1998.
Murphy is best known for his role in exposing financial wrongdoing by former Teamsters President Ron Carey in connection with his 1996 re-election campaign. Murphy uncovered evidence that Carey used member dues to make union contributions to political parties and liberal interest groups in return for donations to his campaign.
For the full story, see the March 15 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
