News for today's 2018

Today's Teamster News 09.22.13

4:46 AM Tukiyooo 0

<a href="http://mtstandard.com/news/local/local-teamsters-no-st-james-healthcare-settle-strike-averted/article_5e50027c-2271-11e3-9af2-0019bb2963f4.html" rel="nofollow">Local Teamsters No. 2, St. James Healthcare settle; Strike averted</a>  Montana Standard   ...Local Teamsters No. 2 and St. James Healthcare have settled their long-ranging collective bargaining issues — thus averting a Sept. 23 strike...<br /><a href="http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/09/20/5229676/teamsters-continue-to-lawfully.html" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Continue To Lawfully Picket Funeral Home Giant SCI</a>  Teamsters Local 727   ...Since pickets began on July 2, SCI has continued its history of bargaining in bad faith with its employees, even after meeting for ongoing negotiations on Sept. 17...<br /><a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/community-teamsters" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Women’s Conference Closes with Focus on Activism</a>  teamster.org   ...The 2013 Teamsters Women’s Conference in New Orleans closed on Saturday with a call to action from the 1,000 Teamster women in attendance, as well as from their fellow Teamsters throughout North America...<br /><a href="http://citizen.typepad.com/eyesontrade/2013/09/obamas-corporate-export-council-ignores-dismal-export-data-backs-more-of-the-same-trade-deals.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+eyesontrade+%28Eyes+on+Trade%29" rel="nofollow">Obama’s Corporate Export Council Ignores Dismal Export Data, Backs More-of-the-Same “Trade” Deals </a> Public Citizen   ...Somehow the room full of corporate representatives and government officials, “<a href="http://trade.gov/pec/">the principal national advisory committee on international trade</a>,” which exists to “promote export expansion” and “discuss and resolve trade-related problems,” made it through two hours of prepared speeches without once acknowledging that we’re <a href="http://citizen.typepad.com/eyesontrade/2013/02/obamas-export-promise-falls-18-years-behind-schedule-as-exports-decline-under-ftas.html">18 years behind schedule to meet Obama’s goal to double exports</a>...<br /><a href="http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2013-09-20/5-years-after-financial-crisis-big-banks-are-still-committing-massive-crimes" rel="nofollow">5 Years After the Financial Crisis, The Big Banks Are Still Committing Massive Crimes</a>  zero hedge   ...The executives of the big banks invariably pretend that the hanky-panky was only committed by a couple of low-level rogue employees. But studies show that <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/jul/09/fraud-bosses-206m">most of the fraud is committed by management</a>...<br /><a href="http://wallstreetonparade.com/2013/09/jpmorgan-found-to-have-violated-both-banking-and-securities-laws-in-920-million-settlement/" rel="nofollow">JPMorgan Found to Have Violated Both Banking and Securities Laws in $920 Million Settlement</a>  Wall Street on Parade   ... This is where the high risk trading was done, in the insured bank, using insured deposits. It is this aspect that has stunned Congress and brought in the FBI and Justice Department...<br /><a href="http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/few-jobs-means-bad-jobs?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+beat_the_press+%28Beat+the+Press%29" rel="nofollow">Few Jobs Means Bad Jobs</a>  Center for Economic and Policy Research   ...There are always employers offering bad jobs, but workers don't take them in a good economy. In a bad economy they have no choice...<br /><a href="http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2013/09/founder-of-.html" rel="nofollow">Founder of Beanie Babies to Plead Guilty to Tax Evasion</a>  TaxProfBlog   ...<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ty_Warner">Ty Warner</a>, CEO of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ty_Inc.">Ty Inc</a>., which makes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beanie_Babies">Beanie Babies</a>, has agreed to plead guilty to tax evasion and pay $53.6 million in penalties in one of the largest offshore tax evasion cases in history...<br /><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-09-19/how-germany-s-alw-got-busted-for-the-largest-food-fraud-in-u-dot-s-dot-history" rel="nofollow">The Honey Launderers: Uncovering the Largest Food Fraud in U.S. History</a>  Bloomberg   ...Andrew Boutros, assistant U.S. attorney in Chicago, had put together the case: Eight other ALW executives, including Alexander Wolff, the chief executive officer, and a Chinese honey broker, were indicted on charges alleging a global conspiracy to illegally import Chinese honey going back to 2002...<br /><a href="http://madeinamericathebook.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow">Loss of Economic Exceptionalism</a>  Made in America   ...the U.S. does not provide more upward mobility than other nations do; if anything, young Americans’ economic fortunes are more tied to those of their parents than is true in other western nations...

