Today, our Local Union recognizes Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and serves as a reminder of the continuing struggle for racial and economic justice.

Now observed as a federal holiday, Juneteenth marks the day when Major General Gordon Granger and more than 1,800 federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enforce the emancipation of the last enslaved African Americans in the region.

For working people and the labor movement, Juneteenth also reminds us of the ongoing fight against inequality, discrimination, and exploitation in the workplace.

At the 2021 International Brotherhood of Teamsters Convention, delegates adopted a resolution supporting efforts to establish Juneteenth as a paid holiday in Teamster contracts. Our union recognizes the importance of that goal and the values Juneteenth represents.