Teamster Diana Kilmury, BCs Tough & Fearless Truck Driving Woman, Podcast Ep. 23
Against all odds, pioneering truck driver Diana Kilmury rose through the ranks of the Teamsters union battling corruption and sexism to eventually be elected as international vice-president. In this episode of On the Line, host Rod Mickleburgh profiles Kilmury: one of the first women to work in heavy construction and long-haul trucking in British Columbia. Her technical competence, persistence, and ability to navigate male-dominated worksites won her the respect of her peers and a place within Teamsters Local 213.
Publication date: November 27, 2023
Podcast length: 39:38
Hosted by: Rod Mickleburgh
Research and writing by: Patricia Wejr and Rod Mickleburgh
Production by: John Mabbott
Kilmury’s introduction to union activism came during internal conflicts in Local 213, when she supported a reform candidate ousted by national leadership. This experience led her to Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU), a grassroots movement dedicated to accountability and democratic reform within the union. Through the TDU, Kilmury became a key figure in the broader effort to challenge entrenched leadership and expose connections between union executives and organized crime.
The episode features vivid recollections from Kilmury about her time as a delegate at the 1981 Teamsters convention in Las Vegas, where she delivered a forceful speech advocating for an Ethical Practices Committee. Her remarks drew national media attention and symbolized the growing momentum for reform. When the U.S. Department of Justice brought racketeering charges against the Teamsters leadership in 1989, Kilmury and other TDU members successfully advocated for direct elections by union members, leading to a historic vote.
In 1991, she was elected international vice-president—the first woman to hold that role—and helped implement reforms alongside president Ron Carey. Though later defeated in a subsequent election, Kilmury’s impact on the culture and governance of the Teamsters Union remains substantial. Her story exemplifies the power of principled dissent within institutions resistant to change, and the role that determined individuals can play in advancing democratic accountability within the labour movement.