Membership in this organization is voluntary. The Executive Board of TNBC may reject an applicant, whom in its opinion is engaging in conduct detrimental to the welfare and growth of TNBC.

As a member of TNBC, you become part of a nationwide organization working within the Teamsters Union. Giving you a stronger voice in the workplace, union and in the government at all levels.

TNBC gives you the facts you need to make informed decisions. TNBC gives you the voice to create change. TNBC gives you the added clout to be heard.

If you are interested in leadership, TNBC can help prepare and assist you along the way.

As a member of TNBC, you will help make a difference. You can join many sisters and brothers across the United States in the fight for advancement of positions and eliminate discrimination of African American Teamsters in your workplace.

Union membership translates into significant economic gains for African American. At the beginning of this century the full-time median weekly earnings of African American workers, who were union members (male and female) was $603.00. This was about twenty-five percent (25%) higher than earnings of $463.00 a week received by African American workers, who didn't belong to unions. In addition to increased earnings, a union card brings other benefits including better health and welfare coverage, pension protection, and increased job security.

African American have been workers since they first arrived on the shores of North American continent. At first they labored under the guise of indentured servants and slaves. Their skills and labor helped the country experience major economic growth. However, because of discrimination and national oppression, African-American families failed to reap the benefits of its growth. Despite the country's economic upswings, African-American workers continued to labor under inferior wages, in deplorable working conditions and without needed benefits.

A major breakthrough for African American in their quest for equal employment opportunity came under the leadership of the great labor and civil rights leader, A. Philip Randolph.

It was Randolph who organized the first "March on Washington" movement in 1941, demanding
justice for African American workers. From that historic march came the first Presidential Executive Order forbidding discrimination by federal contractors.

Randolph organized The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in 1925. He was the first
African- American elected to the AFL Executive Council, he was later recognized by the united labor movement, which elected him to a similar position with the merged American Federation Of Labor and the Congress Of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).

African American workers represented by various unions total almost three million. This equals about one fourth of all African American in the workforce; Nearly one third of the Teamsters' membership is African American. This puts the number of African Americans in the Teamsters' union at about 450,000 men and women in occupations and professions ranging from airlines to zoos.

The Teamsters Union is not the only union which can trumpet a high rate of African American Members. Studies have shown that African American workers join unions in proportionately higher numbers than all other segments of the general working population. The results one out of six African American workers is a union member.

Today, African Americans have assumed various leadership positions throughout the trade union movement. Members of the TNBC serve in many top elected offices within the Teamsters Union.