Hoffa: 'New Era' for Teamsters

Related Stories Hoffa sworn in as Teamsters president. (March 22) Hoffa wins Teamsters election. (Dec. 7) Hoffa promises "militant" Teamsters Union. (Dec. 8) (Note: To return to this story, click the "Back" button on your browser.)

With a crowd of approximately 3,500 cheering him on with a chant of "Hoffa, Hoffa, Hoffa," new Teamsters President James P. Hoffa declared "a new era" for the union at Teamsters’ headquarters in Washington, D.C., on May 1.

"The Teamsters are back," he declared after taking a ceremonial oath of office from his sister, Barbara Ann Crancer, an associate circuit judge in Missouri.

Hoffa also promised to end division within the union and repeated his pledge to end deficit spending and to rebuild the union’s political power by raising more money for its political action committee and donating to candidates of both major parties who support worker-friendly policies.

"We are going to reward our friends and oppose our enemies and we know the difference," he said.

Hoffa also pledged to resolve a four-year-old Detroit newspaper strike, help Northwest Airlines flight attendants get an agreement and negotiate the "best-ever" contract with carhaulers.

Hoffa said he will work with the government to keep corruption out of the union, but he also wants a "dialogue" on withdrawing government supervision of the union.

The event featured a banner-waving, band-playing and horn-blowing tractor trailer parade.

For the full story, see the May 10 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.