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Newsletter Archives January-March 2007
New Era Begins At 174
By BILL McCARTHY, Communications Specialist On January 11, 2007 at 7 p.m. the Main Meeting Hall at the Tukwila Joint Council 28 Teamsters Headquarters Building was packed with Local 174 members gathered for the inaugural General Membership Meeting of the newly-elected Hicks Administration. The Executive Board Officers were sworn-in and officially installed in office by International Vice President/JC-28 President Al Hobart, and then new 174 Secretary-Treasurer Rick Hicks filled in those present at the General Membership Meeting in detail on what his Team plans to do in the next three years. Hicks began by guaranteeing Accountability and Openness in Local 174 financial and political matters. He reported that one obstacle popped up that must and will be overcome quickly — a huge fiscal shortfall in the General Fund left by the previous 174 Secretary-Treasurer. The new Executive Board on their first day in the 174 Office, January 2nd, finally got access to and opened the books that had previously been sequestered by the outgoing Administration. It soon became obvious that the previous Secretary-Treasurer had gone on a spending spree during the last few weeks of 2006, freeing every dollar that was not nailed down. He did so without telling Hicks, the “Secretary-Treasurer-Elect” after the November 2006 Officers Election, about many of his expenditures. He was though still in office, no longer the true “leader” of 174, and was required under IBT rules to give his successor an accurate, full summary of his spending intentions, and to get approval from the “new leader” before implementing them. Hicks said the lack of money has forced his Administration to start with fewer staff members than anticipated, and also necessitated their reluctantly putting several educational events on temporary hold. But, Hicks added, despite the budget deficit surprise an exciting future awaits Local 174, and Full Speed Ahead will be attained soon. GOALS & VISION
Hicks outlined in depth some of the major goals and vision of his Administration. They included the following. Organizing and Contract Enforcement are two top priorities of Local 174. Negotiating good contracts has been a Local 174 hallmark for many years. Throughout the Hicks term, Business Agents and elected Officers will make routine visits to all worksites. Hicks is eliminating the much disliked automated phone answering system of the previous Administration and replacing it with actual persons who will properly handle the calls. A Local 174 Communications Department is being formed. Grievance Tracking and Organizing are expensive. Shop Stewards as always are very important to Local 174. New E-Board Officially Installed; New Members Also Sworn-In Under A New Policy Before all the General Membership Meetings of Local 174, the leadership of the Local holds Initiates Meetings. These are final orientation meetings for new members of the Local, who have gone through the initial stages of joining the Teamsters Union and are ready to take their “oath” as 174 members.
On January 11, 2007, the Initiates Meeting commenced as usual, with the only exception being that it was taking place before the inaugural GMM of the new Administration of Secretary-Treasurer Rick Hicks. The leader of the Initiates Meeting was new Local 174 Business Agent Tim Allen. He took the gathered new members on a quick trip through the history of the Labor Movement, the Teamsters Union, and Local 174. Helped by several other Staff members on hand to answer questions of the initiates prior to their swearing-in later at the GMM, Allen went over the basics of what joining a Union means. Topics discussed in depth by Allen included:
Initiates leave the Local 174 Initiates Meetings with their heads perhaps a bit mind-boggled by details — but with a definite impression that there is considerable power within the Teamsters Union and their Local. Local 174 Staff
Transition between Union Administrations is not a simple process. It involves the complete exit of one group and the complete entry of another. But things at the Local 174 Office have been going well, and smoother than most overhauls — because the Rick Hicks Administration Team was “ready to roll” the minute they took charge. They are a strong mix of grizzled veterans and bushytailed newcomers. The Clerical Staff in the Office is the same. Business Agents from the previous Administration who wanted to continue are still on the scene. All personnel have served in past Office jobs with 174 or other Locals, or are knowledgeable Activists. Pictures of the Organizers and Business Agents are located elsewhere on this Website. Secretary-Treasurer’s Message