Local Teamsters No. 2, St. James Healthcare settle; Strike averted Montana Standard ...Local Teamsters No. 2 and St. James Healthcare ha...

SCI locks out Teamster funeral directors in Chicago

2:10 PM Tukiyooo 0

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-U_2Jaqv1UUBsix2rUg7Sj29thKlOcwh5y2I1mnStfC-bc8pSBi1S_-YR06gIZqFN6pxeVWNvKJPdri4JPvysqeTCLee_RtTzZYR30SqYCptq5s4oZyobYh63P0g8s4fN-tVB1skTvgvv/s1600/SCI+strike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-U_2Jaqv1UUBsix2rUg7Sj29thKlOcwh5y2I1mnStfC-bc8pSBi1S_-YR06gIZqFN6pxeVWNvKJPdri4JPvysqeTCLee_RtTzZYR30SqYCptq5s4oZyobYh63P0g8s4fN-tVB1skTvgvv/s400/SCI+strike.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicago funeral directors offered to go back to work, but SCI locked them out. </td></tr></tbody></table>Funeral home giant <a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/funeral-industry-giant-sci-locks-out-chicago-funeral-directors">Service Corporation International (SCI) is refusing to allow</a> 59 Chicago-area Teamster funeral directors and drivers to return to their jobs. While the Local 727 members made an unconditional offer to go back to work, SCI won’t let them.<br /><br />Despite good-faith efforts by the union to reach an agreement on retirement issues and its promise to return to work yesterday, SCI hasn’t budged. It still wants to scrap workers’ seniority rights and eliminate the authority of an arbitrator in arbitration decisions.  The company hasn’t met to negotiate a deal since Aug. 8.<br /><br />John T. Coli, Local 727’s secretary-treasurer, said the company only wants to move forward on its unlawful regressive proposals: <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">SCI has chosen to lock out its employees rather than see them return to serving grieving families in their communities. SCI has forced this lockout to get rid of its longtime employees and boost its bottom line. But the Teamsters will continue to fight on behalf of our members for justice, and for a fair and equitable contract.</blockquote>The labor dispute affects 16 Chicagoland funeral homes, which operate under the Dignity Memorial brand name. Corporate owner SCI is a $4 billion business that owns more than 1,400 funeral facilities and has seen its stock price increase 94 percent in the last two years.<br /><br />The company has unfairly attacked its own workers for years. Several years ago, SCI hired armed goons to spy on Teamster funeral directors during contract negotiations. Earlier this month, <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/08/striking-funeral-directors-gain-support.html">the company attempted to smear the funeral directors with lies</a> in the local news media, and for decades it has been embroiled in <a href="http://www.integrityinillinois.com/scandals.html" rel="nofollow">scandals and litigation.</a><br /> <br />Local leaders are siding with the directors and drivers against the Houston-based corporation. Among those supporting the funeral directors’ and drivers’ efforts are Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, 12 state lawmakers and three members of Congress: Jan Schakowsky, Michael Quigley and Tammy Duckworth.<br /><br />Coli said SCI isn't interested in employing funeral directors and drivers who honorably serve their communities and deserve dignified working conditions.  <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">SCI wants to give workers as little as possible to maximize profits — even if that means turning its back on men and women who have served the company for decades. SCI’s actions are shameful.</blockquote>The workers have been on an unfair labor practice strike since SCI walked away from the bargaining table July 2.<br /><br />

funeral directors strike SCI locks out Teamster funeral directors in Chicago

Chicago funeral directors offered to go back to work, but SCI locked them out. Funeral home giant Service Corporation International (SCI) ...

