| Teamster & BLET Nostalgia |
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| 1995 NASCAR Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Jimmy Hensley and sponsored by Teamsters Local 71 in Charlotte North Carolina-model built by Ed Reichart |
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From colonial times to the turn of the last century, the men who drove horse-drawn wagons formed the backbone of North America’s wealth and prosperity. Despite their essential role as guardians of trade—the lifeblood of the economy—they remained unorganized and exploited.
In a teamster’s life, work was scarce, jobs were insecure, and poverty was commonplace. In 1900, the typical teamster worked 12-18 hours a day, seven days a week for an average wage of $2.00 per day. A teamster was expected not only to haul his load, but to also assume liability for bad accounts and for lost or damaged merchandise.
The work left teamsters assuming all of the risks with little chance for reward.
In 1899, frustrated and angry drivers banded together to form the Team Drivers International Union (TDIU), with an initial membership of 1,700. TDIU's first President was George Innis. In 1902 some members broke away, forming a rival group, the Teamsters National Union. TNU's first president was Albert Young.
Samuel Gompers, leader of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), was concerned by what he saw as a waste of resources and energy, and convinced the competing unions to meet and work out their differences. Agreeing that they were stronger in solidarity than separately, they re-joined forces to create the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) at a joint convention in Niagara Falls, N.Y. in August 1903. Cornelius Shea was elected its first General President and remained president until August 1907.
Daniel Tobin took over as president on August 10 , 1907 and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana (where the IBT's headquarters were then located.) He faced opposition in 1908, 1909 and 1910. He was re-elected through that three year period and never faced opposition again until his retirement in 1952.
Below are thumbnail pictures of early collectibles from the
Teamsters National Union of America, Team Drivers International
Union and the IBT (Click on pictures to view larger version)
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| 1906 Teamster Magazine Cover |
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| 1906 Teamster Magazine Back Cover |
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| Inside page listing Cornelius Shea as Gen. President |
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| International Brotherhood of Teamsters First Headquarters Indianapolis, Indiana |
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READ A CONDENSED VERSION OF THE IBT'S HISTORY
CLICK HERE
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A STEP BACK IN TIME 1972
Hurricane Agnes struck PA from June 21-23, 1972 and dealt
the Commonwealth its most destructive natural disaster
50 deaths and $2.3 billion in damages in Pennsylvania
Click here to view videos and pictures
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