Hoffa Urges President Obama To Take Action On Employee Free Choice, Health Care, Economy

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa met with President Obama and other labor leaders today at the White House to discuss issues important to Teamsters, including the Employee Free Choice Act, health care, pensions and the economy.

“We are working closely with President Obama on issues that are important to Teamsters and all workers,” Hoffa said. “Each of the issues we discussed today is a key to turning around the economy and giving workers hope.”

The Employee Free Choice Act will allow workers to gain a voice on the job and improve their standard of living.

Hoffa has led the fight against a proposal to tax workers’ health care benefits to help fund health care costs. He supports a robust, quality public plan option that will lower costs and ensure that Americans without coverage can receive it.

Hoffa and the other labor leaders also urged the president to take every step possible to create good-paying jobs that cannot be outsourced. Since the beginning of the recession, 6.5 million jobs have been lost.

“I agree with President Obama that unions are a key to the solution to fixing our economic mess,” Hoffa said. “He was elected because Americans believe we need an economy that works for everyone. The Teamsters Union looks forward to working with the president to help make that happen.”

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking women and men throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.