Retired Member Shares Life, Labor Lessons With Teamster Magazine

It’s my weakness and I proudly admit it. Since childhood, I’ve been a sucker for talent shows. Just the thought of random unknowns showing off quirky tricks has me on the edge of my seat, smiling with anticipation.

From the unforgettable Leonid the Magnificent to last year’s humble but extraordinary chicken plucker, Kevin Skinner, “America’s Got Talent” has become a staple of my prime-time, summer TV lineup. In fact, it’s my entire summer TV lineup. Acts from the show have impressed me, inspired me, delighted me, and in some instances, horrified me. But no act has touched me more than one I witnessed during the show’s most recent auditions.

His was the last act to air from Chicago—a jovial little man who, despite being full of energy, also had a calm, soothing air about him. He said he was a tap dancer and if he were to win the show’s grand prize—$1 million and a headlining act in Las Vegas—his wife would treat herself to a facelift. His name: Phil Trau.

Producers of the show usually follow a pattern, saving the best for last. So when Trau, at 74 years old, came onto the stage and set up a homely box that unfolded into a tiny pair of steps, I, along with the rest of America, I’m sure, wondered what exactly was going on. This certainly didn’t look like a million-dollar act.

Then it began. With steps light as a feather but fast as lightning, Trau razzled and dazzled, clicking his heals and tapping his toes. He was astonishing—so much so that he impressed even hard-hearted judge Piers Morgan.

But what captured my attention most wasn’t the praise Trau received or even the way he tapped—it was the job title that appeared for a brief instance under his name just before he began dancing: “Retired Teamster.”

I was ecstatic! Anyone who knows me knows I’m a union girl at heart. The daughter of a Steelworker, someone who is fiercely devoted to the labor movement and an employee of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Communications Department, I feel I have a family of hardworking men and women spread all across this nation. In the world of Jimmy Hoffa, Caesar Chavez and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, that made Trau my brother.

And in the world of my labor, Trau was a great story. I immediately wanted Teamsters everywhere to know about this guy—about the chances he took and the amazing job he did.

With help from Will Petty of Teamsters Joint Council 25 in Chicago, that daunting task was narrowed down to one, 10-digit phone number. With that, I made the call. My mind was going a million miles a minute until, after only two rings, the sweet, soft, calming voice of an older gentleman answered the phone. Even before I asked, I knew this was Phil Trau.

Dance Prodigy

With a chuckle and a twinkle in his voice, words rolled off Trau’s tongue with the same jovialness and zest America had seen on “America’s Got Talent.” After only minutes, it became clear that this retired Teamster had three passions in life: family, dance and labor.

Trau explained the act he had performed for the “America’s Got Talent” auditions was actually a tribute to his parents and his dance teacher. And with that, he began to unravel the complex story of his life. Like a quilt, each piece—though uniquely different—fit perfectly together to create a fascinating individual.

“My dad knew ever since I was eight or nine months old that I was going to be a dancer,” Trau said. “The music would go on and my little legs would start moving. The music’ed go off, and my legs would stop. Go on, they’d start moving again.”

Those early predictions were spot on. Trained in tap, Trau spent a lifetime dancing everything from swing to salsa. He mastered the Lindy Hop, the Jitterbug, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, ballroom, solos and duets.

During the Korean War, he and his sister had an act which they performed for veterans. Trau toured with the Kingston Trio and taught lessons all around the United States. He even placed first at the U.S. Open Swing Dance Competition four times. Today, he is a member of the United States Dance Council and U.S. Open Swing Dance Competition Advisory Committee.

“Dance has been a real fun thing in my life. I never worried about winning, because it was something I enjoyed doing,” Trau said. “You have to have fun with your life. We’re only here for a blip. If I die dancing, my survivors will know I died doing something I love.”

But for Trau, dancing goes beyond joy; it is in his genes. Both of Trau’s grandparents were highly talented tap dancers and his father excelled at ballroom dancing.

A Union Man Through And Through

Aside from being a talented dancer in his own right, Trau’s father was also a Teamster—one who sacrificed greatly for the very rights so many hold dear today.

“I know a lot of the Teamster history because my dad told me,” Trau said. “My dad helped organize the Teamsters back in the late 20s and 30s. My dad got beat up so bad from the goon squad back then that my grandmother used to tell me sometimes she wouldn’t recognize him when he came home.”

And it was Trau’s father that first introduced him to the union back in the 1950s. A newspaper man by trade—Trau and his father both worked on printing machines and inserts—he was a member of the International Typographical Union. When the ITU merged with the Teamsters, Trau called it one of the greatest days of his life.

“The ITU was OK but the Teamsters are a lot better,” Trau said. “We got into the Western Conference and I’m real thankful for that. I got a good retirement.”

It is the experiences Trau had with the Teamsters that led him to list his profession as a retired Teamster while competing on “America’s Got Talent.”

“I’m proud of it,” Trau said. “I’m proud being a union member. It’s one of the best things that has ever happened to me.”

In fact, it was Trau’s union job that allowed him to pursue his dance dreams. Working four days on and three days off, he had the time to practice, travel and share his talent with the masses.

He continues to share his love of dance with those around him. Trau teaches dance at a studio he co-founded in California and says lessons from dancing can be applied to any aspect of life.

“In the 32 years I’ve been teaching, I’ve had a lot of students with two left feet. But anyone who wants to dance can dance,” Trau said. “No matter what age you are, you just have to practice. Practice makes perfect—that’s everything in life.”

True Teamster

Spoiler alert: Though Trau did make it to Las Vegas on “America’s Got Talent,” he didn’t make it through to the final round. But that’s OK, he said. The important thing was he had fun along the way.

“I got to spend five days in Vegas. The judges really are a bunch of nice people to work with,” Trau said. “I especially got a kick out of Sharon Osbourne.”

Though his wife may never get that facelift she’s been wanting, Trau knows they will be just fine, thanks to their love for one another, their love of dance and their love for family.

If there’s one thing I learned from Trau, though, it’s that Teamsters come in all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life. A deeply philosophical dancing man who impressed upon me wisdom from the ages, Trau may not be your average Teamster, but he left me with these words:

“I’ve been a union man all my life. Nobody can bullcrap me about unions. That’s one thing I’ll get fired up about. People today say you don’t always need unions, but they’re finding out that isn’t the case.”

True words spoken from a true Teamster. Thanks, Phil.

 

By Jonna Huseman, Communications Specialist