Our Fellow 710 Members,

The time has come once again for us to ask for you to VOTE THE SLATE. Our election for Delegates and Alternate Delegates to represent Local 710 at the 2026 IBT International Convention is underway.

We have built a full team to do just that: 17 Delegates and 17 Alternate Delegates made up of our 710 Executive Board and Stewards – experienced leaders across all industries ready to bring everyone’s voice to the Convention in June as our entire Union gears up to vote for our IBT leadership in November. Our Slate pledges to:

• Be active participants at the Convention and ensure that power is kept with the members should any Constitutional changes be suggested
• Support IBT Candidates whose platforms align with the needs and goals of our members and who pledge to stand with 710 
• Represent 710 with professionalism and respect

We understand the incredible importance of being Delegates and Alternates for our Local. We take our responsibilities seriously, and we are excited to meet with other Teamsters and share our experience across a diverse set of industries to continue to build our Local’s strength throughout our Union.

You will see other names on the ballot. While that is the right of every member of our great Union, we encourage all of you to question their intent. What does it show, having a disorganized attempt that couldn’t muster even a quarter of the team to represent our nearly 14,000 members, laden with misleading information and personal agendas?

Ballots will be going out in the mail in mid-February. We ask that you mark one box to VOTE THE SLATE – which gives a vote to every one of our 34 slate members. 

It is crucial that each and every 710 member takes the time to vote your ballot and get it in the mail as soon as you receive it – the entire process takes less than 2 minutes, and you don’t even have to put a stamp on it. We hear your support day in and day out, and you can show that best by sending in your vote for the slate. Voting in this election shows both support for our team and that Local 710 is an active participant in our entire International Union and is a force to be reckoned with.

Remember: VOTE THE SLATE.

In Solidarity,

Mike Cales, Del Schaefer,
and the entire 710 MEMBERS FIRST TEAM

DELEGATES

Mike Cales, Secretary-Treasurer & Principal Officer
Teamsters Local 710
36-Year Member

Del Schaefer, President
Teamsters Local 710
37-Year Member

Neil McKinney, Vice President & Business Agent
Teamsters Local 710
32-Year Member

Mike Ramirez, Recording Secretary & Business Agent
Teamsters Local 710
29-Year Member

Bob Downey, Trustee & Feeder Driver
Local 710 / UPS Centralia
41-Year Member

Jocelyn Turner, Trustee & Package Car Driver
Local 710 / UPS Urbana
30-Year Member

Phil Reams, Trustee & Business Agent
Teamsters Local 710
36-Year Member

Chuck Baez, Jr., Carhauler
Cassens Aurora
27-Year Member 

Travis Breeden, Sleeper Team Driver
UPS CACH
26-Year Member

Daniel Castillo, Driver
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Bolingbrook
15-Year Member

Jeff Dawson, Feeder Driver
UPS Waterloo
35-Year Member

Kye Dickerson, Feeder Driver
UPS Rockford
29-Year Member

Derek Gerardot, Package Car Driver
UPS Fort Wayne
23-Year Member

Tom Kennard, Operator
Pac Rail Global 4
12-Year Member

Dalbert Martinez, Freezer
Jewel Warehouse
18-Year Member

Mike “Boots” Plovanic, Dock/Spotter
ABF South Chicago
36-Year Member

Alicia Welch, 25.11
UPS DeKalb
19-Year Member

ALTERNATES

Morris Cannon, Driver
Sysco Chicago
9-Year Member

Craig Cook, Package Car Driver
UPS Elkhart
30-Year Member

Tim Glackin, Warehouse
Martin Brower McCook
22-Year Member

Nate Gorham, Package Car Driver
UPS Terre Haute
19-Year Member

Matt Hamilton, Business Agent
Teamsters Local 710
20-Year Member

Ricky Hawley, Package Car Driver
UPS Springfield
25-Year Member

Rory Mulcahy, Package Car Driver
UPS Kankakee
29-Year Member

Rhonda Myers, 25.11
UPS Rockford
28-Year Member

Isaac Pauli, Package Car Driver
UPS Evansville
9-Year Member

Tony Pullen, Package Car Driver
UPS Peoria
26-Year Member

Tom Quinones, Warehouse
Ferguson Addison
8-Year Member

Erik Sallis, Driver
RNDC Romeoville
8-Year Member

Brandon Sanchez, Package Car Driver
UPS Davenport 
15-Year Member

Jeff Scriff, Road Driver
ABF South Chicago
21-Year Member

Javier Sotelo, Feeder Driver
UPS CACH
26-Year Member

Tim White, Road Driver
ABF South Chicago
12-Year Member

Jason Willett, Dock/Spotter
TForce Freight South Holland
20-Year Member

*Titles & Positions used for identification purposes only*

Breakthru members SUPPORT MEMBERS FIRST!