OPEN LETTER TO ALL MEMBERS By RICK HICKS, Local 174 Secretary-Treasurer Sisters and Brothers: On January 2, 2007, Teamsters Local 174 took another step forward in our continued role of leading the Labor Movement in the Pacific Northwest. On this day, my Executive Board and I assumed the responsibility of being the Stewards of this great Local for the next three years. We commit to you we will listen, act and lead you to the best of our abilities during our term in office. We accept the challenges that lay ahead and we will work diligently to restore our strength at the Bargaining Table as well as in the Labor Community. Since taking the reigns on January 2, we have discovered many unsettling issues — contracts that are incomplete, grievances not addressed, and an overall lack of structure one would expect to already be in place for a Local the size of 174. But the most glaring and unforgiving item of all was the misuse of the Local Union’s finances. When the previous Administration took over in January of 2004, there was approximately $618,000.00 dollars in the General Fund. When we assumed office this January, we had to cash in a $55,000.00 General Fund Investment CD in order to make payroll our very first pay period. During the Calendar Year of 2006 alone, the previous Administration spent in excess of $500,000.00 dollars on attorney fees. They were using attorneys as Business Agents with apparently no control or direction from the Principle Officer. This is an astronomical amount to spend on attorneys, especially to have them do the work the Business Agents were already being paid to do. There seems to have been a spending spree from the time of the Delegates Election to the end of their term. In November 2006, I sent an e-mail letter to Dan Scott reminding him of his fiduciary obligations under the IBT Constitution. He openly chose to ignore both my letter and the Constitution and did what he wanted anyway. I have contacted the IBT Legal Department and your newly elected “Trustees” have requested a full and complete audit by the International based on several irregularities they have uncovered. In addition, it is my position the former Executive Board illegally authorized approximately $100,000.00 dollars in severance packages for many of the former Staff which included two-weeks pay when in fact most of them quit voluntarily or retired on their own. Dan Scott himself took two-weeks severance pay even though his term expired when he was voted out by the members. I believe the members have a right to know exactly where your dues money is going and where it has gone. After the completion of the audit, I will announce the complete results to the membership. The unfortunate result of the financial findings is that we were forced to start our term with one less Business Agent than our Vision called for — and if we don’t get control of this quickly we are looking at possible future layoffs, restructuring, and reductions in salary. But make no mistake, we will persevere and we will accomplish our ultimate goals. I would also remind you that when it comes to taking on an employer, our Local Union is still a powerful force with over $2.4 Million Dollars in our Strike Fund! We have already begun the process of recovering from these deficiencies. In accomplishing one of our main goals, I hired a complete Staff of experienced and qualified Business Agents and had them in place on day one. This is a Staff with a mixture of former, current and new Agents that will provide you the best representation possible. In addition, at our very first Staff meeting I announced that no Staff member has the authority to contact an attorney without going through me for approval. I reimplemented the “Arbitration Review Committee” that is comprised of three Senior Staff members that will be the final decision-maker of whether a Case has merit to proceed to arbitration as this is a very costly process. And I have enlisted the services of Henrick Sortun to act as a “Legal Matters Advisor” handling arbitrations, Board charges, and to provide education and answer questions from the Staff prior to using expensive attorneys for basic legal work. Henrick is a retired member of the NLRB and at one time was the President of their International Union. He will be a tremendous asset to our members and Staff. All of these measures should result in immediate relief from the enormous costs of attorney fees. I have also implemented cost controls in many other areas that should result in a balanced budget. Time will tell. With all of that we have some exciting times on the horizon including our upcoming 100 Year Anniversary that will take place on February 19, 2009. We will have a tremendous celebration in honor of our accomplishments as a Local Union over the past century. We are seeking volunteers to help prepare those festivities and if you are interested in being a committee member please contact Vice-President Mary Stuart-Fairburn at Local 174. As I stated earlier we are looking forward to the challenges and we invite you all to join us in making this the greatest Local Union in the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. In Solidarity, Rick Hicks Broken Wheel
These Local 174 members passed away recently. They will be missed greatly. We offer our most sincere condolences to their families and friends.
