ON THIS DAY: Teamsters Joint Council 25 Celebrates 100 Years

Chicago Marks Centennial By Raising Millions for Teamster Scholarships

On this day, 100 years ago, Teamsters Joint Council 25 was founded in Chicago.

“Over the last century, Joint Council 25 has established itself as the leading voice for labor in the Chicago area,” said John T. Coli, President of Joint Council 25. “The Teamsters have brought powerful representation to more industries than any other union, we have established some of the nation’s strongest contracts and we have proudly protected the hardest working men and women in Illinois and Indiana.”

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters originally chartered Joint Council 25 with 24,000 members on March 24, 1911. More than 1,200 Teamsters attended a special celebration in honor of the Joint Council’s 100th anniversary on March 16, 2011, in conjunction with the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund Dinner.

Everyone in attendance received a commemorative anniversary pin and pictorial history book, which chronicles the Teamsters’ impact on Chicago labor, from the Montgomery Ward strike of 1905 to the organizing of more than 3,300 Cook County correctional officers in 2009. Attendees also watched the trailer for a 40-minute documentary film produced by Joint Council 25, highlighting the union’s century of strength through historical images and interviews with current representatives and Teamster retirees.

“This event was 100 years in the making,” Coli said. “The opportunity to celebrate our outstanding and powerful built history together with Teamsters’ successful scholarship program was a special honor.”

In addition to commemorating the Joint Council’s centennial, the event raised a record $1.8 million for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund, which offers educational opportunities to children of Teamster members. Three of the 2010-2011 scholarship recipients from the Chicago area joined Coli and General President James P. Hoffa to address the Teamsters’ commitment to making college more affordable for working families.

Labor-friendly politicians from across Illinois also attended the event, including Gov. Pat Quinn, Secretary of State Jesse White and Chicago Mayor-Elect Rahm Emanuel. Business leaders and Teamster companies affiliated with Joint Council 25 and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters also attended.

“As the most democratic union in the country, the Teamsters work tirelessly to grow our network of labor supporters and advocates across the United States,” Coli said. “This event would not have been possible without the support, commitment and generosity of every member of our Teamster family.”

The James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit, charitable incorporated organization, was created in 1999 to honor the memory of General President James R. Hoffa and to increase availability of educational funding for Teamster family members. The Fund currently awards more than $579,000 to hundreds of students each year through the annual award process and essay contest.

Since 1911, Joint Council 25 has represented nearly 70 local unions and millions of hardworking men and women across Illinois and Indiana. Today, more than 100,000 members with 20 local affiliates carry on the Joint Council’s enduring legacy.

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