In 2012, TDU members are making plans to improve our contracts, defend our benefits, run for local union office, and get more members informed and involved in our union.

TDU recruitment makes everything we do possible.

The TDU Convention provides Teamsters with the best member education and organizing trainings anywhere.

Save the date: The TDU Convention will be Friday, Oct. 26 through Sunday, Oct. 28 at the Chicago Holiday Inn O’Hare.

January 17, 2012: Robert Schwartz’s classic guide for union stewards is now available as a 2-CD audiobook.

December 2, 2011: The Teamster election is over.

Information Source. Contract Enforcer. Watchdog. TDU is made up of Teamsters making a difference. Are you ready to do your part?

October 28, 2011: Teamsters for a Democratic Union is the organization of Teamster members working together to enforce our rights and hold our union officials and employers accountable.

Teamsters have united in a grassroots army to elect Sandy Pope as our next Teamster General President.

The Sandy Pope campaign is bigger than TDU. But TDU members have helped lead the way every step of the campaign.

September 15, 2011: After the dramatic UPS strike victory of 1997, the Teamsters stood at the forefront of the labor movement. Teamster power was being reborn. But there were tough times ahead.

Just a word of thanks to Dave Thornsberry and the men and women like him at the Teamsters Convention.

September 8, 2011: Make sure you get the special election edition of Teamster Voice, an all-in-one tool to help inform members on what’s at stake in this election and what the plan is to win strong, new leadership for our union.

This Labor Day, I will be relaxing with my family and friends. But I’ll also be thinking about what it will take to move our union in the right direction.

Are you coming to the TDU Convention? Register by Sept. 1 to get $25 off your registration.

Are you thinking of attending the TDU Convention, Sept. 30 – Oct. 2 in Cleveland? Find out what to expect.

Do you want to get a free TDU Convention registration? You can if you recruit five new TDU members between now and the end of September.

July 15, 2011: In 1976 our Teamsters Union was in big trouble. For years, top leaders allowed organized crime to infiltrate the highest levels of the union. The mob was raiding the Central States Pension Fund to build Las Vegas casinos. The members were shut out.

The ballots to elect the next Teamster General President will go out just weeks after the TDU Convention.

The TDU Convention will be a critical stop on the road to victory.

May 20, 2011: In 1997, Teamster members and leaders beat UPS in a two week strike—the biggest victory for labor in the past three decades.

Since the founding of Teamsters for a Democratic Union in 1976, TDU fought to win the Right to Vote for delegates to Teamster Conventions. In 1991, we secured that right.

TDU recruitment makes everything we do possible. Imagine what we could do with even more members. Can you help make it happen?

Teamsters from across the country are making their plans to be at TDU’s 35th annual convention, Sept. 30 - Oct. 2 at the Cleveland Airport Sheraton.

March 17, 2011: Working from the inside, Ken Paff has brought about reforms that give Teamster members more say in the running of their union. Now, he's working to eject the old guard and bring in new leadership.

The 2011 TDU Convention will be held the weekend of Sept 30 - Oct 1-2 at the Cleveland Airport Sheraton, a recently remodeled hotel conveniently near the Cleveland Airport.

January 24, 2011: Imagine what TDU could do with even more members. Can you help make it happen?

Looking for a Change

We are steadily making progress running for delegate in Local 690. We have a slate nominated and plans for a mailing and a phone bank. And we are out talking with Teamsters.

January 3, 2011: What should TDU be doing in 2011? We asked Frank Halstead, a co-chair of TDU’s International Steering Committee, the leadership body that was elected at the TDU Convention in November.

December 20, 2010: Teamsters raised more than $50,000 for the TDU movement and the Sandy Pope Campaign at our annual TDU Convention.

Hear from new members about why they joined TDU. And find out how you can help make a difference, too.

Are you running for delegate to the Teamster Convention, or other union office? Then TDU’s new book Running for Local Union Office is for you.

September 28, 2010: YRC Teamsters covered by the Western Conference are in danger of losing early retirement. The Fund requires “500 hours of contributory service in the past 18 months” to retire under the PEER 80, 82, 84 plans.

Teamsters are coming from across the country on Nov. 5-7 to Chicago to help build the campaign army to elect new leadership for our union.

Check out these new workshops for the TDU Convention, Nov. 5-7 in Chicago.

Join Teamster members who are keeping TDU going strong.

Is management playing games with your grievances? Find out how you can turn the tables on them at the TDU Convention.

June 1, 2010: Teamsters can beat givebacks, even in a tough economy. Just ask the members at ABF.

To TDU Convention Attendees:

To complete convention registration, of for questions regarding the Convention, contact the TDU staff in Chicago. The hotel phone number is 773-693-5800; ask for the O'Hare Boardroom, which is the TDU convention office.

-- The TDU Steering Committee and Staff.

Are you concerned about where our union is going, and ready to do your part? Now is the time for you to register for the TDU Convention, Nov. 5-7 at the Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare.

March 7, 2011: Do you have a problem at work or in our union? A TDU workshop can help. For over 30 years, TDU workshops and trainings have brought members together to learn their rights and find out how they can solve workplace problems.

February 26, 2010: Over the years TDU has been a very effective and informative organization.

February 18, 2010: TDU members are coming together across the country to get educated and work together for union power.

