Robert L. Piccone
President Emeritus

On September 9th, 2001 Robert L. Piccone addressed his last General Membership meeting as President and Business Agent of Local 340. In the course of that meeting, a motion was made after the following resolution was read from Terrence Hanlon, then Trustee and Business Agent:

• Whereas this officer has led this Local Union to a position of National Prominence and
• Whereas this officer has overseen the removal of 25+ years of "trash" from the basement and
• Whereas this officer has tried to convince his co-workers that 85Á is a comfortable work temperature and
• Whereas this officer has not one single cavity and
• Whereas this officer has found the very best Italian restaurants and eateries in the Western Hemisphere and
• Whereas this officer has provided the officers and Agents with informal historical walking tours in such cities as Boston, Philadelphia and Washington DC and
• Whereas the retirement of this officer will finally allow someone else to be listed number one on the UPS Seniority List and
• Whereas this officer has tirelessly and diligently maintained the UPS Agreement and
• Whereas this officer has served as President and Business Agent for 18 years and has dedicated 41 years of his life to the good and welfare of Local 340 and
• Whereas this officer has been the longest serving officer of Local 340 and has performed his duties associated with that office in a proficient and honorable manner and
• Whereas this officer has maintained the ethics and integrity of this Local and himself at level that others strive for and
• Whereas this officer has effectively taught us all the importance of the five (5) year rule and
• Whereas this officer has a NO FEAR attitude when fighting for the rights of all working families and
• Whereas this officer has taken a stand in involving women in the Teamsters Union and
• Whereas this officer spends his Christmas Eve days visiting the members of this local and
• Whereas this officer's family has sacrificed many birthdays, holidays, and family functions for the good and welfare of the Union and
• Whereas this officer was the first Teamster to graduate from the George Meany Center for Labor Studies and
• Whereas this officer has a genuine concern for the health and welfare of injured workers and
• Whereas this officer had taken the time to mentor Teamster members who wish to be involved in their local union and
• Whereas this officer was responsible for placing local 340 on a sound financial footing and
• Whereas this officer provided the leadership needed to meld the private and public sectors of local 340 into a strong and vibrant union of 4200 members and
• Whereas this officer was elected to Joint Council #10 and has represented this local and the other locals of New England in a manner that allowed Joint Council 10 to be recognized as the most pro-active joint council in the country and

  NOW THEREFORE IT IS MOVED THAT ROBERT L. PICCONE BE ELECTED BY THE MEMBERSHIP OF LOCAL 340 TO THE POSITION OF PRESIDENT EMERITUS EFFECTIVE UPON HIS RETIREMENT. THIS HONOR COMES WITH NO PAY, BENEFITS OR OTHER RENUMERATION EXCEPT THAT IT IS MADE WITH THE PRICELESS GRATITUDE OF THIS LOCAL FOR HIS MANY YEARS OF TIRELESS SERVICE.

  Motion by David Young (and many others)
  Motion Seconded by Alan Churchill (and many others)
  Motion Carried.

  Robert L. Piccone has been a labor union representative with over 40 years' experience in the Teamsters Union and the labor union movement. Elected continually every three years for over thirty years by working men and women in Maine and throughout New England, he has over forty years' experience investigating, processing and representing workers through the grievance process, particularly workers who have been injured or are faced with discipline by their employers.
  
  As Trustee, he was elected President and Business Agent of Truck drivers, Warehousemen and Helpers Union: Teamsters Union Local #340 in 1983 and retired as Principle officer on September 30, 2001. Local 340 was originally a truck driver and warehouse workers union. As the Principle Officer of the Teamsters Local 340. He took it from a 2,200 private sector membership to a Local that represents over 4,200 workers in all manners of employment, both the private and public sectors: such as nurses and nurses aides, police officers, fire fighters, and school bus drivers.
  
  The Teamsters Union in Maine has but one Local Union with its main office in South Portland and others set up in Orono and Presque Isle. He has overseen almost 200 collective bargaining agreements, seven full time Business Agents and three office staff employees.
  
