Years of declining membership, lack of services and representation, and a near-empty treasury has turned the once proud GCC – North America’s last dedicated publishing and printing union – into a shadow of its former self. And while the rest of the American labor movement is experiencing a once-in-a-generation resurgence, the GCC is dying a slow death.

When the new administration took office last year at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, one of their first official acts was to demand changes to the way the GCC was being run. But GCC President Kurt Freeman and his cronies wanted no changes, as they were only concerned with maintaining their salaries and control of the GCC treasury, apparently unconcerned about the critical and declining state of the GCC.

Real Change is Needed

GCC members knew change was needed and, in December 2022 before Kurt Freeman terminated the Merger Agreement, approximately 1,500 members of GCC locals in Boston, New York, Iowa and Montreal voted to directly affiliate with the IBT, becoming fully-fledged Teamster members. And those members are already benefiting from the power that comes from membership in a healthy, 1.2 million-member strong, militant labor union. You will find some of their testimonials on this website.

Freeman could see the writing on the wall and in order to keep control and prevent any additional defections and, in order to deny any attempted changes to the GCC, Freeman abruptly terminated the Merger Agreement with the Teamsters on May 19, 2023. And despite the fact that GCC members were all able to vote on the merger with the Teamsters in 2004, Freeman denied members that fundamental democratic right when he unilaterally decided to terminate the Merger Agreement in May.

Lipstick on a Pig

Once Freeman terminated the Merger Agreement, he withdrew the money from the GCC treasury and rushed to rename the GCC. His 3-month old union is called the PPPWU – The Printing Packaging Production Workers Union of North America. But really the PPPWU is the same old, weak, ineffective GCC. As the saying goes, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.

Now, Freeman and his cronies have hastily organized a convention that will take place on August 28-31 at the Flamingo hotel in Las Vegas in an attempt to legitimize their “new” union. This is where Freeman and his crew will seek to justify their latest money grab. They have even set up a static web page complete with a misspelled flyer advertising the convention agenda. This is what your dues money is paying for.

Don’t Be Fooled

Don’t be fooled. The PPPWU was only established so Freeman and his team could maintain control of your union’s treasury and continue to fleece GCC members. Freeman’s next step will be to look for a new union to merge with – one that will enable his weak, ineffective  leadership to continue his cynical money grab. Don’t let this happen. Contact the Teamsters today!