Last week, our movement sent a strong statement to Tennessee legislators with our Workers First Caravan for Racial & Economic Justice.

Over 70 cars circled the capitol building in Nashville, and caravans also convened in Memphis, Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Johnson City demanding that lawmakers put workers first and stand up for racial and economic justice for Tennessee’s working families. Programming also included a webinar on the continuing fight for safe and equitable workplaces and a live stream of our caravan from the Nashville capitol. We thank every union member and community supporter who made these events so successful, and look forward to continuing this struggle together. When we organize, we win!

View recordings of last week's webinars on Racial Justice and the Labor Movement.

Our president, Vonda McDaniel, spoke at two webinars last week focusing on leadership, racial justice, and organizing within the labor movement. Last Thursday, President McDaniel spoke at the AFL-CIO's The Beauty and Burden of Leadership: A Roundtable Conversation With Women of Color. Check out our Facebook page for a link to this webinar soon. Last Friday, President McDaniel hosted Labor and Black Struggle in the South with labor writer and activist Bill Fletcher, Jr,  CWA Sector Vice-President Margaret Cook, and Charlotte, NC City Council Member Braxton Winston (view recording here). These events discussed the historically unique position women and workers of color have held in advancing reforms, uplifting voices of underrepresented communities, and advancing the black freedom struggle as part of the labor movement. We urge our members to take a moment to listen to these important conversations as we continue to reflect on building a equitable and empowering labor movement.

In solidarity,

Central Labor Council of Nashville & Middle TN

Sisters, Brothers, Kin —

America faces a crisis on three critical fronts: a public health pandemic, an economic free fall and long-standing structural racism.

As America’s labor movement, we must urgently address all three with precision and purpose. They cannot be fixed separately.

This is why we are coming together nationwide as working people on June 17 in a “Workers First Caravan for Racial and Economic Justice”—to demand Congress pass the HEROES Act and address police reforms that are urgently needed.

Click here to find an event in your area on June 17.

Addressing racism is a labor issue because it is a workplace issue. It's a community issue, and unions are our communities. We must and will continue to fight to address issues of racial and economic inequality and win reforms in policing on June 17 and beyond.

In Solidarity,
IATSE Communications

P.S. If you participate in a Workers First Caravan for Racial and Economic Justice, please submit photos, videos, or written stories to comms@iatse.net to be featured on our social media.

Sisters, Brothers, Kin —

We share in the heartbreak, frustration and anger surrounding

the tragic murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police. We stand in

solidarity with the African-American community as together

we grieve yet another lawless, racist killing in our country.

The principle that all people are equal and all people are deserving of

respect and fair treatment is a cornerstone of the labor movement. As a

labor union that represents Black members and people of color of all ethnicities,

 we have an ethical duty to do everything we can to root out racism in our

communities, our homes, and our workplaces, once and for all.

While we are distraught, shaken and angered by the death of George Floyd, we

must all join in the conversation for advocacy, effective change, fairness and

justice for the African American community. We cannot sit and stay silent as

people mourn yet another member of our community, and only the memory of

 the name be followed by the hashtag #ICantBreathe.

We must and will apply pressure across the board for systematic change to value

 Black lives through full and unified equal protection under the law, public health,

medical care, education, housing, business development, and economic change and

equality. We are prepared to advocate for specific, necessary policy and legislation,

 and we stand ready to lock arms with allies who are primarily focused on racial

justice and reform.

Although buildings are burning, a life has been taken, and we cannot lose sight

of the countless times our brothers and sisters of the African-American community

 have been robbed of their lives by acts of injustice, racism and bigotry. Still, we

denounce violence and the destruction of property perpetrated by opportunists

 who seek to take advantage of this painful moment for personal gains.

Additionally, it is absolutely unacceptable for the police to target reporters and

their crews with violence or arrest for doing their constitutionally protected jobs.

As people of conscience, it is each individual’s duty to keep the momentum

of the moment to evoke change by educating ourselves on the issues, speaking

to our local politicians, and getting involved with local social justice chapters.

 Together, we must continue to peacefully protest for change, protest for

 justice, protest for inclusivity, and protest for equality.

In solidarity,
IATSE Communications

Sisters, Brothers, Kin, and Allies,

As congress proposes new legislation to tackle the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, we must act quickly to ensure that any new legislation puts workers first.

That Includes provisions that preserve our access to quality healthcare, protect our hard-earned pensions, and fix the broken state unemployment systems that are delaying access to critical financial assistance to millions of working families.

Click here to tell your representatives that these issues matter to YOU and should not be neglected in subsequent relief legislation.

In solidarity,

Team IATSE