Strength In Numbers
Tobin began his term with an aggressive plan to organize. The Teamsters set its sights on bringing the beer wagon drivers, travel haulers and delivery drivers for bakers and confectioners into the union.
Despite the gunfire and bloodshed that often confronted early organizing efforts, Teamsters Union representation led directly to better working conditions. The union won standardized contracts, shorter workweeks, and the right to overtime pay for many workers, including women and minorities.
Prior to World War I Teamsters were instrumental in securing strong contracts for women laundry workers, which included a non-negotiable clause called for equal pay for black and white women on the job. By the time the United States entered the war, Teamsters were calling for equal pay for equal work for all workers, decades before any other organization.