Ron Carey, a former UPS driver and Teamster president who set the standard for union leaders for courage and honesty and transformed the leadership of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters died on December 11 at age 72.

Carey toppled mob rule in the Teamsters and became the International Union’s first democratically elected General President once one-member, one vote was instituted within the union (an issue the LWC advocates for within the ILA). He used his influence to change the leadership and direction of the AFL-CIO. In 1997, he led a 15-day strike against United Parcel Service—winning the labor movement’s biggest victory in a generation.

Carey resigned from office in November 1997 to fight allegations that he was involved in an improper scheme to use union funds to finance his reelection campaign. Carey was vindicated of this charge by a jury in federal court in 2001 which found that Carey had no knowledge of, or role in, the scheme.

Click here for a statement by Ken Paff, National Organizer for Teamsters for a Democratic Union. TDU worked alongside Carey for many years, and continues to support the fight for union democracy and a stronger and united Teamsters Union.