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Empowerment Through Education
The Teamsters National Black Caucus convened in Vancouver, British Columbia this year, focusing on empowerment through education.
The conference began with a powerful speech from Greg Floyd, International Vice President and President of Local 237, who encouraged attendees to get involved and educate others in their workplace and communities about unions.
“This world is turned upside down. The unions are the last bastion of hope. We were sent here to learn and lead,” Floyd said. “We have an obligation to stand up for ourselves and others as Teamsters.”
Floyd also talked about how right to work can destroy what unions have worked so hard to achieve.
“We must get more like-minded people elected, those that truly believe unions are the backbone of this country and when it comes times to vote on legislation they are for us and not against us,” Floyd said.
Workshops were held throughout the conference, with many led by International Union staff on various topics. Attendees could attend workshops on workplace violence, the FMLA and the ADA, verbal communication, social media, “Organizing to Win,” discrimination, substance abuse in the workplace, labor law 101 and many other subjects.
Like past TNBC conferences, red attire was worn on Women’s Day, a day to highlight the union’s women and what they do for the Teamsters Union.
The TNBC gave a lifetime achievement award to Gregory Foster, Vice President and business agent at Chicago’s Local 705.
“Attend your union meetings; get involved; go out to those rallies. It’s needed now more than ever. We can no longer continue to sit on the sideline to watch these inhumane things happen to working men and women,” Foster said.