New Teamsters at Sysco are building union density in the food service industry. 

Teamsters 117 Family -

As Teamsters, our contracts are indispensable. They guarantee our rights on the job, wage increases, benefits, vacation, and so much more. Negotiating strong contracts will always be one of the top priorities of our Union.

But if we want our contracts to raise standards across industries, if we want them to be the best they can be, we must also organize. Organizing is essential to ensuring that non-union employers don’t undercut the competition and jeopardize our ability to negotiate.

Organizing is no small feat. It takes workers having immense courage to stand up to the boss and demand respect. It also takes talented organizers who can guide workers through the challenging process of winning a voice at work.

At Local 117, we are fortunate to have an outstanding organizing department. With the help of organizers on staff, workers have been joining our Union in impressive numbers recently. Last year, a group of thirty admissions attendants at Woodland Park Zoo voted unanimously to become Teamsters. Just a few months later, 12 workers at Sysco celebrated another unanimous organizing victory when they voted to join our Union.

IN THE HOME OF THE SEAHAWKS

Some of the most exciting organizing recently has come at Lumen Field, the home of the Seahawks, Sounders and Seattle Reign. Last November, a group of 44 parking attendants at Lumen joined our Local Union. This February, another 509 workers who work at the stadium in guest services also demanded a voice with Teamsters 117.

Norma Abarca (l) and Brent Schleusner (r) are part of a group of 509 workers in Guest Services at Lumen who have organized with Teamsters 117.

The organizing work at Local 117 is happening in tandem with efforts of our International Union, which has seen thousands of workers join Teamsters over the last few months.

ORGANIZING AMAZON

Over the holidays, workers at Amazon staged a nationwide strike to draw attention to substandard conditions at the online shopping behemoth. Workers at Costco are also fighting to win their union in locations across the country, including right here in our own backyard.

This kind of organizing has a ripple effect. When workers take the brave step to join Teamsters, it improves their quality of life, raises industry standards, and inspires others to build union power in the workplace.

If you know workers who are interested in joining Teamsters, we want to hear from you. Call 206-441-4860 and ask to speak with a Union organizer.

In Solidarity,

Paul Dascher
Secretary-Treasurer