Rev. Jesse Jackson, who brought a generation of multiracial progressives into national politics via his Rainbow PUSH Coalition, was a towering figure in the Civil Rights Movement. His advocacy for progressive causes, voter registration, and economic empowerment for marginalized people made him a natural ally of the labor movement. Because of this, labor leaders are remembering him as their champion.
“The passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson gives heavenly wings to a noble warrior, a man who bent the arc of justice with his stout heart and bold leadership on behalf of people without privilege or power,” said Coalition of Black Unionists (CBTU) President Terrence Melvin. “Rev. Jackson was family to CBTU. We worked hard in his presidential runs in 1984 and 1988, when he jolted the political establishment and ignited millions of Black voters and those without a voice and little hope. One of Jackson’s most famous images shows him standing with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., on the balcony of Memphis’ Lorraine Motel in 1968. Jackson was serving as an aide to King. The two had come to the city to support 1,300 Black sanitation workers who were striking for union recognition, higher wages, and safer working conditions. King was assassinated during that campaign.
“Some may view unions only as ‘strategic allies.’ But Rev. Jackson understood union people from the heart. He was on the ground in Memphis with Dr. King and our beloved late CBTU President Emeritus William ‘Bill’ Lucy,” said Melvin. “He walked countless picket lines with striking workers. He rescued hostages. He marched, sometimes sacrificing his health.
“For sure, the dream of Barack Obama’s historic presidency would not have come true without the groundwork laid by Shirley Chisholm and Rev. Jackson,” Melvin continued. “History should not forget that.”
For more than half a century, Jackson bridged any gaps between civil rights and workers’ rights. He opposed right-to-work laws, joined picket lines, and lent his voice to workers’ struggles, notably supporting the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
The Teamsters Union expressed heartfelt condolences, stating, “Rev. Jesse Jackson understood the bond between civil and workplace rights and supported Teamsters in all industries in the fight for dignity and respect on the job. Rev. Jackson stood proudly with Teamsters during contentious contract campaigns, including the 1997 UPS national strike and with United Airlines mechanics in 2016. In 2011, he spoke at Teamsters Local 413 in Columbus, Ohio, in support of unionization and against right-to-work legislation.” The union’s tribute continued: “Rev. Jackson will be remembered for his tireless commitment to equality in the workplace and society at-large. The Teamsters Union mourns his loss but celebrates his life.”
April Verrett, president of SEIU (Service Employees International Union), reflected on Jackson’s influence, noting, “Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, Rev. Jesse Jackson was real to us. He wasn’t just someone we heard about, he showed up in our neighborhoods, our churches, our marches, and in the way our parents talked about dignity and justice at the dinner table. He showed us what moral courage looks like when it’s lived out loud, with love for people and faith in what we can build together.
“Rev. Jackson always stood with and for working people — and for the future of unions,” Verrett continued. “He understood that there is no Civil Rights Movement without workers’ rights, and no economic justice without strong unions. Through the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, he showed us how to bring together workers, faith leaders, civil rights organizers, immigrants, and everyday people into one broad, beautiful coalition rooted in justice. He reminded us that our differences are not our weakness — they are our strength when we choose to stand together.”
Jackson’s historic runs for president, Verrett emphasized, “widened the circle of who gets to be seen, who gets to be heard, and who gets to dream big enough to claim the highest offices in the land. Because of Rev. Jackson, generations of Black leaders found the courage to step forward — and in doing so, helped this country see itself more clearly.”
Jackson’s life was a testament to collaborative action, Verrett concluded, “He reminds us that we are bound together. That none of us gets free alone. That the work of justice is not about who gets the credit — but about who gets lifted.”
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) also mourned Jackson’s passing, recalling his address to IAM members in Des Moines, Iowa, during his 1988 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. The union’s statement highlighted Jackson’s call for balance in democracy, noting, “Rev. Jackson offered a clear and principled view of the critical relationship among labor, management, and government. He reminded members that democracy requires balance, arguing that the Reagan Administration had moved too far in favor of management, to the detriment of working families across America.”
SAG-AFTRA, the world’s largest labor union representing performers and broadcasters, honored Jackson’s legacy, stating, “His fight for justice reshaped workers’ rights, equality and inclusion: ‘The American worker…is not asking for welfare but for parity.’ We honor his legacy.”
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) leadership, including President Randi Weingarten, Secretary-Treasurer Fedrick Ingram, and Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus, celebrated Jackson: “Today, we mourn the loss of a titan of justice whose life was a testament to the belief that every voice matters and real change requires relentless moral courage. For decades, the AFT stood shoulder to shoulder with him. He walked our picket lines and lifted up our members, knowing that labor rights and civil rights are inseparable. He fought tirelessly for education funding and justice, and he spoke out with urgency against the scourge of gun violence devastating our communities.”
AFT’s tribute recognized Jackson’s affirmation — “I Am somebody” — as a source of dignity and hope for young people and commended his belief in coalitions, organized labor, and the promise of democracy.
“On behalf of our 1.8 million members, we can say that our relationship with Rev. Jackson was not fleeting — it was forged in struggle and sustained in solidarity. We are better because he walked with us. We are stronger because he believed in us. May we honor his life not only in words, but in continued action — lifting up workers, protecting children, confronting injustice and proclaiming — through our deeds as well as our voices — that everybody is somebody.”