teamsters

Teamster Talk #12: Marching toward justice
Quote of the month: "Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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A message from your Secretary-Treasurer, Tracey A. Thompson

Brothers and Sisters:

As Americans, we all recognize the extraordinary contributions Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made to the advancement of civil rights in this country.  King organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott, led a groundbreaking march on Washington, and paved the way for the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964.

Dr. King was also a champion of organized labor. In 1961 King said, “The labor movement was the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress.”
In April 1968, King went to Memphis to lend his support to city sanitation workers who were striking in protest of low wages and poor working conditions.  King not only worked tirelessly to end racial discrimination, segregation and Jim Crow laws, but he also worked to improve conditions for workers and to end poverty.

Members of Teamsters Local 117 proudly honored the legacy of Dr. King by participating in the annual MLK March and Rally in Seattle on January 17.  Teamsters at Local 117 and 174 also engaged in a solidarity action at Waste Management, one of many held in cities across the country, in support of sanitation workers, who perform dangerous and important work.

Thank you for joining us in these actions to celebrate the achievements of Dr. King and to continue our efforts to expand the rights, wages and benefits of working families.

In Solidarity,

Tracey A. Thompson
Secretary-Treasurer


Teamsters unite in honor of Dr. King's legacy
Members of Teamsters Local 117 and their families joined thousands of community members to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the annual MLK March and Rally in Seattle on January 17, 2011.

It was a daylong celebration honoring the late, great civil rights leader, with workshops in the morning, an 11 A.M. rally, and a noonday march from Garfield High School in Seattle’s Central District to the federal building downtown.

Earlier in the day, Teamster sanitation workers at Waste Management (WMI) from Locals 117 and 174 engaged in solidarity actions at several of WMI’s facilities in the area to honor the King holiday and to draw attention to issues involving workplace safety, working conditions, and ongoing contract fights with the company. Similar actions were held at cities across the country. Read more.


Challenging legislative session kicks off in Olympia
Follow your Union's work in Olympia on Twitter here!
On January 10, 2011, an extremely challenging 105-day legislative session got underway in Olympia. Your Local Union continues to fight hard to protect the interests of working families as the Washington State Legislature struggles to confront a $5.6 billion deficits.

Your Union’s Government Relations Coordinator Anna Jancewicz will be in Olympia every day throughout the session representing members of Teamsters Local 117, while Political Action Coordinator Lily Wilson-Codega will be busy mobilizing members from our Legislative and Political Action Committees to provide testimony, lobbying and support. Read more.


Admin Support group wins financial boost for senior employees
Working in a coalition of Unions that represent administrative support classifications throughout King County, your Local Union has achieved a tentative agreement which financially recognizes long-term County employees for their service.

Under the agreement, approximately 250 Local 117 members in the County’s administrative support classifications will receive longevity pay after 15 years of service so long as they maintain a minimum performance threshold. Read more.


Grocery Summit planned for February 5, 2011
Your Local Union is planning an industry-wide grocery summit on February 5, 2011 to prepare for upcoming contract negotiations.

In the past, your Union bargained a “master agreement” that maintained working conditions, wages and benefits for all Union members throughout the industry. The idea behind the summit is to build solidarity and bring the power of a united grocery membership back into the bargaining process.

The summit will be the first meeting for members of all the grocery houses to come together and discuss ways to improve communication and establish partnerships across the industry before bargaining starts in 2011.  Read more.

January 2011

Mark your calendars!
Jan. 2011 - DOC Contract Vote
Feb. 5 - Grocery Summit

Feb. 12 - Comite Latino
Feb. 21 - Walla Walla PAC Mtg.

DOC Vote - January 2011
For more information about the upcoming contract vote for Teamsters at DOC, click here.

Grocery Summit - Feb. 5
Your Union is planning an industry-wide grocery summit on February 5, 2011 to prepare for upcoming grocery negotiations. For more information, click here.

Comite Latino - Feb. 12
Your Union's Latino Caucus has big plans for 2011. Join us from 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM on February 12 for a presentation on the Teamsters pension plan in Spanish from Northwest Administrators.

For more information, call 206-441-4860 ext. 1269.

Walla Walla PAC - Feb. 21
The legislative session iis well underway, and your Local Union is busy in Olympia advocating on behalf of the rights of working families.

Our next PAC meeting is in Walla Walla on February 21, 2011 from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM.

For more information, click here or contact Lily Wilson-Codega at 206-441-4860 ext. 1262.



 

 

 

* Teamster Talk: News from Teamsters Local 117 *

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14675 Interurban Ave. S., Suite 307, Tukwila, WA 98168

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