Delaware’s Local Presidency

Sheeran’s Local 326 career shows how union service, personal ambition, and coercive politics could coexist in a single role.

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A New Charter

Building Local 326 A responsibility James R. Hoffa gave Frank Sheeran a new local in Wilmington, Delaware. Sheeran became acting president and sought to demonstrate that he could manage the work rather than merely enforce discipline. He visited trucking firms and learned car-hauling grievances directly by working on a car hauler himself. A different model Sheeran says he earned members’ respect by being present and by avoiding shake-downs of employers. The local gave him an identity rooted in service as well as power.

The 1967 Shootout

Violence at the Hall Factions collide A struggle among Philadelphia Teamsters factions escalated around Local 107. Frank Sheeran says Fitz asked him to restore order after a threatening rally. Sheeran enlisted help from criminal associates. Gunfire broke out during the confrontation, and Robert “Lonnie” DeGeorge was wounded. The aftermath Sheeran went into hiding, was arrested, and spent months in jail. He was ultimately cleared, but the delay cost him his Local 326 election and weakened his confidence in Fitz.

The Call That Ended

An Abandoned Ally Seeking support After the shootout and arrest, Sheeran expected union backing for his legal expenses. Instead, he says Fitz refused assistance and hung up when Sheeran reported the danger. Sheeran eventually obtained money through Rosario Bufalino’s intervention. A lasting grievance Sheeran saw the refusal as an early sign that Fitz would not protect people who had risked themselves for the organization. The incident shaped his later loyalty to Hoffa and resentment toward Fitz.

Election and Return

Winning Back the Local A delayed contest After losing an earlier election while incarcerated, Frank Sheeran eventually returned to the contest for Local 326. He won decisively, according to his account. The local became a stable base for his work and status within the Teamsters. Leadership in practice Sheeran emphasized routine visits, contract enforcement, and responsiveness to members. His description presents a genuine service role alongside the criminal pressure that continued elsewhere in his life.

A Newspaper Intervention

Blocking the Inserts A political request During the Delaware Senate race, Sheeran says a lawyer asked him to help stop newspaper inserts criticizing Joe Biden from reaching readers before the election. Sheeran arranged an informational picket line and said Teamsters drivers would honor it. The printed inserts stayed in the warehouse until after the vote. Ambiguous influence The episode illustrates how union leverage could shape political outcomes. Sheeran said he did not know whether Biden knew of the tactic, but remembered Biden later keeping his promise to listen to the union.

1966

September 1967

1967–1968

1970

1972