  He sat as Chairman and panel member on various local and national arbitration boards. Negotiated the National and Local area collective bargaining agreements of both the National Master Freight and North New England truck drivers agreement, as well as the National United Parcel Service agreement. He sat as Union Co-Chairman of the United Parcel Service New England Area Contract Negotiations and Grievance Committee. He is also a licensed tractor trailer driver with class one commercial drivers license endorsements, as well as all HazMat endorsements.
  
  Robert L. Piccone History:
  
  Employed at United Parcel Service, 1960-1983. He was one of the original drivers that started for UPS when they came into Maine.
  
  Elected Teamsters Union Shop Steward at United Parcel Service, from 1961-82. Chief Shop Steward from 1972-82. Elected Trustee, Teamsters Union Local #340, from 1970-82.
  
  Elected President and Business Agent of Teamsters Union Local #340, from January 1983-September 30, 2001.
  
  International Brotherhood of Teamsters assigned Trustee of Local Union #48, from 1988-89. Ultimately merging both locals together under one leadership. Chairman of all Standing committees of Local 340, 1982-2001.
  
  Founder, Teamsters Union Local #340 Retirees Association, 1983.
  
  Elected Trustee, Teamsters Joint Council in Boston, from 1987-89. Elected Vice President, Teamsters Joint Council 10 in Boston, from 1989-2001.
  
  Director of the Teamsters Union Joint Council #10 Parcel and Small Package Trade Division.
  
  United Parcel Service/Teamsters Union Arbitration Panel, 1982-2001.
  
  United Parcel Service/Teamsters National and New England Negotiating Committee, 1984-2001.
  
  Union Cochairman of the Teamsters/United Parcel New England Area Parcel Grievance Committee and Contract Negotiations Committee.
  
  Teamsters National Master Freight Negotiating Committee for North New England, 1983-2001.
  
  National Signal Delivery Negotiation and Arbitration committee, from 1988-91.
  
  International Brotherhood of Teamsters representative to the Canadian Free Trade Agreement Conference Committee, from 1990-93.
  
  Member, Teamsters Industrial Trades Division, from 1983-present. Member, Teamsters Public Employees Trade Division, from 1989-present. Member, (UPS) Parcel and Small Package Trade Division, From 1985-present.
  
  Member, Eastern Conference of Teamsters Warehouse Division, from 1984-present.
  
  Member of numerous Maine labor committees.
  
  Elected member of the Executive Board of the Maine AFL-CIO, Maine Labor Group On Health, etc.
  
  Trustee, Northern New England Benefit Trust Health Services, from 1983-present.
  
  Appointed by Governor Angus King to the Maine economic Growth Council, 1999.
  
  Appointed by Governor Angus King to the Maine Labor Relations Board, 2001.
  
  Licensed Maine State Real Estate Broker, from 1971-present.
  
  Teaches at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in their Masters Program for Union Leadership and Administration.
  
  Robert L. Piccone's Future:
  
  Members can look forward to having the expertise of Robert L. Piccone close by. He has made a decision not to travel off to warm weather but to stay in the area and work within the Labor movement in consulting and advisory positions. He was also recently appointed and confirmed to sit on the Maine Labor Relations Board. Some of his projects for Teamsters Local 340 will include a Policy book, an operating budget compatible with our current record keeping system, and a codification of the New England United Parcel Service Supplemental Agreement. He will also be of service with United Parcel Service Employees from time to time at the New England Area Parcel Grievance Committee. He will assist our Executive Board in certain administrative assistance, research, arbitration, and grievances deemed critical to Local 340. Robert l. Piccone is not sure of where his future will take him from here, but you can be sure that it will be in the line of helping working men and women in fighting for better futures in the workplace.
  
  Robert L. Piccone, an educated background:
  
  Prior to finishing High School Bob enlisted in the United States Coast Guard serving from 1956-1960. He finished high school while in the Coast Guard.
  
  He graduated from the University of Maine at Portland-Gorham campus with a degree in Liberal Arts (Magna Cum Laude.)
  
  He attended and graduated from the George Meany Center for Labor Studies with a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Labor Studies.
  
  He is also a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the Masters Program for Labor Studies with a Masters degree in Union Labor Leadership and Administration.

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