Carey takes the helm in Teamsters

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16 SOCIALIST ACTION MARCH 1992 Meanwhile, a member of the New Directions caucus in the United Auto Workers commented that he wished he was allowed into his union's international headquarters!

After he was sworn into office, Ron Carey addressed the union members in a speech that brought cheers. "Today we begin the work of building the new Teamsters, and our mission is to give this union back to our members," he said. "We've lived through a period where Teamsters couldn't hold their heads high because of the constant news reports about our corruption, mob influence, and lavish lifestyles of our leaders.

"But changing our image will take a lot more than public relations and press releases. The real work starts in this union, and it starts now."

"I pledge to you today," Carey told the unionists, "that I will use the full power of this office to rid this union of mob influence, and win this battle once and for all."

Carey said he would begin his first day on the job by putting up for sale the luxury jets, limousines, and the condominium in Puerto Rico that are owned by the Teamsters. He is also refusing benefits under a provision in the union constitution that allows the general president and a companion to vacation anywhere at the expense of the membership. "To that special perk, I say, no thank you!" Carey announced. your hard-earned money is going to be spent in the new Teamsters." He added that he would reduce his own salary.

In outlining his program for a more democratic union, Carey underlined the need for a new ethics committee to investigate misconduct and corruption, and to recommend disclipinary action. He said that grievance panels (many of which are dominated by the employers) would now invite rank-and-file participation.

Carey also vowed to hire committed organizers to rebuild union strength and increase the union's 1.5 million membership. He asked for the help of all members in the organizing project.

Finally, Carey said that "cleaning up this union is important. But it is only our first step. Our members and their families need better contracts. The entire labor movement has been losing ground at the bargaining table. "If we want to change that record, we need new strategies to strengthen our position. We need to do a better job of telling the public our side of the story. We need to based on a clearly-established family hardship.

In the middle of this May proceeding, a Marine Corps attomey rose to present Jones with a faxed copy of the charges. The result was a decision by the S.F. Federal Court judge Walker to dismiss Jones' pleas for discharge in apparent deference to the Marine Corps' more serious allegations.

During the Feb. 24-25 Camp LeJeune court martial, however, the Marine Corps argued that it had no intention of pursuing its original "desertion in time of war" charges. The Marines maintained that this charge, although sent to Jones, was effectively dropped, and filed away in some office and forgotten, ostensibly when the Marines learned that the United States had not declared war on the Iraqi people.

Two months later, lesser charges were pressed against Jones, including intentional missing of a troop movement and absence without leave.

Defense attorney Murcko, pointing out the original death penalty-associated charge against Jones, countered that the Marine Corps' maneuvers, including their delay in bringing the matter to a court martial, constituted "cruel and unusual punishment" against his client, not to mention great stress.

do a better job of using our economic clout to win a better life for our members. "We'll fight for legislation," he added, "to stop employers from firing workers who exercise their right to strike and for other measures that support workig men and women."

Most union members eagerly followed Carey's speech and discussed it with one another afterward. Now, for the first time, they felt part of a real labor movement ready to take on the boss.

Several old-time bureaucrats joined in the clapping for Carey's address. ("The king is dead. Long live the king!") Others remained silent. Most of the leading dinosaurs and scab herders were absent.

Meanwhile, though generally keeping a low profile, some 200 Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) activists were there-grinning.

At that time, many of the Gulf War resisters incarcerated at Camp LeJeune felt compelled to accept pleabargained multi-year prison sentences rather than risk a trial where the result could have been even more severe. Jones himself was repeatedly faced with Marine Corps pressure to testify against his friend and fellow Marine, antiwar fighter Erik Larsen, in return for an implied reduction in his sentence.

Jones' refusal to bend on his principles and his loyalty to his friend set a magnificent example of courage for all military resisters and for the antiwar movement itself.

Jones will now be compelled to begin his legal travail all over again, beginning with a new Article 32 hearing, a preliminary procedure he had already completed. This will be followed by a new court martial, "without prejudice" to the Marine Corps, which seeks to further punish Jones and isolate him from supporters and friends.

Funds are urgently needed for legal expenses. Checks should be made payable to the Jones/Larsen Defense Committee and mailed to: 1678 Shattuck Avenue, Box 225, Berkeley, CA 94709. Phone: (510) 655-1201. Letters to Jones can be sent to: Cpl. Tahan Jones 564-43-9553, HQ, 2nd MEB, Subunit 1, Bldg. 435, Rm. 311, MCB, Camp LeJeune, NC 28542-5090.