Brothers and Sisters of Teamsters Local 710,

Some members have had questions and concerns regarding the state of the local and the trusteeship. Please know that myself and everyone working at the hall share and appreciate your concerns. We are genuinely proud to see how many members are coming forward to show their pride and dedication to Local 710. This local is one rich in Teamster history, playing a vital role in making the Teamsters Union what it is today. The fact that the membership knows they are a part of something so great and are willing to fight tooth and nail to defend it is a testament to the strength of not only the Teamsters Union but the labor movement as a whole. I want to thank each and every one of you for upholding and embodying that strength.

We understand that one of the primary concerns is that the local will be dismantled under the trusteeship, but the intent of being in trusteeship is to do the exact opposite of that. The point of everything we are doing here is to bring Local 710 up to a point not only where we can turn it back over to the members where it rightfully belongs, but to also have it be successful and thrive when we do.

General President James P. Hoffa recently expressed to me in a meeting that it is his “intention to see that Local 710 isfinancially viable and turned back over to the members as soon as possible.”

We are still working diligently to get a handle on the financial state of the local, as well as the years of neglect in areas like expired contracts, proper dues rates and collection — issues which take time to identify. Additionally, this year in particular is an unusually expensive one given the upcoming costs of not only the International Convention, but for the recent delegate election as well. We have had to make many difficult decisions that were done purely for financial reasons to move the local closer to getting back to the members. We have implemented new strategies to improve communication and representation that a local this strong has deserved for a long time, and are continually improving on those as well.

At the end of the day, I want to do everything in my power to bring Local 710 out of trusteeship, and I want to take the time to do it thoroughly and correctly. I look forward to the day when we can turn the local over to the members through an election and see Local 710 continue to grow as the Teamster powerhouse it can and should be. I encourage you to continue to voice your pride in Local 710. Our entire team at the hall is at your disposal to answer any questions or concerns you may have, and we’re open to hearing your thoughts. As we progress through trusteeship, we will keep the membership regularly informed on the state of the local with the intention of working together to successfully return Local 710 back to the members.

In Solidarity,

John T. Coli, Trustee

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