Jimmy Hoffa

:See also: James R. Hoffa's son and current Teamster union president James P. Hoffa

Union activities

Hoffa rapidly advanced through the ranks of the Teamsters union, which organized truckers throughout the Midwest and then nationwide through skillful use of quickie strikes, secondary boycotts and other means of leveraging union strength at one company to organize workers and win contract demands at others. The union also used less lawful means to bring some employers into line, creating the image of Teamsters as thugs that remains today.

Related Topics:
Teamsters - Midwest - Boycott - Union - Company

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Hoffa took over the presidency of the Teamsters in 1957, when his predecessor, Dave Beck, was convicted on bribery charges and imprisoned. Hoffa worked tirelessly to expand the union and in 1964 succeeded in bringing virtually all North American over-the-road truck drivers under a single national master freight agreement. Hoffa then pushed to try to bring the airlines and other transport employees into the union, greatly worrying the United States government and business which saw how devastating a strike of all transportation systems could be for the national economy. For all the benefits that Hoffa and some Teamsters delivered for over-the-road drivers, other Teamsters locals did little more than sign sweetheart deals that made union officers rich and left workers poor. In industries such as garment delivery, organized crime took over locals, then used their power to strike to bring an entire industry either under the Mafia's control or at least vulnerable to blackmail.

Related Topics:
1957 - Dave Beck - 1964 - Truck - Freight - Airline - Transport - Economy - Sweetheart deal - Organized crime - Mafia - Blackmail

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Hoffa had a working relation with these racketeers, some of whom had played an important part in getting him elected General President of the Teamsters. Several Teamster chapter presidents were convicted for mob related crimes, and often would continue serving as union leaders, including Antonio 'Tony Pro' Provenzano, in New Jersey. Moe Dalitz and Allen Dorfman funded many mob casinos, hotels, and other construction from the Teamsters pension fund.

Related Topics:
Antonio 'Tony Pro' Provenzano - New Jersey - Moe Dalitz - Allen Dorfman - Casino

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Another group Hoffa allegedly had close ties to was the Republican Party. Presidents Kennedy and Johnson both put pressure on Hoffa, attempting to investigate his activities and disrupt his ever-growing union. The Kennedys especially were sure that Hoffa had pocketed a great deal of union money. The AFL-CIO also disliked Hoffa, having expelled the Teamsters in the 1950s, and aided the Democrats against him.

Related Topics:
Republican Party - Kennedy - Johnson - AFL-CIO - Democrats

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