Welcome back Tracey Thompson (l) and thank you Marie Duarte (r) for your outstanding service!

Brothers and Sisters -

Changes are coming to our outstanding Teamsters 117 legal team. In September, Marie Duarte, our Associate General Counsel, will be returning to the east coast to be closer to her family.

During her tenure at Local 117, Marie has been a passionate advocate for workers' rights, has successfully defended dozens of members of our union in arbitration, and has handled challenging litigation. My deep appreciation goes out to Marie for her work on behalf of all members of Teamsters 117.

Knowing Marie, I have the utmost confidence that she will continue to rise to the defense of workers no matter where her career path takes her in the future. We wish her all the best!

In parting, Marie has these words to share: "It has been a privilege to represent the members of Teamsters Local 117 for almost two years. I am humbled by the trust that John, Michelle, and the members put in me to help realize their collective vision of building power and unity for working people. As an immigrant woman, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to bring a new voice to this work. Thank you for the opportunity to serve."

Returning to replace Marie, we welcome a familiar face. Tracey Thompson has accepted the position of General Counsel of Teamsters 117 effective September 10. 

"It is an honor to return to serve the members of this union that I love..."

For those of you who don't know Tracey, she is somewhat of a legend in the labor movement in the Pacific Northwest. Tracey was a staff attorney at our Local for six years before serving as Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters 117 from 2009-2015. 

Tracey brings an extraordinary legal mind to the position, an intimate knowledge of our union, and a deep passion for defending the rights of workers. To top it off, Tracey is in good health and eager to get started. We are thrilled to have Tracey back on board!

"It is an honor to return to serve the members of this union that I love under the outstanding leadership of John Scearcy and Michelle Woodrow," Tracey said. "I'm ready to hit the ground running and ensure that our union's legal counsel is second to none."

Please join me in thanking Marie for her service and welcoming Tracey back to our union! 

In unity,

John Scearcy
Secretary-Treasurer