Vice President At-Large

James Wright joined the Teamsters in 1991, when he started working at UPS in Norfolk, Virginia. He quickly became an active member of Local 822, becoming a shop steward the same year and a trustee in 1994. Since then, he has held a variety of leadership positions at Local 822, including Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer.

In 2016, Wright was elected President of Local 822, representing more than 3,000 members in Virginia. Known for his visible and accessible leadership, he put his signature stamp at the local and ushered in a new era of member engagement. 

Wright prides himself on serving members by visiting worksites and learning worker issues firsthand. He is also a skilled negotiator with a proven record of negotiating strong contracts at companies like UPS, YRC and Smithfield Foods.

Wright also serves as Chairman of the UPS Air Committee, Trustee of JC 83 Health, Welfare and Pension Committee and President of Joint Council 83. As President of Joint Council 83, he has overseen unprecedented growth in one of the oldest Right-to-Work states in the country—success that he attributes to diversification and aggressive organizing.

On March 22, 2022, Wright was sworn in as Vice President At-Large of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. As Vice President At-Large, he has a vision to transfer the Virginia model to the national stage and is focused on increasing diversity and member engagement to activate the rank-and-file and reinvigorate the International.