Striking funeral directors gain political support

12:54 PM Tukiyooo 0

<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwIfiR_cL8TsBXTGNxAhZBQK2UI05DCovhkiGBUwdgFVusuQ_JSw0tMampbFO_xuywDiCAiEi7zH2dYZiYS8-NOMjGPgM0DfSTJCn77nMhSj4NR7jgnYa8_BwonyIkbFvoui8Zg7JGzXV/s1600/SCI+strike.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwIfiR_cL8TsBXTGNxAhZBQK2UI05DCovhkiGBUwdgFVusuQ_JSw0tMampbFO_xuywDiCAiEi7zH2dYZiYS8-NOMjGPgM0DfSTJCn77nMhSj4NR7jgnYa8_BwonyIkbFvoui8Zg7JGzXV/s400/SCI+strike.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Striking funeral directors in Chicago. </td></tr></tbody></table>Striking funeral directors from Teamsters Local 727 in Chicago have gained the political support of such political heavyweights as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahm_Emanuel" rel="nofollow">Mayor Rahm Emanuel</a>,  <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Quinn_(politician)" rel="nofollow">Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn</a>, Cook County Board President <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toni_Preckwinkle" rel="nofollow">Toni Preckwinkle</a>, 12 state lawmakers and three members of Congress: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Schakowsky" rel="nofollow">Jan Schakowsky</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Quigley_(politician)">Michael Quigley</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammy_Duckworth">Tammy Duckworth</a>.<br /><br />The striking funeral directors are fighting SCI Corp. for parity with other Chicago funeral industry professionals.  The $4 billion corporation walked away from negotiations, forcing the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unfair_labor_practice">unfair labor practice</a> strike after the Teamsters’ contract expired on July 1. SCI's stock rose 56 percent in the last year, but the company proposed eliminating the funeral directors' pension fund, increased costs to health care premiums and zero wage increases for new hires after years of wage freezes for current employees.<br /><br />Pickets began a month ago at 16 Chicago-area funeral homes, which SCI operates under the Dignity Memorial brand name.<br /><br />The company has attempted to smear the funeral directors with false statements in the local news media. (Which, by the way, is exactly what you'd expect from a company that hires <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/06/why-teamsters-charged-funeral-giant.html">armed goons</a> to spy on its own employees during negotiations.) <a href="http://www.teamsterslocal727.org/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Local 727</a> put out a <a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/members-congress-join-mayor-emanuel-gov-quinn-support-striking-funeral-directors" rel="nofollow">statement</a>:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Despite blatantly false claims by SCI, Teamsters are continuing to lawfully picket outside Dignity Memorial funeral homes throughout the Chicago area. Erroneous stories published by local and national media outlets have carried inaccurate reports made by SCI on the Teamsters’ uninterrupted pickets.</blockquote>The good news:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Just this week, SCI contacted the Teamsters to potentially resume negotiations, offering two meeting dates. Local 727 has accepted both days.</blockquote>Stay tuned.

funeral directors strike Striking funeral directors gain political support

Striking funeral directors in Chicago. Striking funeral directors from Teamsters Local 727 in Chicago have gained the political support of ...