A bad economy and Hoffa’s weak leadership have meant weak contracts, benefit cuts and less job security.

Five challenges our union must meet to turn things around.

January 18, 2010: Will 2010 be better than 2009? Let’s hope so. Thankfully, Teamster members are coming together from across our union to organize for positive change.

Are you satisfied with the direction our union is headed in? Teamsters are uniting across our union to change course and rebuild Teamster Power in 2010.

December 28, 2009: Members are uniting for change in Puerto Rico under the banner Teamsters Making the Difference.

December 26, 2009: For two years, UPS management has tried to stop Teamsters in Lumberton, North Carolina from distributing Convoy. This summer, the rank-and-file members of Local 391 won a victory that strengthens the rights of all members to read and distribute TDU literature at work.

December 22, 2009: At the beginning of 2009, the head of Local 896 tried to merge his 3,000 members into Local 848—a local with a history of bargaining substandard contracts for SoCal beverage Teamsters.

December 18, 2009: For years, Jim Santangelo ruled Joint Council 42 with an iron fist. But when Santangelo used union resources to settle a sexual harassment suit against him, hundreds of members organized and forced him to resign.

For over three decades, hundreds of thousands of Teamsters have turned to Convoy Dispatch as the most reliable source of news about what’s really happening in our union.

December 7, 2009: In a speech at the TDU Convention, Butch Lewis talked about what it will take to get our union on the right track.

Watchdog. Information source. Voice of working Teamsters. TDU is all of those things. But first and foremost we’re a group of Teamster members working together to enforce our contracts and hold our leaders accountable.

November 13, 2009: Teamster members and local officers came from across the country to learn from each other and make plans to change the direction of our union, at the 34th annual TDU Convention.

November 3, 2009: Are you ready to get involved to turn our union around? Get the tools you need at the TDU Convention.

July 21, 2009: The year was 1976. The Teamster president was Frank Fitzsimmons, who enjoyed golfing with President Nixon and trucking employers.

July 21, 2009: Teamsters have a right to discuss union issues and exchange union-related literature at work.

TDU is at work defending and expanding that right.

June 03, 2009: Across the country, Teamsters are holding TDU meetings, setting up educational workshops, and getting out Convoy.

May 15, 2009: This May TDU is bringing Teamsters together for educational events on winning grievances, bargaining better contracts, and improving our union.

Good Teamster jobs on the line. Pension and benefit cuts. And a Teamster leadership that’s asleep at the wheel. Our union needs TDU more than ever.

March 16, 2009: TDU members and other Teamsters met this weekend in Sacramento and Tracy, Calif. to talk about how to beat apathy and get members involved in building a stronger union.

February 20, 2009: Teamster members are reaching out to other Teamsters to work together to build a stronger union.

Concerned Teamsters are hitting the road with the latest issue of Convoy Dispatch and getting the word out about how we can turn our union around.

January 29, 2009: TDU’s elected leaders met last week to make our plans to educate Teamster members and build the movement to take back our union.

Diana Kilmury went from being the first woman heavy equipment operator in British Columbia Local 213, to the first woman Vice President of the Teamsters Union.

Are you concerned about where our union is headed? Then this year’s TDU Convention is for you.

Laying the Foundation For Change

The upcoming international election is only two years away. It’s none too soon to lay the initial foundation for the campaign.

Local 804 members beat concessions and pension cuts, won new rights in their local bylaws, and organized to rebuild union power.

Chicago Local 705 mounted a credible a strike threat—twice—to win new full-time jobs and contract gains for 10,000 Teamsters at UPS.

Local 743 used to be run by officials who cut deals behind closed doors and kept members in the dark.

Read about Teamsters who made a difference in 2008--defeating givebacks, winning strong contracts, tossing crooked officials and building reform locals.

December 22, 2008: TDU salutes Teamsters who made a difference in 2008, like carhaulers who united to fight concessions.

Teamsters in Las Vegas Local 631 will have new leadership next year, thanks to members who voted out officials who were cutting sweetheart deals.

Last spring, Baltimore Teamsters had their pensions cut to zero. Now they are building a force for change.

Four years ago, Local 814 Teamsters at Sotheby’s were locked out and took major concessions. This year, they won their best contract in more than a decade.

December 16, 2008: The rise and fall of Teamster reformer Ron Carey, who died December 11, is still a much contested tale.

December 15, 2008: Teamster members have been writing in from across the country to share their memories of Ron Carey and show their condolences to Ron Carey’s family and friends.

Read remembrances of Teamster President Ron Carey by Teamster members who knew and worked with him.

December 12, 2008: Ron Carey, a former UPS driver and Teamster president who set the standard for union leaders for courage and honesty and transformed the leadership of our union died yesterday at

You can give the gift of Teamster and TDU pride this holiday season with new TDU hoodies and jackets.

For more than 30 years, TDU has been uniting Teamsters to put our union to work for the members. Find out what we’ve won and where we stand.

Do you have a problem at work or in our union? A TDU workshop can help.

May 14, 2008: How can we overcome apathy, unite members, and help solve problems on the job?

That was the subject of a TDU workshop on May 4 in Minnesota.

Do you want to know more about how Teamster members can win strong contracts, protect our pensions and build union power?

When you have a problem at work or in our union, a little education can go a long way in finding a solution.

Our union is stronger when members know their rights and how to use them.