# Teamsters Local 743 Rally 10.2.26

- Date: October 2, 2026
- Type: Video
- Length: 9:04
- Topic: Events
- Video: [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6WwPqDkxLk)
- Transcript: Machine transcription, 1,142 words ([text](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/youtube/R6WwPqDkxLk.txt))
- Mayor: [Brandon Johnson](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor)

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=0) Call for solidarity
- [2:22](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=142) Community support
- [3:42](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=222) Worker testimonials
- [5:44](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=344) Mayor Johnson's address

## Description

Mayor Brandon Johnson attends the Teamsters Local 743 Rally.

## Transcript

[0:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=0) This year, pay the people their damn money. Now can we have the most powerful educated union, CTU. Good afternoon, my name is Kat Tamarone, I'm a music educator on leave and an organizer with the Chicago Teachers Union. And we are here today supporting our siblings and Teamsters, Local State 43.

[0:36](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=36) because we believe in the power of working people because we believe in the power of solidarity not just as a concept but because we know that what tax systems is doing to the workers of local 743 we've seen it before we have seen subcontracting in education we have seen subpar employers who come to our people with disrespect who don't want to pay a living wage who don't

[1:07](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=67) want to recognize our time and our sacrifice who think that because we are working people that we are not powerful and what we know as workers as union members is that there will always be more workers than bosses that's right there will always be more people in the working class then billionaires then ceos then cfos and every acronym that you can come up with and we

[1:37](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=97) know that we can only win by standing together and i'm here to tell you local 743 hold that line we've done it in the chicago teachers union we fought charter operators who tried the exact same game and do you know when we won when we organized the union and when we bargained our contracts who are here to say fight fight like hell we are here with you today we will be here with you tomorrow because the working people of chicago can change the city of chicago into one that works

[2:11](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=131) for the people who work here thank you can i have yesenia lopez running for school board in the seventh district i have the honor to attend district seven and the southwest side city of Chicago running for re-election but I'm here as a community member saying that I'm standing strong

[2:43](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=163) with our brothers and sisters. I come from a union household and also a working class family so I know how important and to have those benefits and someone that does not take you for granted because our workers come in and day out. They give it their best and they should be treated with respect and be valued. Well so here we're going to standing strong and saying we're not going to give We're going to keep fighting for the employees, for the communities, our public education, for privatizers that want to do the exact same thing across the board.

[3:16](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=196) And as people said, hell no, right? We're going to stay strong. So thank you for being here and let's continue fighting. Right now I'm going to introduce some tech IT workers that came out and they just want to say a little bit of something.

[4:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=240) My name's Oscar, this is Kelly, and this is my co-worker Alex. I've only been with tech systems for about a month and I can say that they absolutely suck. From some of the talks that we've had in the office, I found out that someone with less experience is actually being paid more than me which makes no sense and on top of that we're being paid differently and that's not good. It's not right. I just want to say thank you so much for all you guys

[4:31](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=271) to come out here and helping us and supporting us. Thank you. It's the beginning of Tech Systems and I can say that I'm actually being paid less than you. So that doesn't make any sense either, but I'm really glad that everyone's here supporting us because we definitely need way better benefits. I'm Alex, and I want to say thank you for coming out and supporting us.

[5:09](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=309) And so they were standing in a corner, and I said, you guys work for Texas? I'm like, they were like, yeah, I don't know what to say. But we are out here for you. We are with you. Anything you need, you're our family. You're a teamster for life. And thank you for coming and joining us. Thank you. All right. That brought me some joy.

[5:41](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=341) It really did. But I am so humble to introduce Mayor Brandon Johnson. We have to stay prayerful for our mayor. I don't know how he sleeps. I follow him on Facebook. When I wake up, I pray for him. I'm riding with the mayor till the wheels fall off. Well, what's going on, Teamster 743?

[6:15](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=375) Thank you to our incredible president, Deborah Simmons-Peterson, and to all of the workers that are here. Thank you to our elected leaders that are with us this afternoon, to our labor partners, and to the people of Chicago. Listen, the city of Chicago was built by working people, and this city will only grow if we take care of working people. That's what solidarity means. You know, in order for the city of Chicago

[6:46](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=406) to be the safest, most affordable big city in America, we have to make sure that we're taking care of the people who build and run this city. And I'm here to demonstrate, again, my full solidarity and support for all of you. And let me just say, you know, I have a little bit of experience of being here. And I can tell you one thing for sure, when we fight, we definitely win. And the city of Chicago will always be more for city in America. So stay strong,

[7:16](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=436) stay put together, and let's continue to make sure that we hold all of the interests accountable. And this is why this fight is so critical, because it's also about making sure that we merge all of our collective struggles. I see we have our faith leaders here, and I know that Dr. understood that civil rights and labor rights were one of the same. And if those interests were to ever unite, what enormous potential we would have. And that potential is being realized in the greatest city in the world, the city of Chicago. Union strong. God bless

[7:47](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=467) you. And God bless the greatest freaking city, the city of Chicago. Let's give it up for the male. Representatives are here to support us. Everyone that spoke on a political level. They're here. I'm here to vote, but I suggest that you vote. Your vote is important. Get a man some love. Turn it over to Kevin Sanders. This is Sho and

[8:35](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk?t=515) Carlos. But I'm so happy to see tech service come out. I was a little leery, but I'm coming over there to give you all more courage. I want to thank everybody. We want to thank everybody for attending and coming out and helping us try to solve a problem.

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/mayor/videos/R6WwPqDkxLk · Chicago Politics, an independent tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt