(The International Brotherhood of Teamsters issued the following on January 24, 2011.)
The Teamsters General Executive Board has reaffirmed the union’s commitment to the First Observer counterterrorism training program by approving a board resolution in support.
The First Observer program is funded by a grant from the Transportation Security Administration. It is one tool, among a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress, to strengthen the nation’s critical infrastructure against risks associated with potential terrorist attacks.
As a partner in the program, the union’s obligation is to provide outreach and training to the transportation industry. First Observer is a voluntary counterterrorism security training program that is provided to Teamster members at no cost. Members are trained to observe, assess and report things they think appear to be preparations for acts of terrorism intended to destroy our infrastructure or harm our citizens In the resolution approved Jan. 20, the GEB noted that throughout history Teamsters have served in citizen corps helping lead the United States through catastrophes and other challenges. This kind of service has become a long-standing Teamster tradition.
Local unions began receiving training DVD’s and instructions last week and are encouraged to present the training to their membership or refer them to the dedicated web site.
For more information, visit www.teamster.org/firstobserver.