The state legislature is right to focus on fully-funding our public education system as required under the McCleary decision. We need to invest in our children. But legislators in Olympia must also invest in the public servants who provide essential services to the residents of our state. These include the corrections employees who staff our state’s prison system.

Congratulations to our Teamster Brothers and Sisters at GP Gypsum in Tacoma. The group voted yesterday to ratify a new 4-year contract.

More than two hundred Teamsters working for the Department of Corrections, along with their families and supporters, converged on the State Capitol in Olympia today with a simple message for lawmakers: It's time to invest in the men and women who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.

Talk about your experience becoming a Teamster. I got hired with Waste Management about 20 years ago. I liked it because they were offering “union-like” benefits. When I got the job, they said, “You’re going to be a Teamster.”

We have some good news to report from our legal team’s appearance in court yesterday.

We're excited to welcome Takele Gobena, a new Union Representative for members of Teamsters Local 117 working in the private sector.

We’re excited to welcome Johnnie Uzzell, a new Union Representative at Teamsters 117. Johnnie is outgoing, with a contagious personality. By his own admission, he loves to talk, but he’s a problem solver as well.

Next week, more than two hundred Local 117 members working for the Department of Corrections will converge on Olympia with a simple message for legislators: It's time to invest in the men and women who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.

Our bill to modify the Public Records Act to protect your personal information is in danger of not getting a hearing.

Using a Public Records Act that hasn’t been updated in 45 years, an individual going by the name of Robert Hungerschafer will gain access to the personal information of all DOC employees.

I'm sure many of you have been following the terrible hostage crisis at the Delaware Department of Corrections that has been unfolding over the last few days.

More groups of unrepresented staff at the Department of Corrections are building power and organizing to join Teamsters.

We are in the process of scheduling demands meetings for members at King County to discuss upcoming small table bargaining. This is your opportunity to provide feedback and set priorities as we move into bargaining.

One of the great pleasures of our recent trip to McNeil Island was visiting with Philip Howse, a senior heavy equipment mechanic who has been in state service since 1998.

Let's welcome Carrie Barnett, a new Union Rep at Teamsters 117. Before joining our Local 117 staff, Carrie worked in the Transit Division at King County, where she was a Shop Steward and participated in contract negotiations.