August 11, 2020
As we all well know, American communities have been in a crisis situation for months after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police Department officers. American policing is facing a moment of truth in the wake of nationwide protests, and many police departments have decided to take a hard inward look to see how they can improve themselves and be more accountable to the communities they represent. One such community is the Port of Seattle, and the Teamsters Union is proud and excited to have earned a place on the Task Force.
Shaunie Wheeler-James, Political Director for Teamsters Joint Council 28, has been selected and will serve to achieve the goals of this newly established Commission Task Force on Port Policing and Civil Rights. Wheeler-James’s background and advocacy for both the Labor Movement and the Black community make her particularly well-suited to the task of balancing the needs of the community with the needs of the police force that serves them.
The goal of the Task Force is to “complete a comprehensive assessment of the Port’s Police Department (policies, practices, protocols and procedures impacting issues of diversity, equity, and civil rights) and aid an independent consultant in developing recommendations for action to ensure that our Port Police Department is aligned with the highest national standards and best practices related to policing” – an admirable set of goals which, if properly balanced against the needs for safety and effectiveness of Port of Seattle Law Enforcement personnel, should lead to better outcomes for all.
In her role as Political Director for Teamsters Joint Council 28, Wheeler-James has the responsibility of lobbying for Teamster members throughout the State of Washington and Idaho panhandle, while also mobilizing Teamster members in support of causes that will impact them at the local, state, and even national level. Her experience fighting for workers’ rights and social justice will make her the perfect advocate for the best interests of Teamster members at the Port of Seattle, while at the same time ensuring effective change to better represent people of all colors and socioeconomic backgrounds passing through the Port of Seattle jurisdiction.
“It is my great pleasure to receive this honor, and I will bear my responsibility with a sense of pride and a commitment to improvement,” said Wheeler-James. “I have been on every side of this issue, both as a proud representative of the Labor Movement and a proud Person of Color. There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle, because we do not live single-issue lives. I hope that my perspective will be valuable and I intend to be a strong voice for reforms that will benefit our members at the Port of Seattle and the communities they serve.”
“Every constituent in the Port of Seattle will benefit from Shaunie Wheeler-James’s appointment to this Commission Task Force,” said Teamsters Joint Council 28 President Rick Hicks. “We at the Teamsters believe it is absolutely possible to both support and value the work that our police forces perform, and also acknowledge the need for reform and accountability for those Officers who lose track of their sacred mission to protect and serve their communities. We look forward to seeing what this Task Force accomplishes, and we have absolute faith that Shaunie will ensure that all Union members at the Port of Seattle – including more than 300 Teamsters – will have their perspective fairly represented in these discussions.”