OFFICE OF THE ELECTION SUPERVISOR
for the
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS
BATTISTE, MARIANNA ) Protest Decision 2026 ESD 55
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) Issued: March 6, 2026
Protestor. ) OES Case No. P-032-111425-WE
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PROCEDURAL HISTORY
On November 13, 2025, Teamsters Local 2010 hosted a membership meeting via Zoom. At that meeting, candidates for the Team Unity 2010 Slate and other union members displayed Team Unity 2010 Slate signs in their backgrounds and wore Team Unity t-shirts. Marianna Battiste, a Local 2010 member and candidate, attended that meeting. Following the meeting, Battiste filed a protest against Jason Rabinowitz and Local 2010 leadership, claiming that candidates and members improperly campaigned for Team Unity 2010 Slate during the meeting (the “Protest”) in violation of the 2025-2026 IBT International Union Delegate and Officer Election Rules (“Rules”).
On December 29, 2025, we issued In re Battiste, 2025 ESD 23 (Dec. 29, 2025) (“2025 ESD 23”) denying the Protest. Battiste timely appealed. An appeal hearing was held before the Appeals Master and supplemental written submissions were submitted following the hearing. On February 27, 2026, the Appeals Master issued 2026 EAM 6 reversing and remanding the Election Supervisor’s decision in 2025 ESD 23. Specifically, the Appeals Master found that the display of “Team Unity 2010 Slate” on t-shirts and Zoom backgrounds during the November 13, 2025, union meeting without giving prior notice that such campaign activity would take place violated the Rules. On March 5, 2026, we issued Battiste, 2026 ESD 54 (Mar. 5, 2026) (“2026 ESD 54”) pursuant to the Appeals Master’s decision in 2026 EAM 6. We subsequently received several requests for clarification of the remedy ordered in 2026 ESD 54. Accordingly, in consideration of Ms. Newman’s request for clarification and Mr. Rabinowitz’s request for an extension of time to comply to allow Local 2010 sufficient time to draft a policy, have the Executive Board approve it and post on all bulletin boards under the local’s jurisdiction, we hereby amend the order in 2026 ESD 54 as follows:
REMEDY
To remedy Rabinowitz’s and other members of Local 2010’s leadership’s violation of the Rules by campaigning at Local 2010’s meeting without advance notice that such campaign activity would take place, and pursuant to the Appeals Master’s decision in 2026 EAM 6, we HEREBY ORDER the following:
1. No later than Monday, March 16, 2026, Local 2010 shall publicly post a written policy that provides Local 2010 members with advanced notice of permissible campaign conduct or activity at any union meetings;
2. No later than Monday, March 16, 2026, Local 2010 shall post all decisions concerning this protest, the remedy set forth in this Amended Order, and Local 2010’s policy on all bulletin boards under Local 2010’s jurisdiction; and
3. No later than March 16, 2026, Local 2010 shall post all decisions in this protest, the remedy set forth in this Amended Order, and Local 2010’s policy on its website, teamsters2010.org;
- All postings set forth in numbers 1-3 above shall be posted in a conspicuous place and shall remain posted not let than 30 days, or through April 16, 2026.
- No later than April 20, 2026, Local 2010 shall submit an affidavit attesting to its compliance with this Amended Order to the Election Supervisor.
Timothy S. Hillman
Election Supervisor
cc: Barbara Jones, IBTappealsmaster@bracewell.com
2026 ESD 55
DISTRIBUTION LIST (BY EMAIL UNLESS NOTED OTHERWISE):
Laura Newman
Jason Rabinowitz
Robert Bonsall
Richard Hooker
Edward M. Gleason, Jr.,
David Suetholz
Will Bloom
Ken Paff
Thomas Kokalas
Timothy S. Hillman
Paul Dever