James P. Hoffa Teamsters International Vice President. Pope is president of Teamsters Local 805 in New York City. Hoffa earned a reputation as an advocate for fair trade and worker safety. He transformed the Teamsters into a premier political force by changing alliances and rhetoric unpredictably. Under his leadership, the Teamsters ended a federal program that allowed Mexican truckers to haul goods beyond the border zone in the United States. The Teamsters strongly opposed a trade deal with Colombia through lobbying and street protests, and were credited with helping to prevent a similar trade deal with Panama. The Teamsters successfully encouraged Congress to
James P. Hoffa American dream to own their own home, send their kids to college and plan a strong retirement. Hoffa, while pledging support of the AFL-CIO, said, "Today's decision means that we have chosen a course of growth and strength for the American labor movement based on organizing new members. ... This is just the beginning of a new era for America's workers." Hoffa is an advocate of fair trade policies and a wide range of legislation. He also composed a weblog essay on the "Huffington Post" attacking Whole Foods for undermining efforts to win Congressional reform. Hoffa also spoke on the