Waging an effective strike is one of the most fundamental actions a labor union can take. And when workers are forced out on strike, having both strong leadership and a strong Strike Fund are necessities.

When GCC Teamsters went on strike at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in October, the Teamsters Strike Fund started paying strike benefits on Day 1 — so far totaling more than $95,000 for the eight members out on strike. But on July 6, GCC President Kurt Freeman put a stop to the weekly payments.

In contrast to the Teamsters International leadership that has walked picket lines with striking Teamsters all over the United States since taking office last year, Freeman and his leadership team have yet to visit the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette picket line.

Why? Because Kurt Freeman is only concerned with protecting himself and his cronies, not GCC members. Freeman would rather deny his members needed benefits when they are at their most vulnerable, than concede that Pittsburgh Post-Gazette workers are still Teamsters.

When Local 24M/9N President Chris Lang returned the checks, his letter to the IBT stated that Freeman had ordered him to no longer accept these strike benefits because the Teamsters had “voided our merger agreement.” This is a lie. Freeman unilaterally terminated the Merger Agreement with the Teamsters on May 19, 2023. And he terminated the Merger Agreement himself, without letting GCC members vote on it.

Maybe it’s wishful thinking on Lang’s part, but the letterhead Lang sent the letter on was stamped with a Teamster logo, contained a GCC-IBT bug, and stated the name of their local as GCC/IBT Local 24M/9N.

GCC members deserve better. It’s long past time for Freeman to stop punishing GCC members in order to accomplish his cynical power grab. GCC members deserve a voice and to be fully-fledged members of the Teamsters union – with a real Strike Fund, strong leaders and a bright future.