Local 174 News & Views
United Parcel Service - Busy Times Ahead By TED BUNSTINE, President When we took over on January 1, 2007, the UPS Division was faced with 275 open grievances, dating back to February of 2005. On top of those grievances, there are 19 cases Deadlocked to the Western Region Grievance Committee, and 8 cases Deadlocked to the National Grievance Committee. It is no wonder the Union Members at UPS are frustrated with the Grievance Procedure. Our first goal was to have Center Level Hearings with UPS on the many open grievances. UPS Management took the position that they would not meet with us one week prior to the Grievance Hearings. We were able to convince the Grievance Committee that the members should not be penalized by having their grievances moved to the Postponed category. Those cases will appear in the New Case category at the next NW Five States Grievance Committee Hearing in March. The Arbitration concerning UPS part-time employees and when they receive health care coverage is scheduled for March 7, 2007. This Case was originally scheduled to be heard in December of 2006, but UPS claimed it was Peak Season, so they needed to postpone the case. We all know this was nothing more than a stall tactic. On the subject of stall tactics, UPS still has the 22.3 Vacation Coverage Arbitration tied up at the 9th Circuit Court. On January 8, 2007, UPS submitted a Reply Brief, so all Briefs have been submitted to the Court on this case. Now the Court will decide if they will make the decision on the written briefs, or require Oral Arguments to make their decision. An outcome is expected in three to six months. When UPS loses this appeal, they can only appeal the decision to the Supreme Court if the Supreme Court agrees to hear the Case. In the end this delay will cost UPS as they are still incurring lost wage liability in this Case. Negotiations are ongoing at the National Master Level, with negotiations scheduled for seven weeks through the end of March. Secretary Treasurer Rick Hicks will be attending National Negotiations to address the demands Local 174 members submitted. JC-28 Negotiations are scheduled for February 6, 7 and 8, 2007, with more dates to be agreed on at that time. Your Rank and File Committee Members are Scott Curley, Package car driver; Yem Negash, 22.3 full-time inside; Sheena Landen and Hobe Williams, part-time; and Rick Holt, feeder driver. Updates from the Bargaining Unit Committee Members are forthcoming as progress is made. Secretary Treasurer Rick Hicks has asked all Business Agents to conduct sweeping Shop Steward Elections in all jurisdictions within Local 174. The UPS Business Agents are currently in the process of conducting those elections, and I would encourage anyone interested in becoming a Steward to sign up on the lists that will be posted on the Union Bulletin Boards. I encourage all members to participate in the voting process to elect the Stewards. Port of Seattle - Local 174 Leads The Way
By TOM MANN, Business Agent During the most recent round of negotiations between Local 174 and the Port of Seattle, the parties discussed the availability of Domestic Partner coverage in the Health & Welfare, Dental and Vision plans under the Washington Teamsters. At that time the Trust was contacted and asked about the possibility of having this benefit, as many Public Sector Employers were adding this coverage option. Unfortunately, the benefit was not available through the Washington Teamsters. However, we are pleased to announce that since then, the Trust Fund actuarially studied the potential cost and made the decision to add Domestic Partner benefits available for negotiation. Time and again Teamster Local 174 leads the way for others to follow and this is no exception. We are the first Local to negotiate this new benefit in Joint Council 28. Other Locals surely will follow our lead. On January 26th, Our Members at the Port of Seattle ratified this “first benefit ever” into effect at the Port. The new benefit was unanimously accepted by our members. We look forward to offering this new benefit to our other Local 174 members throughout every one of our jurisdictions. Details, qualifiers and bargaining rules will be released by the Trust very soon. Horizon Lines - Little News Is Good News
