New York State Teamsters Rally Against Soda Tax

Job Losses, Higher Costs for Working Families Would Result

WASHINGTON, March 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hundreds of Teamsters from throughout New York State rallied today at the capitol in Albany to oppose to the proposed soda tax. A soda tax would result in declining beverage sales that are delivered by Teamster members in the state, causing wide-spread job losses.

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"The Governor's proposed soda tax is the wrong fix," said James P. Hoffa, Teamsters General President. "Not only does the soda tax hurt consumers, it will hurt small businesses and result in further job losses."

The New York State Senate has rejected the tax on working families in its budget resolution, and the Assembly is expected to do the same. The rally bolstered Senate and Assembly members who face massive pressure from special interests to change their position before a final budget is adopted.

Today's rally was a joint effort of the three Teamster Joint Councils in New York which collectively represent more than 200,000 working men and women.

"We are encouraged that the legislature has stood strong in the fight against this job-killing tax, but we know the fight is not over," said George Miranda, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16, New York, N.Y., which represents Teamsters working in New York City, Long Island, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. "This tax will hurt working families and hurt our industry. It's the wrong time, in this terrible economy, to be putting union employees out of work."

"More taxes will not make our economy healthier," said John Bulgaro, President of Teamsters Joint Council 18, Albany, N.Y., which represents Central New York Teamsters. "In fact this tax will eliminate jobs and increase costs for families on tight budgets."

"The Legislature has done the right thing to reject the soda tax," said Ron Lucas, President of Teamsters Joint Council 46, Cheektowaga, N.Y., which represents Upstate New York Teamsters. "I know that Teamsters will not forget their support."

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

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters