(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) - Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF) President Peter DeJesus has released the following statement regarding the death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee and the video footage of his arrest released by the Memphis Police Department:

The inhumanity and injustice our Nation saw perpetrated against Tyre Nichols is morally and civically unacceptable.

It is the latest in a long string of violent acts that have been perpetrated against People of Color for too much of our history.

As Brothers, Sisters and Siblings, the WNY Area Labor Federation's 145,000 Members mourn, send our prayers and commit ourselves to greater action within our workplaces and communities.

True justice would be Tyre Nicholas alive and breathing, at home with his child and family.

Since that possibility was fatally beaten and tased into impossibility, we demand transformation, and where necessary, deconstruction of the system that has shown with horrifying consistency its failure to treat the lives of Black and Brown Americans as equals.

For his family, we pray that the murder trails of the five indicted Officers be commensurately thorough and swift.

There is nothing left to say, only work to do and justice to demand from the systems that allege to keep us safe.

In alignment with the National AFL-CIO, we believe it is incumbent on our Union Siblings in Law Enforcement to demand more of themselves and their Collective Bargaining Agreements - to expand pre-employment standards, background checks and trainings that could save innocent lives and protect the Union from being forced to defend the indefensible.

Local Police Unions can also implement the Union Law Enforcement Accountability and Duty Standards (U-LEADS) Program to empower local Members to speak up and take action if fellow Members violate their professional oath or abuse their power.

This is a paramount step in rebuilding public trust and credibility.

Locally we encourage our Union Members of Color, faced with this recurring trauma, to take full advantage of the benefits and resources available to them in and out of their workplaces under their Collective Bargaining Agreements.

We encourage them to access any and all mental health resources available through their health care plan, take time off as needed for self and family care and communicate with their union steward about their well-being at work.

The WNYALF - whose mission is to improve the lives of and increase the power for Working Families, bring fairness and dignity to the workplace and secure social equity, represents 145,000 Union Members across six counties and five Central Labor Councils.