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Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Leader Sees Progress, Potential | St. Louis Metro News | St. Louis

Published

2 years ago

September 4, 2023

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click to enlarge ERICA M. BROOK BUSINESS PLUS++ PHOTOGRAPHY/COURTESY JAY OZIER James “Jay” Ozier has been part of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists’ St Louis chapter since its earliest days.

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists’ 1973 manifesto, which officially established the group as an organization after its initial gathering in Chicago in 1972. The CBTU’s St. Louis chapter commemorated the benchmark with a gala event on Saturday, September 2, with newly elected Communications Workers of America (CWA) International President Claude Cummings, Jr., as the night’s keynote speaker.

CBTU-St. Louis president James “Jay” Ozier spoke with the RFT ahead of the celebration. He shared his thoughts on the catalyst for the CBTU, Black workers’ place in the labor movement and labor’s recent advances in workplaces such as Amazon and Starbucks.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

What was your first experience with the CBTU? What initially drew you to the organization?There was racism in the workforce, and the Black workers — we were the last hired and the first fired. It’d been about a year into my apprenticeship in the carpenters union in 1972. I recognized early on that if we were going to do something in regards to job opportunities, that we as Black workers were going to have to be organized. Because the companies that we’re going to be working for — they’re organized.

I would say one significant thing that always stood in my mind, was when Percy Green, who was the head of ACTION [Action Committee to Improve Opportunities for Negroes], climbed up on the Arch while it was being built to protest the lack of Black workers on the construction of the Arch. And that was 1964, but that always stayed in my mind.

The CBTU describes itself as the bridge between the labor movement and the Black community. Can you talk more about what that relationship looks like in St. Louis?We’ve made progress with organized labor here, particularly with the AFL-CIO. Pat White is the president of the St. Louis Labor Council. He’s supported us and has gotten the labor council to support the CBTU in some of the issues that we’ve been faced with. We’ve got more Blacks hired into the building trade. There’s a program that we helped them initiate called Building Union Diversity, led by Dr. John Gaal out of the carpenters’ union.

In August in 2014, when Michael Brown was killed here, one of the members of CBTU, Reverend Tommie Pierson, used his church [Greater St. Mark Family Church ] as a safe haven for the young folks to rest and to be able to go and get their eyes washed out. Later in the year, the Missouri AFL-CIO had their convention here in St. Louis. They invited the then-president of AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka to speak, and I’m paraphrasing, but he said, ‘We got a problem. When a union brother kills a union sister’s son, we got a problem.’ Richard Trumka asked then-CBTU president Lew Moye what can we do. And he set up a meeting with some of the labor leaders here in St. Louis and the Black community at St. Mark’s. The biggest demonstration that was held downtown around Michael Brown’s murder was organized with the support of organized labor.

What do you make of all the increased labor activity happening around the country?I guess it would be reminiscent of unions being organized back in the 1930s. The companies didn’t want UAW, or the carpenters union, or the Teamsters. But they fought and fought and some battles, they won. And in the end, they were able to organize workers. The CBTU supports the right of workers to organize. As I mentioned earlier, the company is organized. So, if you are not organized, you’re at a disadvantage. We have to be able to organize if we’re going to fight back. We’ve participated at different actions they’ve had here in St. Louis. They had that big action for Amazon workers and we came out and supported that.

Looking forward, what are your hopes for the next 50 years of CBTU, and for all workers in St. Louis generally? I’d say the biggest one right now is getting on the ballot for the $15 an hour. We’re joining with Missouri Jobs for Justice in collecting signatures to put $15 on the ballot and to give sick leave for workers. Whether they’re in a union or not, everyone needs these benefits. All workers need decent pay and they need to be able to have some sick leave.

We also need to increase our political education because politics — we can ignore it, but we can’t escape it. Either a politician or someone appointed by an elected politician affects us every day. It determines where the stop sign is, what you get for employment benefits, workers compensation, what the prevailing wage is, the funding for education for our children. You know, during this hot spell, the governor of Texas said to companies, ‘Y’all don’t have to give anyone a water break or cooling off period in 100-degree weather.’ That’s insane. So that’s really one of our biggest challenges — educating people about the importance of coming out to vote. And to prevent companies and the government from interfering with workers’ rights to organize, because that’s what’s been happening with Amazon workers and Starbucks workers and other places as well. All workers have power, but we have to unite and pull together.

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Fenton Man Charged in Sword Attack on Roommate

Published

1 year ago

May 22, 2024

Natural Bridge

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A warrant is out for a Fenton man’s arrest after he allegedly attacked his roommate with a sword.

Police say that on Sunday, Angelus Scott spoke openly about “slicing his roommate’s head” before he grabbed a sword, raised it up and then swung it down at the roommate.

The roommate grabbed Scott’s hand in time to prevent injury. When police arrived at the scene, they found the weapon used in the assault.

The sword in question was a katana, which is a Japanese sword recognizable for its curved blade.

This isn’t the first time a samurai-style sword has been used to violent effect in St. Louis. In 2018, a man hearing voices slaughtered his ex-boyfriend with a samurai sword. His mother said he suffered from schizoaffective disorder.

