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T-Shirt Day at TNBC
Everyone attending the Teamsters National Black Caucus (TNBC) Conference looks forward to putting on his or her T-shirt on the third day of the conference.
Attendees had the opportunity to hear leaders from the International Union, including Jeff Farmer, Director of the Teamsters Organizing Department. Farmer credited organizers with uniting workers from all industries.
“I know we have future organizers in the room,” Farmer said to attendees at the Conference. “I call on you! This is the time to get involved.”
There were a number of International Vice Presidents in attendance, including George Miranda, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 210 in New York, President of Joint Council 16 and President of the Teamsters National Hispanic Caucus. Miranda spoke about the important role of the TNBC, along with the Hispanic Caucus, the Women’s Caucus and the LGBT Caucus.
“You do the work both in society and within the Teamsters to ensure the gains of workers. Our union is strong because of this diversity,” Miranda said. “We need to stand with and speak for all workers if we want them to join our movement.”
Attendees heard about the importance of getting active and working collaboratively, as well as the need to educate the younger generation about the importance of unions. Legislative victories were also discussed, such as new laws on misclassification.
“We must get the youth involved with the labor movement to continue the fight for workers’ right and civil rights. The young people are the future of the Teamsters Union,” said Natalie Kohn, a member of Local 947 in Jacksonville, Fla.
Since this is the 40th annual conference of the TNBC and the 50th anniversary of the passing of the Voter Rights Act, Viola Liuzzo’s children were in attendance. Mary Liuzzo expressed to the audience her sympathy for all the injustice the black race is enduring and how her mother stood up for rights of all people.
A highlight of the day for many was the opportunity to hear from the family of Viola Liuzzo. Liuzzo was the wife of Anthony Liuzzo, a business agent with Local 247. Viola took part in civil rights actions in Alabama, where she was also murdered for her involvement. Two of her children shared stories of their lives before and after her death.
“The world is full of people who don’t like us. The ones we can’t change we will outnumber,” said Mary Liuzzo.