Anyone who questions whether or not this Local has a strike fund should take the time to talk to our drivers at Breakthru.

“The Members First Slate has my vote, hands down. Their experience is keeping our Local strong. I want to give them a huge thank you for our strike fund – because of that, my health insurance was covered for our entire 3-week strike when the company cut it off. Having the security of our strike fund meant we didn’t have to worry so much on the picket line.” – Tom, 34-year member

Our 2023 election is in full swing, and ballots are already hitting mailboxes. We are encouraging every member to protect our Local by voting for the 710 Members First Slate.

Since we took office, we have worked hard for the members every single day to keep our Local strong and growing. We’ve made responsible financial decisions for our Union. We have the experience and knowledge to represent every single one of 710’s diverse industries.

We’re extremely proud of what our team has accomplished and the improvements we’ve made, including:

Growing our General Fund more than 10 times to $3.5 million (from less than $350,000)

Negotiating and enforcing the strongest contracts ever seen by our members with unprecedented wage increases & benefits

Building the 1st ever Strike Fund to over $3 million without a dues increase or special assessment

$167,000 awarded from our first ever Scholarship Fund that supports 710 families

Engaging more members than ever in negotiations, membership meetings on the road & online, family events, and trainings

Grievance wins totaling over $1 million back in the members’ pockets (and hundreds put back to work)

Not to mention the work we’ve done on the 710 Health, Welfare, and Pension Funds – we’re continuing to make life-changing improvements across the board for our participants and their families.

We caution each and every member to be careful with what you read and hear from our opposition. They go against their self-proclaimed “namesake” with every misleading post and blatant lie that comes out of their mouths or keyboards. They’re spending more time spreading misinformation and wrongfully trying to undermine our election process than they are trying to win your vote in a legitimate way. They even restrict who can see their messaging to private social media groups. It should make all members question their motives and how they might represent Local 710 members.

The Members First Slate is focused on our Local’s future and moving forward together. Our record speaks for itself. Thank you to everyone for your support and your vote!

Fraternally,

Mike Cales & Del Schaefer

EXPERIENCE MATTERS.

The 710 Members First Slate has the experience to represent members across all of Local 710’s industries and keep running our Local responsibly. Our team has a combined 316 years of Union experience that we use to negotiate the strongest contracts our members have ever seen and win grievances day in and day out.

VOTE THE SLATE!

The Members First track record speaks for itself!

We built the FIRST EVER 710 Strike Fund to over $3 million WITHOUT a dues increase or special assessment, and it’s already benefitting our members: We were able to use the Fund to cover health insurance costs for our members at Breakthru while they stood strong on the picket line for 3 weeks in 2022.

Ballots are about to be printed – they should start hitting mailboxes as early as the weekend. Remember to VOTE THE SLATE!

️️It takes just ONE MARK to protect your Local! Put an “X” in the box for the 710 MEMBERS FIRST SLATE

It’s campaign season! That means the misinformation is flying like crazy. We encourage every single member to do your research!

You’ll see us out and about the next few weeks – We’re not going to hide behind our keyboards. We pledge to be open and honest with the members. Any questions, just ask! Our doors are always open

INTRODUCING your 710 Members First Slate!

Mike Cales for Secretary-Treasurer

Del Schaefer for President

Neil McKinney for Vice President

Mike Ramirez for Recording Secretary

Bob Downey

Phil Reams

Jocelyn Turner

for Trustees

Simon McNamara

Justin Vaughn

Matt Hamilton

Keith Kazluski

for Business Agents

Ballots are being prepared as we speak! They are set to be mailed on or about September 27 – Get ready to VOTE THE SLATE!