Teamsters To Celebrate Labor Day At Labor United Against Racism March

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Sept. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Teamsters Local 251 will celebrate Labor Day by participating in the Labor United Against Racism March and Rally on Monday beginning at 12:30 p.m. Labor and community groups will march from Burnside Park to the State House lawn in downtown Providence. The event is being organized by Rhode Island Jobs with Justice.

"Economic justice and racial justice go hand in hand," said Matt Taibi, the Secretary-Treasurer and principal officer of Teamsters Local 251. "The economy and our society works best when workers are uniting, building strong unions and winning living wages. But, corporations, CEOs and the richest one percent are rigging the system."

The American Economy benefits more Americans when unions are strong. It's no coincidence that our middle class was strongest when more working Americans were members of a union. The middle class and unions are strongest when all workers, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation, have the freedom to join together and negotiate for a fair day's pay for fair day's work.

The top one percent has pocketed 85 percent of the income growth since the 2008 recession, according to the Economic Policy Institute. While corporate profits skyrocket, it's harder for working people to make ends meet. Wall Street hedge fund managers and corporate CEOs keep wages low, strip benefits from working families and send jobs overseas in the pursuit of ever larger profits for wealthy shareholders

This growing economic inequality has contributed to increased racism and racial polarization.

"Hate groups have scapegoated African Americans, immigrants, Muslims and others. As Teamsters, we stand with all workers," Taibi said. "Now more than ever we must be united as workers. The Teamsters believe in fighting discrimination in the workplace. We should fight bigotry, racism and white supremacy in society."

Contact: 
Mathew Taibi, 401-434-0454           

SOURCE Teamsters Local 251