firemarypeters

I came up to NY from DC to speak with our friends at the New York City Central Labor Council at their monthly meeting last night. I was given the honor to address the delegates about the Mexican trucking program and this monster Mary Peters.

For our new friends joining us at FireMaryPeters.com, there are a few things to keep in mind: For one, many people did not even know who Mary Peters was or why the International Brotherhood of Teamsters wants her fired. By the time I left our meeting, I felt certain people knew — and knew to come to this site for detailed information. Now we need you to get the word out far and wide.

For all the union delegates and representatives in that room, we ask you to consider a story on Mary Peters and this campaign for your next magazine or newsletter — it is important that rank and file workers of every union to understand the impact of the Mexican trucking program.

Whether you were to focus on how unsafe these trucks are or how the Mexican workers are being exploited, people need to know. You can write about how another member of the Bush administration has given a big slap in the face to all American working people with her slimy interpretation of a law that was passed less than three months ago. Write about how she is ultimately breaking the law and that you too believe she should suffer the consequences for her actions, just as anyone of us would have to face if we broke the law.

As much as there is to write about this campaign, an equal amount should be spoken about at your local meetings. If nothing else, please send people to this site and give them a card or a sticker (if you need more, let me know). Please let folks know what their government is and IS NOT doing for them. If it is not obvious, I am confident that as more and more working people learn about this situation they will get as disgusted as we are with Monster Peters and we need everyone to get motivated and mobilized around this issue … TODAY.

With that, if anyone has any questions about this campaign, the specifics or anything else, feel free to write to me at rnegri@teamster.org. If I don’t know the answer to your questions, I will find someone who does. Whatever you do, don’t sit with an unanswered question about this woman, that is what she wants from us. We need to be certain that she is not only on our radar, but that we will not stand for her arrogance and blatant disrespect of working Americans.

Thank you, again, to President Gary La Barbera and Executive Director Ed Ott for the warm welcome and the opportunity to share this information with the NYCLC.

In Solidarity,
-Richard Negri
International Brotherhood of Teamsters