Craig Gonsalves
Castro Valley, California 94546
November 19, 1997
Marty Frates
Business Agent
TEAMSTER LOCAL #70
70 Hegenberger Road
Oakland, California 94621-0170
Certified #P 094 128 767
RE: INTERFERING WITH OUR RIGHT TO FILE GRIEVANCES
Dear Brother Frates:
This letter is in response to your correspondence
of November 17, 1997. Contrary to past practice, you have instructed
me to stop filing grievances directly to the union. Instead, you have indicated
that I must submit them to a co-worker that you illegally appointed to
replace me as Shop Steward.
All the employees in the building have historically had the liberty of
filing a grievance directly to the Business Agent. The direct filing of
grievances is not in violation of the Shop Steward Rules and Regulations,
the by-laws, the contract nor was I able to find it in the Teamster Constitution.
I encouraged direct member participation in the grievance procedure before
you illegally removed me from the position of shop steward in violation
of the Shop Steward Rules and Regulations for
Local 70.
You have singled me out in a discriminatory manner. Please provide me with
any laws, rules, regulations or policies that you claim justify your behavior.
Fraternally,
Craig Gonsalves
CG:ce
cc:
Ron Carey, General President, International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Mike Lewis, Chairman, I.B.T. Ethical Practice Committee
Bob Blanchet, I.B.T. Representative