By MARY STUART-FAIRBURN Vice President I am happy to report that there is not much to report. Since the first of the year we have seen our Business Agent each week and this helps to keep things going smoothly. Horizon is in the process of installing 28 new hostling tractors, all of which should be operational by the end of March. Applications for drivers are being accepted as we will be losing four of our more senior drivers to the life of leisure! Congratulations to Chuck Donnelly, Chuck Thacker, Mark Redman and Jack Schweitzer. Seattle Times Bargaining Committee
By BILL McCARTHY, Communications Specialist The six-year Labor Agreement between the Seattle Times Company and Local 174, involving 66 Transportation Drivers, expires February 28, 2007. On Sunday, January 28th, the five members of their unit’s Bargaining Committee, plus one non-Committee member, met at the Local 174 Office from 3:30-6:00 p.m. They talked over negotiations strategy with Secretary-Treasurer Rick Hicks, President Ted Bunstine, and Organizer Patty Warren. Warren is heading these complex negotiations for Local 174. The reason for the complicated dynamics is that no one is sure what the corporate plans of the Seattle Times Company really are at this time. Its owners continue claiming to be near bankruptcy, as they have been saying for several years. They have voiced goals of moving part of their production operations to sites outside of Seattle and of cutting out their support of the Seattle Post-Intelli-gencer, which it also prints at this time under a Joint Operating Agreement. They even hint that they may sell their business completely, which would change Seattle from a two-newspaper city into a no-newspaper city. Warren and the Bargaining Committee considered the necessary timing for getting ready to meet the Management representatives at the Bargaining Table. They agreed to several meetings to select the specific issues to be brought up during negotiating, to formulate contract demands of the involved members, and to analyze the language of the resulting proposal. The negotiations will as in past years also include Teamsters Local 763, which will be negotiating a new contract for its approximately 600 members who work for the Seattle Times Company. The Solidarity of the two Teamster Lo-cals bargaining together will help. After discussing bargaining plans, Warren went through the present contract Article by Article and line by line, getting comments from the Committee members about how and why language should be altered, changed, or retained as the upcoming new proposal from the Union is generated in the next few weeks. Hicks and Bunstine suggested the Committee aggressively talk with their fellow workers a lot as negotiations near, and routinely pass on the feedback to Warren. AGC Contract Demands Meeting
At a meeting in the Main Hall at Tukwila Teamster Headquarters on Saturday, January 27th, Local 174 Construction Industry members who work under the Associated General Contractors contract discussed many issues that will be dealt with during the upcoming AGC negotiations. The four-year AGC contract expires May 31, 2007. The AGC contract is complex. It covers several companies, some directly part of the AGC network, and some separate from it but “white-papered” in under most of the language in the 2003-2007 “Building, Heavy and Highway Construction Labor Agreement” between Associated and the Teamsters. In all, approximately 1,100 Teamsters in Washington State Locals 38, 174, 231, 252, 313, 378 (now merged into 252) and 589 are involved. Local 174 has about 800 members who will be party to the AGC contract renewal. Subjects covered during the January 27 meeting which started at 9 a.m. and didn’t conclude until after 2 p.m., were the Teamster Construction Industry Welfare Trust, the history of the Associated General Contractors contract, who works under the AGC agreement, why it has been set up the way it has regarding language and scope, Local 174 Hiring Hall plans, and preliminary surveying to be done by Local 174 of its AGC members in upcoming weeks about worker demands that need to be part of the negotiations. Because of the multi-county jurisdictional concerns, International Representative/Joint Council 28 Construction Division Chairman Ed Jacobson was on hand to speak about how JC-28 will be helping coordinate the multi-Local AGC bargaining effort. He also talked at length about health & welfare benefits. Jacobson fielded many heated comments and questions about the financial burdens of health care insurance under the TCIWT, the Trust for AGC contract workers — and about