IAM and TCU/IAM Celebrate 100th Anniversary of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
As seen on goiam.org
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and the Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM) celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP), the first labor union led by African Americans to join the American Federation of Labor (AFL).
On August 25, 1925, Pullman porters at the Pullman Company turned to pioneering civil rights leader and labor organizer A. Philip Randolph, to help guide them in building a union to fight for dignity, fair wages, and justice. Despite fierce opposition from the Pullman Company, which sought to keep its workforce divided and subservient, the porters’ determination sparked a decade-long struggle that ended with official recognition of the BSCP in 1935.
“The Sleeping Car Porters proved that solidarity can overcome even the most powerful corporate opposition and deep-seated injustice,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “This anniversary is a celebration of the past and a reminder of the work ahead. Their story continues to inspire the IAM and TCU/IAM as we fight for fairness and dignity for every worker.”