Philly DSA State of the Union

Join Philly DSA for our inaugural State of the Union event! The State of the Union is a conversation between leading labor activists and members of Philly DSA’s Labor Branch to discuss union organizational efforts. The State of the Union is intended to be an informal conversation where labor leaders can share their personal organizing experiences, discuss the progress of labor campaigns across the region, and connect their accomplishments to broader political objectives.

For the first State of the Union, Richard Hooker of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters will be joining Paul Prescod (head of the PHL DSA Labor Branch and teachers' union member) in conversation. Hooker has been a Teamster for twenty years, working to organize his fellow United Parcel Service workers as shop steward for the past ten. Hooker has also been involved in Teamsters Local 623’s #623LivesMatter movement in Philadelphia— a rank and file campaign critical of Teamster leadership, particularly in their recent contract negotiations. In 2016, he was elected delegate to the 2016 Teamsters convention, representing his local’s interests on a national level. Paul Prescod will speak to Hooker about current Teamster campaigns and the future of labor organizing.