History

Video: 50 Years of TDUAn eleven-minute video on TDU's history, from fighting against mob rule in the 70s to right-to-vote and contract campaigns of today.


Webinar: TDU's Role in the Teamsters

Since 1979, TDU has built union power from below. Watch this webinar to learn about the history of the Teamster reform movement and TDU's role in the union today.


The History of Teamster Corruption, Rebellion, and Reform

right_to_vote.jpgA 55-minute podcast interview with Ken PaffStart the broadcastThis fact-filled podcast covers the growth of Teamster power, the parasitic corruption that accompanied it, and the victories, defeats and future of Teamster reform. Ken Paff is a founding member of TDU, and the strategist behind winning the Right to Vote for IBT Officers for all Teamsters.


Click here for a six-part history of TDU.


Click here for a history of changes to the IBT Constitution. 


Video: Reform History at IBT Conventions: 1981-2001. A nine-minute video of highlights and lowlights from past IBT Conventions.


Mother Trucker: The Diana Kilmury Story. A fact-based award-winning movie telling the history and TDU-involvement of the first-ever woman elected to the IBT General Executive Board in 1991. 


Video: Labor's Turning Point. A documentary film on the 1934 Minneapolis strikes that paved the way for Teamster growth in the trucking industry. Strike leader Jack Maloney, featured in the film, was a strong TDU supporter in his later years.
Article: "The Teamster Revolt Against the Hoffa Era" by David Levin. The story of how TDU and Teamsters United built a coalition to oust James Hoffa Jr. and transform the union.
Video: TDU pioneers Diana Kilmury ("Mother Trucker") and Ken Paff are interviewed on TDU's origin and taking on the mob.
Read: The Legal History of TDU. A detailed history of the many members' rights won by the TDU movement, and how it happened. By law professor Michael Goldberg.

Related Articles

Video: 50 Years of Teamsters for a Democratic Union

Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) is the longest-running grassroots movement in U.S. labor history. For 50 years, TDU has been building worker power from the bottom up. Watch the video that tells our story. 

Ron Carey and the Teamsters

Ron Carey and the Teamsters is a new book about the first-ever directly elected president of the Teamsters, who rose from being a local president to lead the IBT in 1991.

Michael Savwoir: A Crusader for the Teamster Rank & File

Michael Savwoir has fought for democracy, racial justice and a stronger Teamsters Union for well over 30 years, and he’s still going strong. Teamsters—especially TDU members—salute his unwavering commitment, as he steps down from the TDU Steering Committee, on which he has served for nearly 20 years.

The History of the “2/3 Rule” on Teamster Contracts

By Ken Paff, TDU National Organizer — As we continue to vigorously demand that the Hoffa administration renegotiate, we need to look to the future. We need a new leadership and a new direction. To make that future, we need to understand the past.

Happy Birthday TDU!

On June 5, 1976, a group of Teamsters met in Cleveland to form Teamsters for a Democratic Union. At 42 years old, TDU is the oldest, largest, and most successful union reform movement in U.S. labor history.

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Recent News

Teamsters Rally at New York City Hall for Delivery Protection Act

Teamsters, Amazon delivery drivers, and labor allies picketed today on the steps of New York City Hall to support the Delivery Protection Act. City Councilmember Tiffany Cabán announced the bill now has supermajority support in the City Council.

Teamster History – As Told by those Who Made it Happen

The IBT has launched the Teamster History Project, which includes 27 unedited interviews with Teamsters who made it happen. It covers the years 1975-1999.  Those interviewed include several TDU leaders, participants in the Carey administration, James Hoffa, along with two Hoffa lieutenants who were expelled from the union for corruption and self-dealing.

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