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Teamsters National Black Caucus March for Action in Philadelphia
Friday was a day of action for the Teamsters National Black Caucus (TNBC). The conference attendees hit the streets that morning to march from the hotel to Philadelphia’s City Hall, chanting all the way, “Teamsters fight, Teamsters win!” View the video below. View more photos from this event.
“The conference has been great,” said International Vice President Ferline Buie, addressing attendees before the march.
The purpose of attending the TNBC each year is to learn from each other. Each state has different issues and each local union fights a different fight. When everyone comes together once a year, it gives them the opportunity to share information that can be used to strengthen communities and fellow local members — especially for new members and newcomers to the TNBC.
It’s all about moving forward in the labor movement and making a better future. “Sisters and brothers, let’s try to work together better than we have. It’ll make the future much better for all of us,” Buie said.
IBT attorney Raven Hall discussed two Supreme Court cases that have severely undermined discrimination laws in this country: Vance vs. Ball State University and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center vs. Nassar. Both cases were appealed and lost, which makes it virtually impossible for any employee to win a retaliation claim, she said.
“So what you see is the judicial system slowly stripping away rights and protections that we have fought for decades to obtain.” Hall said. “The key is to vote and stay vigilant.”
International organizer James Curbean reported organizing victories, including at Penn State, where Teamsters were successful in getting some of the workers properly classified. Curbean also spoke of the ongoing battle of trying to organize workers at Taylor Farms and stated that the school bus organizing campaign has been the largest for the last five years. Other campaigns include organizing parking and waste workers, port truck drivers and D.C. taxi drivers.
“It’s not what your union does for you, but what you do for your union. Participation in your local union plays a major part in the operation of the union,” Curbean said. “We all must become active in the political race, and we must organize to help us grow this great union.”
International Vice President and TNBC Chairman Al Mixon reminded the audience before the march that “you have to vote, vote, vote and vote.”