Teamsters Mourn Passing of Ted Kennedy

The thoughts and prayers of 1.4 million Teamsters are with the Kennedy family today as the nation mourns the passing of one of the most influential lawmakers in American history.

“Ted Kennedy will stand as an inspiration to generations of Americans as a progressive icon. It’s rare for someone born into such privilege to be so concerned about the plight of working people, but Kennedy was such a person,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President.

Sen. Ted Kennedy attends a Teamster demonstration led by then-director of the Teamsters Safety and Health Department, R.V. Durham, on truck cab safety problems in 1978.

Kennedy was one of a few lawmakers always willing to tackle the truly difficult issues head on. His combination of political savvy, intelligence and empathy allowed him to effect more change in this country than even presidents can hope to accomplish.

Upon his death, Kennedy was chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Kennedy left an indelible mark on many aspects of American life. He championed progressive legislation on labor, health care, education, civil rights, immigration, welfare and many others. A common theme among his pet issues was to ensure that all Americans have the chance to live and work with dignity.

“Despite the long shadows of tragedy that hung over his life, Ted never allowed that to cloud his vision of a better America,” Hoffa said. “He cared deeply about the issues of working Americans, and his most cherished soapbox was health care reform.

“Kennedy’s willingness to reach across the political divide to find common ground with his opponents should be an inspiration to lawmakers struggling with health care reform today,” Hoffa said.