Hundreds of some of the best Teamster activists in the country gathered for three days in Chicago this past weekend at the 41st annual TDU Convention.
See below for more photos from the Convention.
Members and supporters donated $75,134 at the Saturday night fundraiser, the most we've ever raised.
If you couldn't make it to Chicago, can you click here to donate now to help us get to $100,000!
First-time attendees from Los Angeles, Florida, Arizona, Minnesota, Louisville and elsewhere. Retirees who are keeping up the fight to protect and expand retirement security. Part-time UPSers. Officers and stewards from across the country. All were on hand for three days of education, making organizing plans, and building solidarity.
The Convention kicked off Friday with members of the Chicago Teachers Union and Communication Workers of America speaking of how TDU serves as the model for grassroots, member-mobilizing unionism and the power of rank-and-file-led strikes to defeat givebacks and corporate greed.
Members packed workshops on union rights, preparing grievances for arbitration, using information requests, member-to-member organizing and more. "I learned so much here that I am looking forward to taking home and sharing with coworkers," said a first-time attendee and UPS part-timer from Racine, Wisconsin.
Pension rights activists turned out in force to strategize the next steps in the campaign to Save Our Pensions. Rita Lewis, wife of TDU member and the recently-deceased Butch Lewis, spoke powerfully on the stakes involved in the pension fight and need for new legislation to protect pensions.
Fred Zuckerman, candidate for IBT President, addressed a standing-room only crowd at the Saturday evening banquet, just days before ballots in the International election mail out. He laid out Hoffa-Hall's record of failure and the opportunity for rebuilding Teamster power new leadership will provide. "Move over Hoffa," he said in closing, "because I'm taking the wheel."
Teamsters United candidates and supporters strategized on how to Get Out the Vote and organized campaign brigades to hit the gates across the Chicago area throughout the weekend.
Members headed home Sunday energized to make history, armed with plans to make it happen and renewed commitment to building an even stronger movement for democratic, grassroots unionism.
