Potter named head of Teamsters? Port Division

Potter named head of TeamstersÆ Port Division

Potter

   The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has named Fred Potter, at-large vice president in New Jersey, to the union's Port Division, effective June 1.
   Potter replaces Chuck Mack, who will take over the Western Conference Teamster Pension following the death of Chairman Tony Lock. This role requires Mack to resign his position as Port Division director, which he has held since 2003, as well as retire from his long-time posts as international vice president, secretary-treasurer of Local 70 and president of Joint Council 7, the union said.
   The Teamsters said Potter will continue to serve as president of Local 469 in Hazlet, N.J., and has recently been appointed to his second five-year term as New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority commissioner. He is active in the Coalition for Healthy Ports, the sister 'blue-green' coalition on the East Coast to the Coalition for Clean & Safe Ports in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland and Seattle.
   Potter said his first initiative as Port Division director will be to launch a Web site providing real-time information and data on the drayage industry as a source for companies in the global supply chain.
   The union said Potter is 'undeterred' by industry clean-air opponents' efforts to block Southern California's Clean Trucks Programs. Despite its members' participation, the American Trucking Associations obtained an initial ruling that will allow trucking companies to avoid new requirements to own trucks or employ truck drivers, pending full trial.
   'This ruling clearly demonstrates we cannot let 20th century laws continue to govern a key American industry in which the challenges of the 21st century — globalization and global warming — collide,' Potter said in a statement. 'Industry greed and bullying threatens the 87 million Americans at heightened risk for asthma, cancer and other respiratory diseases because they live in communities adjacent to 40 U.S. ports that fail to meet federal air quality standards, and the 88,000 port drivers nationwide who could be forced to take out huge truck loans just to keep their hauling jobs.'
   Potter plans to travel to port cities across the country in the coming weeks to meet with drivers, community organizations, political and industry leaders, the Teamsters said. ' Chris Gillis