When Secretary-Treasurer Thompson asks for a motion at the general membership meetings, the first one who invariably raises his hand is Randy Marquis, a Shop Steward and heavy equipment operator at the City of Tacoma.

Randy is an avid attendee of union meetings where he plays an active role. At the September general membership meeting, Marquis stood up and questioned candidates running for the State legislature if they intended to support statewide Paid Sick Days legislation.

“You can’t just be a dues paying member and sit on the sidelines and expect to see the Union work.”

“You’ve got to attend the meetings,” Marquis insists. “You can’t just be a dues paying member and sit on the sidelines and expect to see the Union work.”

After over two decades at the City, Randy became a Shop Steward last year when an experienced, longtime Steward retired. “I didn’t have the ambition for the role, but when Kevin left I wanted to make sure that we maintained his legacy,” he said.
Randy serves as a delegate to the Pierce County Labor Council, and he attended the Washington State Labor Council Convention in Wenatchee this summer. 

Speaking of the Convention, he said: “It was a great experience. There were some great workshops, and I got to rub shoulders with other people who are concerned with making life better for working people.”

Looking ahead, Marquis says he wants to get more involved in his Union’s political program. With the election right around the corner, he’ll have plenty of opportunity to do just that!