A spirit of solidarity was flourishing at our annual Shop Steward Seminar on March 8.

More than 300 Local 117 member leaders came together in Seattle on Saturday, March 8, to build power and unity and to strategize for the future. Teamsters 117’s Shop Steward Seminar & Appreciation Day is an annual event that gives rank-and-file leaders the opportunity to develop their skills in running contract campaigns, enforcing contracts, organizing, and learning about the IBT’s history in fighting for social justice and expanding the rights of workers.

“The fact that this was the largest, most well-attended seminar in the history of our Local speaks volumes about how engaged our Stewards are and how seriously they take their role as rank-and-file leaders,” said Paul Dascher, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 117. “This event is not only a chance for Stewards to develop their skills so they can better serve the membership but also our way of thanking them for their hard work and sacrifice in protecting and representing members in the workplace.”

SOLIDARITY IN ACTION!

Steward Trey Sturdivant knows a thing or two about the power of sticking together.

The theme of this year’s seminar was Solidarity in Action. One of the Steward attendees, Trey Sturdivant, a merchandiser at Swire Coca-Cola, talked about what solidarity means to him. “Solidarity means somebody has my back and is watching out for me when I’m not there,” Sturdivant said. “It means that I have people around me that I can call on when I don’t know the answers. It means somebody gives me a hand up when I need it. It means we are all in this together.”

President and Executive Director Maria Williams welcomed two keynote speakers to the event, one of whom was King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay, whom Teamsters 117 is endorsing in the race for King County Executive. In his address, Zahilay emphasized the importance of showing solidarity with the most vulnerable residents of our communities. “I imagine a world where people who are experiencing gun violence, or homelessness, or having their identity questioned, or are afraid of being deported are shown the same level of solidarity that we see in our labor unions,” Zahilay said. “We might not agree on every issue, but we know we can put the things we agree on in writing, advocate for each other, and hold the people in power accountable.”

SEMINAR PHOTOS HERE

The other keynote speaker was Peter Finn, Western Region Vice President, Public Services & Health Care Division Director, Joint Council 7 President, and Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 856. Finn praised the work of Local 117 and spoke about the need to build union density and to fight back against corporate greed. “Teamsters 117 is a proactive, forward-thinking Local Union that is winning strong contracts for its members,” Finn said. “Like Local 117, we need to be ready to fight because corporations are funneling wealth into the hands of the one percent and leaving only a pittance for the workers that make them profitable. The best way to counter corporate greed is to organize anti-union behemoths like Amazon and Uber and make sure workers have a voice and the power to negotiate.”

Peter Finn (l) and Paul Dascher (r) sharing info and strategizing about how unions can best build power.

After the plenary session, members were able to choose from two of four educational workshops, including Leading Through Challenging Times, facilitated by Rina Hatch, IBT Director of Training and Grants, Organizing for Power, led by IBT Organizer Justin Brookshire, Signing Up Members & Growing Our Power and Building Solidarity in Action to Win Strong Contracts, both of which were led by teams of Local 117 Organizers and Union Representatives. During lunch, IBT historian Karin Jones gave an excellent presentation on the history of solidarity in the Teamsters Union.

“I am incredibly proud and grateful for our Steward leaders, our IBT partners, and our staff who bring their talents, experience, and passion for workers’ rights to the Teamsters Union and the labor movement,” Secretary-Treasurer Dascher said. “We are blessed at Teamsters 117 to have a powerhouse Union that values all voices and is well-equipped to meet the challenges of the future.”