Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 819 President Tiran Billups of Newark has died, InsiderNJ has learned.

His cause of death was complications arising from the coronavirus.

Leader of the biggest ATU local in the state with over 2,000 members, he was running around in the early stages of the virus in New Jersey, trying to protect his members.

He spent around 60 days in the hospital fighting for his life.

“Tiran was a fighter who left a legacy of fighting not only for workers’ rights but for civil rights,” said ATU International Vice President Ray Greaves. “He always gave all he could to better the lives of his members and workers. He would never back down from a fight for them.”