Just a friendly reminder to make sure you fill out your ballot and drop it in the mail for the 2019 Primary Election by August 6. You no longer need a stamp to make your voice heard! 

Ballots were mailed out to registered voters on July 17. Last year's turnout in Washington State was the highest in 20 years. Let's do our part as union members to make sure results remain strong.

Not surprisingly, presidential and mid-term election years increase voter turnout significantly. But it's equally important for us as concerned citizens to participate in off-year elections.

This year, many of the candidates on your ballot are strong supporters of working families. There are excellent candidates vying for the four seats up for reelection on the King County Council and for the seven open seats on the Seattle City Council.

The outcome of these races and others in the counties and towns across our region will have a tremendous impact on policies and regulations that will affect us for years to come.

Please fill out your ballot and drop it in the mail as soon as possible. If you want to learn about the candidates our union has endorsed through our member-driven process, please visit our union's endorsements page on our website. 

Welcome our new Union Representative for members at the Department of Corrections, Frederick Rodgers.

Fred grew up in Miami Florida and graduated from Southeast Oklahoma State University in 1990 with majors in Sociology and Physical Education. After college he joined the Dallas Police Department where he reached the rank of Senior Corporal and taught defensive tactics. At that time he was part of the Texas Police Officers Association. After 10 years with the Dallas Police Department he pursued a different career and moved to Washington State to become a security director of Go2Net. After leaving Go2Net he managed his own security consulting company Rodgers Ventures LLC.

Fred started working with DOC in 2003 at the Monroe Correctional Complex. He started as a custody officer and worked his way up to a Sergeant with experience working at all the facilities at MCC. In December 2011, he became a classification counselor and upgraded to a supervisory role including a year and a half as Correctional Unit Supervisor at the Washington State Reformatory Unit A/B units.

Fred is assigned to Monroe Correctional Complex. He is looking forward to working with his old colleagues in a new role.

In his spare time, Fred lift weights and plays racquetball. He also follows the success of his 15-year-old son who plays football at Kentwood High School.

Welcome to the family, Fred, we wish you success!

Yulia Issa is the new face on the communications team and her joining Teamsters has not been an accident.

In the past couple of years she has been organizing grassroots movement for social, economic and environmental justice in Thurston County and has been elected as a National Delegate in the recent Democratic primaries.

She has a background in design and writing and holds three academic degrees in Graphic Design, Literature, and Fine Arts respectively. A naturalized immigrant, she speaks four languages and believes that democracy at the workplace is the basis for a fair and thriving society.

Yulia is also a mother to a rambunctious toddler who likes chewing on her hair and a ballerina preschooler who outperforms her in creating art. She bakes them designer cakes and hits the running trail when both are tucked away in bed.

Get ready to cut loose and have some fun! The Teamsters National Black Caucus - Pacific Northwest Chapter is hosting our second Teamsters Casino Night on Saturday, April 16, 2016 starting at 8 PM at the Teamsters Union Hall in Tukwila.  

We'll have dinner, dancing, and a chance to win some great prizes. All Teamsters, family members and the general public are welcome to attend!  Proceeds from the event will go to support the fight against diabetes and heart disease.

The price of tickets is: $50.  The price includes:

• Dinner
• Gaming chips, “re-buys” possible
• Two beverage tickets
• Dancing with live DJ
• Eligible for raffle items
• Grand Prize (for most chip earner)

Buy tickets online or talk to your Business Representative for more information.