With a holiday gift list of “must haves” that includes super hero figures, baby dolls, Playstation 5 and a puppy dog — to name a few items — children around the world at this time of year are ready to answer Santa’s prerequisite question to determine their eligibility for gifts: “Have you been naughty or nice?” Children know that “Yes” will bring Santa down the chimney.

For adults around this time of year, there are traditions too. Many of us make a self-evaluation that may not bring a gift from Santa, but rather, prompts a resolution or prediction of how the next new year could be or should be an improvement. Lose weight, quit smoking, save money, be kinder to my spouse, are among the frequent resolutions made, but broken —  by 80% before March has ended. Countless celebrities have weighed-in with their New Year’s hopes, predictions, aspirations and advice. Recently, former President Barack Obama gave advice to Millennials: “This idea of purity and you’re always politically ‘woke’ you should get over that quickly….the world is messy.” Oprah Winfrey, said: “Cheers to the new year and another chance for us to get it right.” Albert Einstein advised: “Learn from yesterday, live for today and hope for tomorrow.” Maya Angelou noted: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Mark Twain suggested that: “New Year’s Day is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week, you can begin paving hell with them as usual.” John Lennon said: “Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.” Michelle Obama encouraged youngsters to: “Choose people in your life who lift you up.” Mohammed Ali gave this advice: “I hated every minute of training. But I said, don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life a champion.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. counseled his followers to “Take the first step in faith — you don’t need the whole staircase, just the first step.” And even Dr. Seuss chimed in with this philosophical thought: “Sometimes you never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”

As we look forward to 2020, the way historians will evaluate 2019 is yet to be determined. The past year saw terrorism, both domestic and abroad, wreak havoc and heartache to so many. Hatred in the form of nationalism, anti-Semitism and racism resulted in the senseless slaughter of innocent children, worshippers and workers. In our country, union bashing and union busting is at an all-time high. And, there are also those who suffered the ravages of climate-related catastrophes and saw their houses burn to the ground or blown away. Closer to home, gun violence makes this Christmas an especially sad one for countless New York families. Homelessness is at a record high, and fear among undocumented immigrants in our communities dampens holiday cheer and makes the lady in the harbor weep. Yet, Teamsters Local 237 has persevered. Our members and leadership have succeeded in keeping our best interests a priority, and upon reflection many things were accomplished. Still to do, here are some wishes, hopes and predictions for 2020.

 

Resolutions, Predictions and Prayers

Donald Arnold, Director of the Citywide Division and Secretary-Treasurer-elect of Local 237’s Executive Board: “Family means everything to me. I guess this is something that we tend to learn only as we grow older. My wish for 2020 is that younger people could appreciate their parents and grandparents while they still have the opportunity to live among them, learn from them and give them a hug.”

Phyllis Shafran, Director of Communications and Political Coordinator: “My wish for year 2020 is that we start to see the world with 2020 vision: Sharp and clear with nothing out of focus or missed. This will help us understand and appreciate what really matters. And once we know that, we should learn to live each moment to the fullest, without hesitation or fear. I see this done by my little grandson, Mason, age 3. His innocence, candor and unfiltered reactions let him enjoy the moment to the max and register any disappointments or disapproval immediately — and loudly. With his favorite song being “Happy Birthday”, his hysterical laughter at my unfunny “knock-knock” jokes and his refusal to play with the boy who pushed his friend, Fiona, Mason has a perspective on life I wish we could all embrace. Being an adult can be a drag, I know. But if we are receptive to experiencing life with the wonderment and whimsy of a child, we have a unique chance to recognize our blessings and pray to be worthy of more.”

Gregory Floyd, President Local 237: “I have a prediction for 2020. Labor unions have been down, but don’t count us out! In fact, all current trends indicate the exact opposite. A recent M.I.T. study found that 46% of nonunion workers say they would like to be in a union. These workers have come to understand that the adage: ‘There’s strength in unity’ is not just an old saying, but rather, a wisdom-packed approach that does not go stale and has a proven track record of results including union workers earning, on average, 20% more than non-union workers. And let’s not forget that the 40-hour work week, health benefits, worker safety guarantees, $15 an hour minimum pay, paid vacation and family leave are just some of our hard-fought — and won — battles. Clearly, after years of being made a scapegoat and piñata for the corporate 1%, opportunity now exists to expand union membership—an opening that many nonunion groups are keenly aware of. For example, the New York City branch of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has expressed dissatisfaction with unions as not being aggressive enough on worker issues and presented its members with a plan to gain entry into six of our most powerful unions to organize members to become their own. This is simply not true. Unions are aggressive. Unions are progressive. History proves it. Now is the time for unions to get back to basics and tackle future challenges, like the upcoming Census and elections, with the same unity, passion, and total commitment that produced some of our greatest triumphs. Labor also needs to fight its own fight. That does not mean we shouldn’t seek allies. But simply: There is no substitute for labor unions. That’s a fact that some never knew, some have forgotten or just ignored and I predict that labor unions will once again become the driving voice, vision and vote of America’s middle class.

Benny Carenza, Trustee Local 237 Executive Board: “My hopes for the members and their families would be first and foremost health and happiness. My goals on Long Island would be to help as many members as we possibly can with the great representation they receive, contract enforcement and just being a good listener to all. Life is tough sometimes and people get frustrated and we understand those frustrations and work with our members every day to help them. Long Island business agents, liaisons, chapter officers and shop stewards do an amazing job every day and for that I am very thankful.”

Gisela “GiGi” Reyes, Executive Administrative Assistant: “My resolution for the New Year is to take better care of my health. I know that my family and friends will be happy, and for that reason alone, I want to succeed. I think of that famous quote from Mickey Mantle, who said: ‘If I knew that I’d live this long, I would have taken better care of myself’ and I don’t want it to apply to me. For too long, I’ve viewed taking care of my health as unnecessary, time-consuming — even selfish. Not anymore. My health is important to the people I love, and now, it’s important to me.”