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Teamsters Local 89 Statement on George Floyd and Breonna Taylor
Jun 03, 2020

Labor Unions have long stood for the rights of working people. Throughout our history, one of our defining principles is our belief that all working people should be treated as equals regardless of the color of their skin, gender, or other differences.

Following the murders of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and Breonna Taylor in our home city of Louisville, our African American brothers and sisters are hurting. They cry out for justice and change, and it is upon all of us to hear their cries and act accordingly.

These tragic events should never have taken place. George Floyd and Breonna Taylor should be alive today, but instead they were stolen from their families and friends by a system that disproportionately harms people of color. As a union and as a nation, we cannot allow these senseless and harrowing acts of violence against our fellow Americans to continue. We support our black brothers and sisters in their righteous calls for equal treatment under the law and resolve that action must be taken to affect permanent change in our society.

To that end, Teamsters Local 89 endorses the following actions we believe can move our nation into a better future for all.

  1. Abolish “No-Knock” Warrants
  2. Create an elected Civilian Oversight Board for each law enforcement department, with the authority to investigate alleged misconduct, including subpoena powers, with final reports and recommendations to be released to the public.
  3. Refocus law enforcement resources on training, de-escalation, racial sensitivity, peaceful crowd control, and community engagement.
  4. Require body cameras to be worn by law enforcement at all times. Any interactions with civilians must be recorded. Recordings must be preserved for at least 365 days and released to the general public or investigative agency upon FOIA request or other legal disclosure mechanism.

These actions must be taken to lead us to a more just and equitable society. We cannot allow our nation to continue being defined by death and violence against our own citizens. We can be better than this. We must be better than this, not just for ourselves, but for generations to come. We are calling on lawmakers in Kentucky and across the nation to make these things a reality. One day, when historians look back on the events transpiring now, we hope they will be able to say this was the turning point that made our nation a better place for all.

In solidarity,

Fred Zuckerman

President, Teamsters Local 89


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Teamsters Local 89
3813 Taylor Blvd
Louisville, KY 40215
  502-368-5885


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