IBT Eastern Conference of Teamsters Records

Within the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, between 1937 and 1995, members of the union met and exchanged ideas on a regional basis. These regional organizations were called Area Conferences. In the U.S. there were four area Area Conferences: the Western Conference of Teamsters formed in 1937, the Southern Conference of Teamsters formed in 1944, the Central States Conference of teamster formed in 1953, and the Eastern Conference of Teamsters also formed in 1953. Canadian Teamsters had their own Canadian Conference of Teamsters, known today as Teamsters Canada. Area Conferences met annually to discuss general issues facing the IBT and to hold discussion more directly relevant to IBT Trade Divisions: contract negotiations, organizing campaigns, workplace disputes, etc. For example, when the Central States Conference met, after the general sessions, delegates would meet based on the trades they represented: the brewery and soft drink delegates coming together, cannery delegates coming together, dairy delegates coming together, etc. In this way, the IBT was strengthened in terms of both national and regional coordination of efforts. The Area Conferences came under criticism during the General Presidency of Ron Carey. Making the argument that they were redundant and wasteful, Carey disbanded them in 1995.