the possible switch someday to the coverage of the bigger Washington Teamsters Welfare Trust, which covers the vast majority of contracts of members of JC-28. To help explain the differences between the TCIWT and the WTWT, Jacobson was joined by Doug Toschi, consultant on health & welfare plans for the Teamsters; and Garth Fisher, a representative of Northwest Administrators, the firm retained by JC-28 to carry out procedural dictates of the numerous Teamster Trust health & welfare and pension plans. Spirited exchanges took place about increasing health care cost and JC-28’s strategy to deal with it in negotiations. Jacobson, Toschi and Fisher left, and then the proceedings evolved into a serious consideration of demands that need to be included in the bargaining of the new AGC contract. The meeting was moderated by Secretary-Treasurer Rick Hicks, assisted by Construction BA’s Tom George and Larry Boyd. K&L Contract Demands Meeting
Local 174 members working at K&L Distributors, Inc., met at the Tukwila Teamsters Building Saturday, February 3rd, for a Contract Demands Meeting. There are 75 Local 174 members in this bargaining unit. The Agreement between Local 174 and Allied Employers, Inc., on behalf of K&L, expires April 30, 2007. It has been in effect since January 1, 2005. Those at the Small Meeting Hall in the Teamsters Building filled out surveys, reviewed the language in the present contract section-by-section, discussed suggested changes, and discussed parameters and timing of the upcoming bargaining. They also voted for two rank-and-file members to serve on the K&L Bargaining Committee, selecting Jim Griffus and Jim Cramer to fill these important posts. The Demands Meeting was moderated by Secretary-Treasirer Rick Hicks and Organizing Director Michael Gonzales. Saddlemount Piggybacking Threat
When Active USA implemented saddle-mount combinations of more than 75 feet, the drivers turned to Local 174 for help. The Active USA Drivers normally deliver new Kenworth tractors, with saddlemount combinations piggybacked together to make a train of not longer than 75 feet. New rules laid out by the Bush Administration would allow saddlemounts piggybacking up to four tractors together for a long hookup of up to 97 feet. The drivers knew that the longer combinations posed inherent dangers because of poor maneuverability and lack of control on the highway. They asked Local 174 to help stop the longer combinations. A Local 174 Committee including Shop Steward Vince Beedle and Business Agents Tom Mann and Erv Lemon arranged a meeting with Washington’s U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert (R). Correspondence and conversations included the Washington State Patrol, the Washington State Department of Transportation, and Gov. Chris Gregoire’s office. As a result WASHDOT adopted a rule that these longer combinations could not be used on Washington State highways. Teamsters in Texas and other states followed Local 174’s lead and began to lobby their own State DOT’s. Since then several States have adopted the same or a similar rule calling the new Bush rule illegal, Needless to say, no overlength combinations are moving out of Local 174’s jurisdiction. With the help of the Local’s designated law firm, our story has run in at least 15 newspapers around the country, including the Tacoma News Tribune. U.S. Rep. James Oberstar (D – Minnesota) will head the Committee that is currently revisiting the flawed language in the new rule. He is on the record as opposing Triples, and also opposing overlength, and is in favor of restrictions on Mexican Drivers crossing into the U.S. DHL Co-Workers Help Hess Family
By DAVID JACOBSEN, Business Agent In March 2006, Patrick Hess, Local 174 Teamster Brother and DHL employee, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. While his family (a wife, two elder children and a newborn) reeled from the news, Patrick’s Teamster Brothers and Sisters rallied to his aid. Two particular individuals stood out in this assistance, Christine Fischer and Kalani Baker, fellow 174 members and co-workers of Patrick’s at DHL. Christine and Kalani, along with this writer, immediately started raising funds, food, money, help with medical benefits, and personal assistance. We visited with Patrick and his wife Sandy to find out what they needed. Whether it was babysitting or yard work, Christine and Kalani did the tasks themselves or found others to assist. Many