Rendell raises white flag on Turnpike lease

THIS PRESS RELEASE FROM THE TEAMSTERS IS TOO GOOD NOT TO SHARE. YOU'D THINK AN EXPERIENCED POLITICAN LIKE RENDELL, A MAN WHO HAS USED ORGANIZED LABOR TO HIS BENEFIT FOR DECADES, WOULD KNOW BETTER THAN TAKE ON THE TEAMSTERS. LIVE AND LEARN.

Pennsylvania Turnpike Won't Take Toll on Teamster Jobs

HARRISBURG -- Victory over a plan to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike resulted from months of lobbying by the Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters, their lobbyists, Teamsters Joint Council No. 53, Teamsters Joint Council No. 40, Teamster General President Jim Hoffa, affiliated local unions and their members.

Gov. Ed Rendell made various concessions on June 26 to legislative critics in hopes it will speed efforts to reach a compromise with the House and Senate on a new state budget. Teamsters were gravely concerned about Gov. Rendell's highly controversial plan to lease the Turnpike -- billed as the "World's Greatest Highway."

Had the Governor's plan materialized, it could have resulted in the elimination of Teamster jobs. Local 30 in Jeannette, Local 77 in Fort Washington and Local 250 in Pittsburgh represent toll takers, maintenance workers and certain supervisors on the Turnpike.

"When 92,000 Teamsters speak you would be wise to listen," Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters President Frank Gillen said. "The Conference has always fought hard on issues adverse to our hard working brothers and sisters. We will continue to stand up and fight for our members."

"Both Teamster Councils working in concert through the Pennsylvania Conference has paid off," said Conference Secretary-Treasurer Roy Marshall. "The Conference acts as a catalyst between Joint Councils 40 and 53, especially on statewide issues such as this Turnpike plan fiasco."

The Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters is the political arm of the Teamsters. It coordinates Teamster political activity and fights for working families on labor, construction and public employee issues. The Conference represents 92,000 members in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and West Virginia.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters