Teamsters National Black Caucus Mourns the Passing of Brother Chris Silvera

Longest-Serving Teamster Principal Officer | First Elected Chairman, Teamsters National Black Caucus | Champion of Labor, Justice, and Brotherhood

It is with profound grief and heavy hearts that the Teamsters National Black Caucus yesterday learned of the passing of our beloved Brother Chris Silvera — a giant of the labor movement, an irreplaceable voice for working people, and a man whose life was a living testament to what it means to serve with purpose, dignity, and unwavering conviction.

Brother Silvera was the longest-serving Teamster principal officer in the history of our great union, and the first elected Chairman of the Teamsters National Black Caucus — a distinction that speaks not only to his extraordinary dedication, but to the profound trust and respect that his Brothers and Sisters placed in him. His leadership was not simply a title; it was a calling he answered every single day.

Chris Silvera was a true trade unionist in the fullest sense of the word. He understood that the labor movement is not merely about contracts and wages — it is about human dignity, about the right of every working person to stand tall, to be seen, and to be heard. He carried this truth with him into every negotiation, every shop floor, every meeting, and every struggle.

He was a mentor who poured his wisdom into the next generation without reservation, a relentless barrier-breaker who refused to accept “no” when justice demanded “yes,” and an educator who believed that an informed worker is an empowered worker. He was a historian who knew where we came from so he could chart where we needed to go. He was a real riser — a man who lifted himself, and then reached back to lift others.

Brother Silvera’s passing is a shock to us all. The void he leaves cannot be measured. His presence in a room filled it. His counsel steadied us. His laughter reminded us why we fight. And his example — day after day, decade after decade — showed us what it looks like to give everything you have to the people you serve.

The Teamsters National Black Caucus extends our deepest condolences to his family, his friends, the members of Teamsters Local 808, and every soul that Chris touched in his remarkable journey through this life. To those who knew him closely: know that you are not alone in your grief. We grieve with you. We hold you.

Chris Silvera believed that the best tribute we can pay to those who came before us is to continue the work. We commit to honoring his legacy not only in words, but in action — in every fight for fairness, every stand against injustice, and every hand we extend to a working person in need.

Rest in power, Brother Chris Silvera. Your work lives on in all of us.

“He was not just a leader. He was the conscience of our movement.”

— Chairman James “Curb” Curbeam 

Teamsters National Black Caucus