As for Scott, 35, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office was charged yesterday with two felonies, assault first degree and armed criminal action. The warrant for his arrest says he is to be held on $200,000 bond.

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Caught on Video, Sheriff Says He’s Ready to ‘Turn It All Over’ to Deputy

Published

1 year ago

May 22, 2024

Natural Bridge

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Video of St. Louis Sheriff Vernon Betts taken by a former deputy suggests that the sheriff has a successor in mind to hand the reins of the department over to, even as Betts is in an increasingly heated campaign for reelection.

“I ain’t here for all this rigmarole,” Betts says in the video while seated behind his desk at the Carnahan Courthouse. “The Lord sent me here to turn this department around and I’m doing the best I can and I think I’ve done a good job. I’ve got about eight months and I’m going to qualify for my fourth pension.”

He goes on, “Right now I can walk up out of here and live happily ever after and forget about all this…and live like a king.”

The sheriff then says his wife has been in Atlanta looking at houses and that the other deputy in the room, Donald Hawkins, is someone Betts has been training “to turn it all over to him.”

Asked about the video, Betts tells the RFT, “My future plans are to win reelection on August 6th by a wide margin and to continue my mission as the top elected law enforcement official to make St. Louis safer and stronger. Serving the people of St. Louis with integrity, honor and professional law enforcement qualifications is a sacred responsibility, and I intend to complete that mission.”

The video of Betts was taken by Barbara Chavers, who retired from the sheriff’s office in 2016 after 24 years of service. Chavers now works security at Schnucks at Grand and Gravois. Betts’ brother Howard works security there, too.

Chavers tells the RFT that she was summoned to Betts’ office last week after Betts’ brother made the sheriff aware that she was supporting Montgomery. It was no secret: Chavers had filmed a Facebook live video in which she said she was supporting Betts’ opponent Alfred Montgomery in the election this fall. “Make the judges safe,” she says in the video, standing in front of a large Montgomery sign on Gravois Avenue. “They need a sheriff who is going to make their courtrooms safe.”

In his office, even as Chavers made clear she was filming him, Betts told Chavers he was “flabbergasted” and “stunned” she was supporting Montgomery.

“I don’t know what I did that would make you go against the preacher man,” he says, referring to himself. He then refers to Montgomery as “ungodly.”

Betts goes on to say that not long ago, he was walking in his neighborhood on St. Louis Avenue near 20th Street when suddenly Montgomery pulled up in his car and, according to Betts, shouted, “You motherfucker, you this, you that. You’re taking my signs down.”

Montgomery tells the RFT that he’s never interacted with Betts outside of candidate forums and neighborhood meetings.

“I don’t think anyone with good sense would do something like that to a sitting sheriff,” Montgomery says.

Montgomery has had campaign signs missing and on at least two occasions has obtained video of people tearing them down. (Chavers notes that the sign that she filmed her original Facebook video in front of is itself now missing.)

One man who lives near Columbus Square says that he recently put out two Montgomery signs, which later went missing. “If they keep taking them, I’ll keep putting them up,” he said.

Betts says he has nothing to do with the missing signs. In the video Chavers filmed in Betts’ office, Betts says that his campaign isn’t in a spot where it needs to resort to tearing down opponents’ signs.

“If you sit here long enough, a man is getting ready to come across the street from City Hall bringing me $500, today,” Betts says. “I’m getting that kind of support. I don’t need to tear down signs.”

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St. Louis to Develop First Citywide Transportation Plan in Decades

Published

1 year ago

May 21, 2024

Natural Bridge

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The City of St. Louis is working to develop its first citywide mobility plan in decades, Mayor Tishaura Jones’ office announced Tuesday. This plan seeks to make it easier for everyone — drivers, pedestrians, bikers and public transit users — to safely commute within the city.

The plan will bring together other city projects like the Brickline Greenway, Future64, the MetroLink Green Line, and more, “while establishing new priorities for a safer, more efficient and better-maintained transportation network across the City,” according to the release.

The key elements in the plan will be public engagement, the development of a safety action plan, future infrastructure priorities and transportation network mapping, according to Jones’ office.

The overarching goals are to create a vision for citywide mobility, plan a mixture of short and long-term mobility projects and to develop improved communication tools with the public to receive transportation updates. In recent years, both people who use public transit and cyclists have been outspoken about the difficulties — and dangers — of navigating St. Louis streets, citing both cuts to public transit and traffic violence.

To garner public input and participation for the plan, Jones’ office said there will be community meetings, focus groups and a survey for residents to share their concerns. The city will also be establishing a Community Advisory Committee. Those interested in learning more should check out at tmp-stl.com/

“Everyone deserves to feel safe when getting around St. Louis, whether they’re driving, biking, walking or taking public transit,” Jones said in a news release. “Creating a comprehensive transportation and mobility plan allows us to make intentional and strategic investments so that moving around St. Louis for jobs, education, and entertainment becomes easier, safer and more enjoyable.”

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