06/01/2026
Last school year, Teamsters Local 455's The Young Regulators (TYR), a group of young union activists dedicated to teaching students about alternatives to college, addressed students from 17 schools in the region, sharing the power of trade unionism and giving non-traditional students hope. Turns out their message is in huge demand: This year, TYR spoke at 62 events, reaching thousands of students from 84 schools across Colorado.
From Jefferson, Boulder and Denver counties to Colorado Springs and scattered mountain towns, says Scott Nillson, who leads the group, students are hearing the benefits of careers that don't require a degree but do provide secure, meaningful job security, pay living wages and offer health care and retirement security.
"I tell them I barely graduated high school and was told I'd be lucky to flip burgers," Nillson says. "I see these kids' eyes light up when they hear there's another way to be able to have a good job, buy a house and take care of their families."
TYR's message has been warmly received by educators across the region. "Schools are already calling us and booking events for the 2026-27 school year, and they're starting to add our message to a business/labor curriculum," says Nillson. But the highlight for Nillson is that the students themselves want more. "There are kids from last year coming up with our Teamster lanyards and pins and telling their friends they need to hear what we have to say."
Are you under age 40, an active Teamsters Local 455 member in good standing who'd like to join TYR? Go here to provide your information: https://form.jotform.com/250076461653052