weekends, Christine would pick up Patrick and Sandy’s two elder children and take them to her house for the weekend. Christine would take them through her daily chores including taking care of her bevy of dogs and horses. The kids would relish in her attention and get some needed outdoor activities. Kalani would often go over to the house and mow the lawn or cook a meal. Although Sandy and Patrick are wonderful parents, they were overwhelmed by the daunting task of medical and nursing care. In mid-November, when treatments had ended and there was no more hope, the team brought over a hospital bed and helped Patrick descend the stairs of their home to spend time with family and friends. Kalani arrived at Patrick’s home minutes after his death to call the coroner and assist Sandy with the necessary arrangements. Christine requested DHL management lend a hand to Patrick’s family and they stepped up with an all-expenses-paid trip to Disneyland for Sandy and her children. Christine also asked DHL employees to purchase Christmas ornaments for Sandy’s Christmas tree so they will always remember the times they had with their father. Months later, the money continues to come through for Sandy and her family, as though they have been temporarily adopted by their Union family. It is the caring and support of people like Christine and Kalani who make being a part of the Teamsters Union much more than just having job stability. It makes the Union a place of friendship and somewhere to turn to when it seems there may be nowhere else to turn. In Solidarity... Dan Edmundson Leaving With Honors
By BRIAN DAVIS, Business Agent On January 31, 2007 the Freight Division of Local 174 suffered a blow when Dan Edmundson transferred to JC-42 and Teamsters Local 495 in Southern California. He’ll be working at the new Teamster JC-42 Training Academy as a Driver Trainer. Dan had been a longtime Shop Steward at Oak Harbor Freight Lines in Auburn and was a Trustee with Local 741 before the merger with 174. He had handled many situations at OHFL over the years. His experience will be greatly missed there and in the Freight Industry at 174. We wish Dan and family all the best on this new chapter in his career. Thanks for all of your hard work, Dan, and good luck! Teamsters History – Remembering George Cavano
By BILL McCARTHY, Communications Specialist This Local 174 news publication looks a little different than last year. The new 174 Executive Board took a “step forward” by taking a “step backward.” There have been several versions of this publication, with several names. Most recently it was produced as a magazine called Front Line. All the earlier versions were done as tabloid newspapers. The E-Board decided to return to the tabloid format and the moniker Teamster Record to honor the Local 174 Brothers and Sisters of the pivotal years from the early 1950’s through the late 1970’s. The first issue of the Teamster Record came out October 20, 1958. At that time, the Local, like the Teamsters Union itself, was in turmoil. Local 174’s leadership under the direction of then-acting Secretary-Treasurer George Cavano wanted a stronger individual voice for the Local — not just its traditional muted voice as one of several Locals in Joint Council 28’s Washington Teamster newspaper. Local 174 printed the Teamster Record until mid-1975 when Cavano retired as S-T. Thereafter until the end of 1976 it produced an interim publication called Teamsters. From 1977-1991 there was no 174 newspaper. Then it resurfaced under S-T Hase-gawa in 1992 as Teamster Times. It then morphed into the Front Line magazine from 1998-2006. BECK-BREWSTER-CAVANO TIMES
Cavano was the first highly politically active S-T to lead Local 174. He was appointed to the S-T position in 1952 when then-174 S-T Frank Brewster vacated the post to work closer with newly-elected IBT President Dave Beck. For those unfamiliar with Teamster dynamics, just as JC-28 includes Locals from all over Washington State, the Western Conference — created by Beck in 1937 for the IBT to streamline regional efforts — included Locals from America’s Western States. The Western Conference continued until 1992, when it and all the other regional Conferences were abolished by IBT President Ron Carey. Beck, born and raised in Seattle, had a long career that saw him become President of Joint Council 28 and a national Teamster icon. Brewster was Beck’s loyal “right hand man.” Soon after Beck became IBT President