DOC Teamsters visit our grocery shops with Secretary-Treasurer John Scearcy and Business Rep Marcus Williams.

It was solidarity building at its finest.

Three DOC members on our Union team headed out after bargaining on Tuesday to visit other Local 117 Teamsters working in our grocery warehouses.

Together with Secretary-Treasurer John Scearcy and Vice President Marcus Williams, the DOC group walked the floor at SuperValu in Tacoma and at our Safeway produce shop in Auburn.  

It was a chance for members from different industries to connect, learn about each others' work, and share experiences.

"It gave us a good understanding of where they're coming from and what their work environment is," said Shawn Piliponis, a counselor at the Larch Corrections Center in Yacolt. "Hearing the stories about how their time is always accounted for down to the minute was an eye-opener."

Secretary-Treasurer Scearcy and the DOC team took the opportunity to relay information about the DOC bargaining process. They urged the grocery Teamsters to call the legislature, when the time comes, to support funding the DOC contract.

Our grocery members learned that they have strong allies at the DOC should they run into trouble securing their own contracts.

"This was a great experience," said Jeremy Sheldon of CBCC. "It shows the solidarity as far as public and private sector realizing the struggles that we both have - and that we've got each others' backs."