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Overview
This book is the first in-depth historical study of the forces that have contributed to the Teamsters’ troubled past as well as the various mechanisms the union has employed—from top-down directives to grass-roots measures—to combat the spread of corruption to which it has been especially vulnerable. David Witwer charts the process by which organized crime came to play a significant role in the union. He chronicles the links forged between the Mafia and union head Jimmy Hoffa as well as the highly revealing McClellan Committee investigation that first brought those links to light. Considering the subject from a range of perspectives that include the rank and file, the Teamster leadership, and the criminal element, Witwer examines the persistent efforts of labor opponents to capitalize on the union’s unsavory reputation, thereby influencing popular and legislative opinion.