in 1952 he appointed Brewster, now an International Vice President, to take over the job of Western Conference of Teamsters Chairman. Beck also was the JC-28 President and he left that job behind, too. In 1953, the Washington State Locals elected Brewster JC-28 President. Brewster kept his contact with 174 throughout all these changes, remaining 174’s President while also leading both the Western Conference and JC-28. Thus, Cavano had become “superior officer” over Brewster inside Local 174, while Brewster had become “superior officer” over Cavano in JC-28. Everything changed for Brewster in 1957 when Beck went to jail, victim of Federal Government charges of misuse of Union funds and improper filling out of an income tax return. Cavano and Brewster became bitter enemies after Beck’s demise. That was precipitated by the necessary IBT Presidential race late in 1957 to get the Teamsters Union back on its feet. It ended with victory for James R. Hoffa, the father of current IBT President James P. Hoffa. Brewster — International VP, Western Conference Chairman, JC-28 President and President of 174 — had very publicly backed another candidate. Acting 174 S-T Cavano had very publicly backed Hoffa. When his term as IBT President started in 1958 Hoffa quickly removed Brewster from his posts as International Vice President and Western Conference Chairman. The Beck book was permanently closed. It was a sad time for the Teamsters Union. The Government’s flimsy charges were obviously just used to attack the IBT. In fact, the convicted Beck served only two years of a five-year sentence, from 1962-1964, at McNeil Island Penitentiary. After promising not to resume his Teamster career, he was released to go into private life, and he did so. Beck was officially pardoned by President Richard Nixon in 1971. Later, Beck said his two years in jail saved his life. He was in very poor health when he entered prison, and in great health when he got out. He lived comfortably until 1993, dying at 99. In the meantime, the Cavano-Brewster feud continued. A major feature story in the inaugural Teamster Record issue reported on the then-upcoming 1959 Local 174 Election — an Election meant to solidify the strange leadership confusion at the Local. The article illuminated the ironic scenario of a popular six-year unelected incumbent S-T, Cavano, running to continue in his job on a “Reform” platform. Cavano’s Reformers named their Slate the “Progress Ticket.” They called for better health & welfare benefits, better pensions, and low cost drugs for 174 members — common ideas today, though daring ideas at that time. Cavano won easily and with his “official” installation as S-T in January 1959, he firmed-up already strong member support and now had “credentials,” too. Cavano held the S-T position right up until his retirement in July of 1975. His nearly 24-year run as 174’s S-T is a longevity record that probably will never be broken. In addition, during all his time as S-T — and for 13 years before it started in 1952 — he was also the lead Organizer for 174. Throughout the legal and political bedlam surrounding him from 1952-1957, and basking in Hoffa’s good graces starting in 1958, Cavano just plugged along. He and his supporters and friends fought hard for 174’s members in Washington State, and for all Teamsters through the Western Conference and the IBT. Personally Cavano was a maverick who never turned down a fight. His determination, courage and hard work helped earn Local 174 much-desired and deserved regional, statewide and national recognition. Brewster was JC-28 President a long time, from 1953 until he retired in 1966. He still was on the 174 E-Board, so he and Cavano were in constant conflict for another nine years after Beck’s unfortunate exit in 1957. MANY ACHIEVEMENTS FOR 174 Cavano was followed as 174 S-T by others familiar to longtime Teamsters: Bill Simmons, mid-1975-1976; Bob Cooper, 1977-1982; Wayne Triplett, 1983-mid-1986; Allen McNaughton, mid-1986-1991; Bob Hasegawa, 1992-2000; Scott Sullivan, 2001-2003; Dan Scott, 2004-2006; and now Rick Hicks, as 2007 gets rolling. All the S-T’s following Cavano have maintained the Local 174 image as an independent, outspokden member of the JC-28 organization. But clearly Cavano set the table for them by leading the trench warfare of the 1950’s and 1960’s that made Local 174 a “power player” in the Labor Arena. |
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