Membership votes the Scearcy Unity Slate to continue to lead our Local Union

All of the votes have been counted in our Local Union’s internal election and the results are in. You, the members of Teamsters 117, have voted to elect the Scearcy Unity Slate to continue to lead our Local Union for the next three years.

Paul Zilly | October 24, 2016

Newly-elected Local 117 E-Board (from 1 to r): Alfredo Espino, Scott Anderson, Michelle Woodrow, John Scearcy, Marcus Willams, Cynthia Adams, Dave Roberts.

All of the votes have been counted in our Local Union’s internal election and the results are in.

You, the members of Teamsters 117, have voted to elect the Scearcy Unity Slate to continue to lead our Local Union for the next three years.

The final election results will be certified by Arbitrator Anthony Vivenzio, and will be published on our Union’s website as soon as they become available.

The new Teamsters 117 Executive Board as elected by the membership of our Union is:

John Scearcy – Secretary-Treasurer
Michelle Woodrow – President
Marcus Williams – Vice President
Dave Roberts – Recording Secretary
Cynthia Adams – Trustee
Scott Anderson – Trustee
Alfredo Espino – Trustee

"As the newly-elected Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters 117, I am deeply honored and humbled to serve the members of our great Union," said John Scearcy.

"Thank you to all of the members who participated in our Union’s democratic process. Your participation and engagement as Teamsters makes our Union strong. Now is the time for all of us to come together to build a better future for all members of Teamsters 117."

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Joschue Reyes commented on Membership votes the Scearcy Unity Slate to continue to lead our Local Union 2016-10-27 04:39:11 -0700

I appreciate your input, however I was part of tge last negotiation team in which we did receive a 9.8 raise increase. Regardless we still brought this to the members for a vote. Historically, the membership have always sided with the recommendation of the local when it comes to whether to ratify a contract or not. Of course there are people who dont. These people have the right to that choice. We were told by some of the negotiation team that they were afraid to put it to the members because they were afraid it would pass because of the raises for medical staff. In mybopinion this jeopardizes the integrity of any contract. Howver i believe it sends a stronger message to show the membership is in agreement rather than 20 people being tge sole decision makers. The argument has been proposed tgat it costs too much money to run an election. However if conservation of money is key than you cannot “have your cake and eat it too.” I have always been one to research prior to posting. The amount of money our local spends on " special interests" is absurd. I commend you for having a choice, sticking by it, backing it up in a professional and productive way. I suppose time will tell.
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Thomas Perino commented on Membership votes the Scearcy Unity Slate to continue to lead our Local Union 2016-10-26 22:29:31 -0700

No we don’t live in a democracy, we live in a representative republic which history has proven to be the form of government most effective at advancing society. History has also shown that taking every issue to a direct vote would cause passion, rather than logic and reason to dominate the action taken. Logic and reason being that the outcome makes sense, and this shouldn’t be confused with “the ends justifies the means” which usually has a more nefarious connotation. We do however, democratically choose those that lead, and that’s what just happened for the first time in quite a while so I’ve heard. I’m very comfortable with empowering elected leaders with the authority necessary to effectively carry out their mission on behalf of those that they represent. It’s been paying off for us on these last two contracts for certain, and we can’t forget that it takes effective leaders to press on legislature to oblige them to fund these contracts. I hear how well our leaders argue in those arbitration hearings, and see the successes that are achieved for us, and it gives me a great confidence in their ability which is enough to secure my support and my vote. I do look at other non-represented staff and those under different contracts, and it reminds me that all unions are not equal and I feel fortunate to be working under the contract our current leadership has secured for us. Those fine DOC staff not represented by Teamsters sure wish they were after they see our contracts. These present contracts have been a welcome change to not getting raises (or much of anything else) for the previous 4 or 5 contracts (that we voted on.) I’m personally very grateful that we get to retain this current leadership team and that they have been confirmed through an election by the members. I don’t think that makes me or anyone else who trusts their elected leaders to take care of business a marionette on a string. As for retaliation, it would be foolish and a guaranteed way to get sued to retaliate against employees for following a democratic process the union was mandated to adhere to the day after the election. That’s why I theorize the likelihood of there being issues prior to this and the election could be a means to delay that for the employee, and it had to be waited out in order to take action for the employer. Makes sense to me if you get break it down like that, but I have to try to think like a criminal everyday in order to combat criminal behavior. I honestly have no idea, but neither does anyone else so if “retaliation” is going to blasted all over the internet, it seems that in the spirit of decency and thoughtful debate, a counter theory should be presented as well. Hopefully nobody loses their job because that’s not something I would wish on anyone unless they really earned it for themselves.
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Joschue Reyes commented on Membership votes the Scearcy Unity Slate to continue to lead our Local Union 2016-10-26 20:36:18 -0700

I find it extremely hard that 7 business reps are facing discipline at the same time in one year. How come these issues have never arisen prior to announcement of running for office? Why weren’t these issues brought up under previous leaderships? Were previous leaders incompetent? In addition you mention raises. Honestly the ends do not necessarily justify the means. On the last DOC contract we have been denied to vote. The state has always approached us with crappy counteroffers on every contract? Why was our ability to vote not taken back then? I say its because the leadership did not want to waste the time on an vote. They had a campaign to run after all. It is my right to exercise my voting rights rights as dues paying member. Yes stewards were chosen to bring issues brought forward by the members. Not to make the decision to have it ratified or not. Not to make the decision whether it should be brought to the members or not. This is 20 people making that decision for 6000. I find it interesting that people tend to criticize the election process. Do we not live in a democracy? Fracturing our local was a direct result of implying that elections are bad. Some may be fine with others pulling there strings like a marionette doll but I for one am not one of those..
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Thomas Perino commented on Membership votes the Scearcy Unity Slate to continue to lead our Local Union 2016-10-26 19:46:04 -0700

Is it possible that some of those reps were already facing discipline for other reasons, and running in the election was a bold move to slam the brakes on that action and then to avoid it altogether if they won? Just wondering, because that seems plausible given how things have transpired. For DOC, over 20% in raises, a huge bump in annual leave, and other gains all while stopping some egregious moves by the state. I’m struggling to see the problem that warrants fracturing our local like this election did. WA State will likely face another recession soon and because of these last two contracts, we are now in a stronger position to withstand that. This is not the time to commit Harry Caray.
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Joschue Reyes commented on Membership votes the Scearcy Unity Slate to continue to lead our Local Union 2016-10-25 17:02:40 -0700

I am in complete agreement sheryl. Especually since this is the scare tactic to keep people from supporting the other slate. That pete would fire everyone if he won. I push for DOC to have its own local
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Sheryl Green commented on Membership votes the Scearcy Unity Slate to continue to lead our Local Union 2016-10-25 09:07:00 -0700

Is it true, is our local leadership firing any business reps who didn’t support them through out this Democratic process? If so, they’re no better than the leadership we fight against regularly for fair treatment in the work place.
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Todd Olmsted-Fredrickson commented on Membership votes the Scearcy Unity Slate to continue to lead our Local Union 2016-10-24 18:44:47 -0700

Right on!