Teamsters Applaud Barrett Victory in Wisconsin Primary

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International Brotherhood of Teamsters

May 09, 2012, 06:19 ET

Teamster-Endorsed Gubernatorial Candidate Will Fight for Return of Collective Bargaining Rights

WASHINGTON, May 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today said Wisconsin voters are demanding change after a year of Gov. Scott Walker's job-killing policies. Hoffa's statement followed the announcement that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett won the primary and will take on Gov. Scott Walker.

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"The working men and women of Wisconsin have endured so much already at the hands of Scott Walker and they are demanding change," said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. "Tom Barrett always cared about working families and the middle class when he was mayor of Milwaukee. I am confident he will still practice the same values and beliefs as the governor of Wisconsin."

Despite Walker's claims that targeting unions and collective bargaining was a way to balance the Wisconsin's budget, the state has actually lost thousands of jobs over the past 12 months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, Wisconsin has the worst job-creation record of all 50 states because of Walker's austerity program.

As Milwaukee mayor, Barrett fought to ensure that public employees had a voice in the workplace by implementing "meet and confer" language to require labor/management discussion and by extending protections to employees who lost their rights under a state act.

"We were pleased to strongly endorse Tom Barrett because he pledged to fight to restore full collective bargaining rights for workers and bring new jobs to Wisconsin," said Tony Cornelius, President of Teamsters Joint Council 39 in Wisconsin. Teamsters Joint Council 39 officially endorsed Barrett earlier this month.

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, please visit www.Teamster.org and follow us on Twitter @TeamsterPower.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters