This Monday, negotiations began between Teamsters and the package giant UPS for a new national contract. The formal exchange of proposals was in preparation for July, when the national master UPS contract will expire.

Teamsters general president James P. Hoffa — son of the infamous Jimmy Hoffa Sr — refused to release the union’s official contract proposals to general membership before presenting them to the company. Up until January 22, members had no idea what was in the proposals. Teamsters United (TU), the reform campaign working to dislodge Hoffa’s old guard from the union leadership, called this a “brownout.”

For the 250,000 rank-and-file Teamsters affected, this contract fight is an opportunity to turn the tide on years of concessions and win a better workplace. But Hoffa is afraid that activating member militancy might diminish his own power — hence the brownout.