Chicago Tribune to Teamsters on strike: 'Pay up, or no ad'

9:35 AM Tukiyooo 0

The Chicago Tribune is refusing to run an ad from Teamster funeral directors unless they spend the same amount on advertising -- $5,700 -- as the giant corporation they're striking against.  <br /><br />Fifty-nine funeral directors from Local 727 were forced to walk off the job yesterday morning due to the unrelenting greed of SCI, the Dignity Memorial company.Seeking support from the community, the funeral directors tried to place ads in the two biggest area newspapers: the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune.<br /><br />Unlike its rival, the <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/teamsters-sun-times-refuses-union-advertising-2013-06-28">Chicago Sun-Time</a>s, the Tribune did run an ad from Teamsters Local 727 last week. The ad linked to a website <a href="http://www.integrityinillinois.com/">www.integrityinillinois.com</a> that outlines their grievances -- wage freezes, higher health care costs, elimination of the pension. And it offers a list of alternative homes where grieving families can turn for help.<br /><br />The Sun-Times refused to run a similar ad. And then yesterday, the Tribune notified Local 727 that it would not run another one of their ads unless it bought one as expensive as the one paid for by <a href="http://www.integrityinillinois.com/who-is-sci--dignity.html">SCI</a>.<br /><br />To add insult to injury, the Tribune (which may, by the way, be purchased by the <strike style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.890625px;"><a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2011/10/bombshell-kochs-sold-oil-equipment-to.html" style="color: #336699;">Benedict Arnold</a></strike> Koch brothers) published a hideously one-sided, pro-SCI story about the strike.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrB2LBuK0qb_TcXEQ2xuYfywblT7no_uAbnuQ_b_11l7EhWTrnYJ_li-kFg1Axg8a66uqdZA1B1Zp3jeLBdPN1xSrYa4omwUgj-mP3zmAYr-u0Pbrwkv65YvBW9azwuDomM8_PLDL0PWcp/s640/Blake+Lamb+strike.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrB2LBuK0qb_TcXEQ2xuYfywblT7no_uAbnuQ_b_11l7EhWTrnYJ_li-kFg1Axg8a66uqdZA1B1Zp3jeLBdPN1xSrYa4omwUgj-mP3zmAYr-u0Pbrwkv65YvBW9azwuDomM8_PLDL0PWcp/s320/Blake+Lamb+strike.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Chicagoland union households don't have much of a place to turn for print news anymore. (But at least there's <a href="http://laborradio.org/">WIN Labor Radio</a>!)<br /><br />If you live in Chicago, please consider supporting the funeral directors by dropping by their strike lines. If you do go, please be respectful. The funeral directors are taking down their signs and standing by quietly when funerals are in progress.<br /><br />Here are the addresses of the funeral homes they're picketing:<br /><blockquote>Blake-Lamb Funeral Home<br />4727 W. 103rd St., Oak Lawn, IL </blockquote><blockquote>Blake-Lamb Funeral Home<br />5015 Lincoln St., Lisle, IL </blockquote><blockquote>Cypress Funeral Home<br />1698 N. Bloomingdale Rd., Glendale Heights, IL </blockquote><blockquote>Drake & Son Funeral Home<br />5303 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL </blockquote><blockquote>Kenny Brothers Funeral Directors<br />3600 W. 95th St., Evergreen Park, IL </blockquote><blockquote>Lloyd Mandel Levayah Funerals<br />4750 W. Dempster St., Skokie, IL </blockquote><blockquote>Malec Funeral Home<br />6000 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL </blockquote><blockquote>Marsh Funeral Home<br />305 Cemetery Rd., Gurnee, IL </blockquote><blockquote>Montclair-Lucania Funeral Home<br />6901 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL </blockquote><blockquote>Piser Funeral Services<br />9200 N. Skokie Blvd., Skokie, IL </blockquote><blockquote>Ridge Funeral Home<br />6620 W. Archer Ave., Chicago, IL</blockquote>

funeral directors Koch brothers strike Chicago Tribune to Teamsters on strike: 'Pay up, or no ad'

The Chicago Tribune is refusing to run an ad from Teamster funeral directors unless they spend the same amount on advertising -- $5,700 -- a...

