Jimmy Hoffa IBT would expand as the union itself grew. Hoffa worked to defend the Teamsters unions from raids by other unions, including the CIO, and extended the Teamsters' influence in the Midwestern states, from the late 1930s to the late 1940s. Although he never actually worked as a truck driver, he became president of Local 299 in December 1946. He then rose to lead the combined group of Detroit-area locals shortly afterwards, and advanced to become head of the Michigan Teamsters groups sometime later. During this time, Hoffa obtained a deferment from military service in World War II by successfully making
Bathurst Trade Union Bathurst Trade Union The Bathurst Trade Union was the first trade union organization in Bathurst, today Banjul, the capital of The Gambia. It was founded by Edward Francis Small in 1929, out of the Carpenters' and Shipwrights' Society. Small became the chairman of BTU. In October the same year the BTU was joined by other craftsmen associations. BTU received support from the British Labour Research Department and the British section of the League against Imperialism. In the fall of 1929, BTU led a 3-week strike. Its membership grew rapidly. By April 1930 it claimed a membership of around 1000. However,