In the past month you may have opened a letter from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters claiming that your union membership was still with the IBT. This claim is being disputed in federal court by your union, the Printing, Packaging, and Production Workers Union of North America. 

            For now, according to this July 1, 2023, letter from PPPWU attorneys, the U.S. District Court in Washington has “entered a preliminary order prohibiting the IBT, as well as its officers, agents, employees, and attorneys, from asserting or exercising jurisdiction or authority over the PPPWU, its District Councils, and its Local Unions.”          

            At this point, the only thing that members of Local 406 can do is to show strength, independence, and interest in self-governance by voting in the re-run presidential election under the supervision of the U.S. Labor Department. The ballots were mailed out June 26 and should have reached members by now. They will be counted at noon July 19. If you have not received your ballot, contact Honest Ballot at (718) 279-8683 or at vote@honestballot.com.

            Not everyone wants to be a union officer or activist, but everyone has an obligation to vote.