Teamster funeral directors strike in Chicago

8:03 AM Tukiyooo 0

The relentless greed of <a href="http://www.teamsterslocal727.org/">Houston-based funeral giant SC</a>I has forced Teamster funeral directors and drivers to strike today. The funeral directors, members of Local 727, set up strike lines this morning outside of area funeral homes.<br /><br />SCI, despite a soaring stock price and healthy profit, is trying to take away their employees' pensions, raise health care costs and freeze wages for new hires. The funeral directors and drivers overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike last night.<br /><br />According to Local 727's<a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sci-funeral-directors-vote-to-strike-213927771.html"> press statement</a>, <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">SCI, which uses the Dignity Memorial brand name, operates 16 funeral homes with 59 employees in the Chicagoland area.  The employees voted in a secret ballot election to reject SCI's June 30 "last, best and final offer".  In a vote immediately following the rejection of the offer, employees voted to strike. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">"In 40 years as a funeral director I've helped thousands of people through some of the most difficult times in their lives.  Striking is not something I ever thought I would have to do," said John Liberatore, a director at Piser Funeral Services in Skokie...</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">In preparation for a strike, Teamster-represented funeral directors established a website (www.integrityinillinois.com) and hotline (312-206-4123) to direct families to community-friendly funeral homes not affected by the labor action.  A complete list of affected homes is available at the site.</blockquote><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9AHe8JZUt5IEWyUmUJw50KVSsqanquuVtqZ7MqHTwldDvU3cO-kDen4QHkabQwCjtwg1Pb85u24ddlXE1egm1x2W5oGtpF8yo8nKJN12BRpTrk4ZzQ7z4l2lNBmMGUQgwG6PD_O4yx1Ck/s640/SCI+strike+preparation.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9AHe8JZUt5IEWyUmUJw50KVSsqanquuVtqZ7MqHTwldDvU3cO-kDen4QHkabQwCjtwg1Pb85u24ddlXE1egm1x2W5oGtpF8yo8nKJN12BRpTrk4ZzQ7z4l2lNBmMGUQgwG6PD_O4yx1Ck/s320/SCI+strike+preparation.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preparing for today's strike.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>The <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-funeral-directors-strike-20130701,0,5369416.story?track=rss">Chicago Tribune</a> covered the strike: </div><blockquote>Funeral directors and drivers who work at Dignity Memorial funeral homes voted on Monday night to strike against their Houston-based employer, Service Corporation International, according to the workers’ union...</blockquote><blockquote>John Liberatore, a director at Piser Funeral Services in Skokie, said the union would not picket any funerals that had been arranged prior to the vote and would direct families to other funeral companies while the strike takes place.</blockquote>Several <a href="http://southtownstar.suntimes.com/news/21090705-418/teamsters-to-strike-funeral-homes.html">smaller papers in the Sun-Times chain</a> covered the job action. The main paper <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teamsters-sun-times-refuses-union-advertising-213561401.html">refused to carry an advertisement</a> from the union seeking support in its struggle against SCI. The smaller papers in the chain <i>did</i> carry the ad. Later the smaller papers' ad manager accused the Teamsters of "getting them in trouble" for failing to notify them of the Sun-Times' refusal -- even though the smaller papers had an earlier deadline and the ad hadn't been refused yet!

funeral directors strike Teamster funeral directors strike in Chicago

The relentless greed of Houston-based funeral giant SC I has forced Teamster funeral directors and drivers to strike today. The funeral dire...

Why the Teamsters charged a funeral giant with lawbreaking

12:59 PM Tukiyooo 0

No one should be surprised that funeral giant SCI would lie and break federal laws during contract talks. SCI has in the past hired gun-toting goons to spy on its workers during negotiations.<br /><br />The $3.8 billion company buys neighborhood funeral homes, siphons money from the community and tries to impoverish its workers.<br /><br />SCI is currently in contract negotiations with Chicago-area funeral directors and drivers who are members of <a href="http://www.teamsterslocal727.org/">Local 727</a>. The Houston-based corporation is demanding the workers agree to elimination of their pension, increased health care costs and a wage freeze for new hires. And it's not as if the company is hurting. Its stock went up 56 percent in the last year.<br /><br />SCI is also lying to the employees and negotiators. That's against the law. The <a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/unfair-labor-practice-charges-filed-against-funeral-giant-sci">press release</a> from Local 727 explains:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">On or about June 24 and 25, in violation of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), SCI engaged in bad faith bargaining with the union by making unlawful omissions and misrepresentations in memos issued to its employees and negotiators.  Additionally, SCI issued memos that contained implied threats to interfere with employees’ current benefits in violation of section 8(a)(1) of the NLRA.</blockquote>The funeral directors are asking the public for support. (You can help by signing this online petition <a href="http://www.integrityinillinois.com/online-petition.html">here</a>.)<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xLJFXbdJS7zZHEdek8rtuK4FWFE1rWs97R7yMCTu9HSzc7AhlCSFWMVQNLVbJ7Mb9W-PyMoPq932zMPYcJ34EIpUIGuoZZofLqZ5tliUOurJD6l0SdPTPJ6aJ9tTzADa4bG9OiQCsqqK/s1600/funeral+directors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xLJFXbdJS7zZHEdek8rtuK4FWFE1rWs97R7yMCTu9HSzc7AhlCSFWMVQNLVbJ7Mb9W-PyMoPq932zMPYcJ34EIpUIGuoZZofLqZ5tliUOurJD6l0SdPTPJ6aJ9tTzADa4bG9OiQCsqqK/s320/funeral+directors.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teamster funeral directors rally for fairness</td></tr></tbody></table>Local 727 placed an ad in the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/">Chicago Tribune</a> and tried to place the same one in the Chicago Sun-Times. But the Sun-Times refused to carry it. <a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/sun-times-refuses-union-advertising">John T. Coli, secretary-treasurer of the Local, said</a>.<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">The Sun-Times obviously does not want to offend a consistent revenue source. It’s ironic that a  newspaper that makes its money off the First Amendment would do this.</blockquote>Here's the ad, which warns of a labor dispute:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">We, the undersigned funeral directors and drivers, are proud to be able to assist grieving families in their greatest time of need, and we have dedicated our lives and careers to this important service. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Over the last seven years, we have made sacrifices — including wage cuts and freezes — in order to help SCI. Now, the company wants to eliminate our pensions and slash our benefits. Their shameful actions could force us out on strike and cause further harm to the Chicago community...</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOsefVB6EeVUsVxxYdmWsuduEwgRru_iboOjTJSwpTAsJgKUERuJ4Czn7274x1OKLb_xfzZ46EXjqBu2JE1AIJo-h1tXVZmIMhF1GSAbEfEQ21LmcUTiJ96A3LOC0tJ_IsA-gOe9NEN1W/s240/SCI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOsefVB6EeVUsVxxYdmWsuduEwgRru_iboOjTJSwpTAsJgKUERuJ4Czn7274x1OKLb_xfzZ46EXjqBu2JE1AIJo-h1tXVZmIMhF1GSAbEfEQ21LmcUTiJ96A3LOC0tJ_IsA-gOe9NEN1W/s240/SCI.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These walls hide real nasty behavior</td></tr></tbody></table></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">As funeral directors and drivers, we are not nameless, faceless workers; we are licensed professionals who have spent years fostering strong relationships with the families we serve. SCI needs to know they cannot treat us this way. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">In the event of a labor dispute, please visit IntegrityInIllinois.com or call (312) 206-4123 to be directed to alternative funeral facilities.</blockquote>About the guns:  Six years ago, the Teamster funeral directors were caucusing in a South Side hotel room between negotiating sessions with SCI. A female Teamster negotiator left the room and returned to find a large man who was clearly carrying a gun listening at the door. He tried to intimidate her, but she brushed past him. Funeral directors fanned out across the hotel grounds and identified several more armed goons. The Teamsters immediately filed unfair labor practice charges with the <a href="http://www.nlrb.gov/">National Labor Relations Board</a>.<br /><br />For more information, go to <a href="http://www.integrityinillinois.com/">www.integrityinillinois.com</a>.