ILWU Statement on the Derek Chauvin Verdict
Today, a 12-person jury unanimously convicted former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin for murdering George Floyd. This was the right verdict but this small step towards police accountability illustrates how far we still have to go.
George Floyd should be alive today. Breonna Taylor should be alive today. Adam Toledo should be alive today. Daunte Wright should be alive today. We honor their memories by ensuring that no more names are added to this list of victims of police violence.
Real justice means an end to systemic racism in this country. The worldwide protests that erupted after Floyd’s murder last summer were a wake-up call. Our Black and Brown siblings should not have to wait any longer for this country to finally end the racist police violence that treats them like enemies in their own country.
Since its founding in the 1930s, the ILWU has understood that racism only serves to weaken and divide the working class and that a strong and militant labor movement must be built on a foundation of racial justice. We remain committed to working with the labor movement and our communities to end police violence by fighting for real solutions that confront systemic racism head-on.