Willie Ford is the President and Principal Officer of Local 71 in Charlotte, North Carolina, which represents roughly 2500 members, including UPS, Freight, UPS Freight, the American Red Cross and worker in the movie industry. He is a Candidate for Trustee. Ford has been a member of the Teamsters since 1987 working for UPS. He has experience in package and feeders. Ford was a longtime steward before becoming an elected officer. He was first elected to leadership at his local I 1998, serving as Trustee for Local 71.

Ford rose to prominence during the UPS contact campaign, as a leader in mobilizing UPS Teamsters in opposition to contract givebacks. Ford joins the O’Brien/Zuckerman-Teamsters United Slate “to bring a new direction to our International Union.” He is “up for the challenge of empowering and engaging our membership to take on the fight and reverse givebacks in our core industries, invest in new organizing, and restore Teamster power.” Ford’s top priorities as a candidate for Trustee are to end contract givebacks and mobilize to win contract improvements; invest in organizing in core industries and new industries; and empower the ranks and file members to become engaged in the Union.