Dear Teamsters,

                         

                        First and foremost, thank you for Voting, in the IBT 2011 Election. All members who received a ballot, and I did to, got bombarded with “ROBO” calls from past Presidents to Actors, not to mention, a continuing cascade of campaign literature through the mail. But it was all for a good reason, at the end of the last Election it was noticed that the West Coast of the US. had a very low voter turnout. It was a challenge for the IBT to raise that percentage, and hopefully that was accomplished .

 

Currently this Local is involved in negotiations with many Public entities, most if not all are proposing anything from Wage freezes to higher Medial co-shares of the premiums, to, in some cases, gutting the current Collective Bargaining Agreements. In the City of Bremerton negotiations for example, we have been dealt a double whammy, not only has the city proposed 51 changes to the CBA, but are also proposing the elimination of 41 Union positions to balance their Budget. We strongly oppose any Reductions In Force of any Union Members. As you can imagine it has set the mood of negotiations in a very bad way. Clallam County has also threatened ‘RIFs’ if the CBA is not opened for re-negotiating . In todays continuing recession its tuff to be in a Union, but the alternative is worse. I have seen in our communities to many homeless, to many out of work, and way to many young adults with no hope of securing a decent career, with any benefits what so ever. We have to make this stand together, to maintain and support Unions of all kinds, if we don’t , then who will, the answer is no-one.

 

     

 

Sincerely,

 

John Witte

Secretary Treasurer