Local #174 Teamster News Archives
September-October 2010
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Ferry Chetzemoka to Make Inaugural Sailing Nov. 14
Source: The Kitsap Sun, contributed by Ken Hovater
The first new Washington state ferry in more than a decade will make its inaugural sailing Sunday, Nov. 14, between Whidbey Island and Port Townsend.

The 64-car Chetzemoka will be christened that day by Gov. Chris Gregoire and recognized by the Klallam tribes, whose 19th-century chief is the new boat’s namesake.

ChetzemokaAfter ceremonies on Whidbey Island, the governor, legislators, state and local officials, and about 300 invited guests from communities on both sides of Admiralty Inlet will board the vessel at the Coupeville (Keystone) terminal. They’ll take a one-hour cruise to Port Townsend, where representatives of the Klallam tribes will conduct a ceremony aboard the Chetzemoka.

Afterward, the 750-passenger ferry will be available for public viewing. A more detailed schedule of events, which are sponsored by Todd Pacific Shipyards, will be announced soon.

The new ferry will begin service between Port Townsend and the Coupeville terminal on Nov. 15.

An inaugural sailing was originally scheduled for August, but was delayed when excessive vibrations were discovered in sea trials and later resolved by the shipbuilder.

Two other Kwa-di Tabil Class ferries are under construction to replace some of the state’s aging ferry fleet.

Total cost of the Chetzemoka, including construction, contingency and construction management, is $76.5 million.

With the launch of the Chetzemoka, the state will stop using the 50-car Steilacoom II, which it leased from Pierce County for nearly three years.

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Giant Navy radar ship to be repaired in Seattle
Source: The Kitsap Sun, contributed by Ken Hovater
A huge Navy radar ship will head to Seattle and not Everett for maintenance on its propulsion system.

The Daily Herald says the Navy and the Missile Defense Agency had considered sending the Sea-Based X-Band Radar ship to Naval Station Everett for repairs in the next year. However, U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen said Thursday that it will be repaired at Todd Pacific Shipyards. Larsen says the Everett base could not guarantee enough space for the 25-story ship.

The ship and its huge radar dome looks like an oil platform with a giant golf ball on top. It's based in Adak, Alaska, and is designed to track incoming ballistic missiles.

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Barbed Wire, Flies and Mud

Local 174 Truck outside Coyote Ridge
See more Coyote Ridge photos here.

The TAT parked outside the barbed wire fences of the Coyote Ridge detention center on Tuesday. Were we in jail? Nope, just giving more than a dozen Local 117 Teamster guards and officers the tools to phone bank other Teamsters in the Tricities.

On Wednesday we were parked outside agricultural fields in Pasco, where a swarm of flies descended on our volunteers from Locals 839 and 117. Undaunted, our members kept on phone banking for Jay Clough, Carol Moser and the initiatives.

Thursday -- well, it rained buckets, turning the parking lot outside the Hanford nuclear site into a muddy mess. No matter, Rodger Pardo (174) kept on grilling hot dogs and we kept on talking to Local 839 (and a few 760) Teamsters changing shifts.

So it should seem pretty easy next week:

Come make some calls, grab a hot dog, and have some fun! We promise no barbed wire, flies or mud.

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VICTORY FOR FIRST STUDENT MECHANICS!
On Tuesday, October 05, 2010, the mechanics working at First Student in Seattle voted to go Teamsters Local 174!!

It has been a long battle at First Student. We have been fighting to represent the employees now for four years. Initially, we sought representation in a combined group of drivers and mechanics. We agreed to separate the drivers and mechanics into two separate bargaining units. While the organizing efforts on behalf of the drivers faltered, the mechanics held strong. 100% of the eligibles voted, and 100% of them voted for Teamsters Local 174. We will be scheduling a demands meeting soon and starting the process of negotiating a contract for the mechanics.

To the First Student Mechanics—welcome to 174!

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If a disaster struck in Puget Sound, would you know how to help? 
If a disaster struck in Puget Sound, would you know how to help?  If you were helping, would you know how to keep yourself safe?  Does anybody know to call you to the job, because you can help? You might have the building skills to help rebuild the world when the shit hits the fan.  But to put those skills to use, and do it without risking your life and endangering other people, you need the:

OSHA Training

 

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Sand And Gravel Membership Ratifies Contract

July Sand & Gravel Meeting
Members paying rapt attention at the July Sand and Gravel Meeting
One of our bigger challenges this year has been the Sand & Gravel negotiations. We opened bargaining with a very modest proposal, knowing the economy had hit the construction industry incredibly hard and work was slow. Many of the Sand & Gravel members have been laid off, and many of those working have experienced a significant decrease in hours. The four companies involved took the opposite approach—their proposal was not modest. The opening offer completely gutted thirty years of gains in the contract. We spent the next several months fighting off the takeaways and trying to make sure we had enough money on the table to cover the estimated costs of health care.

At the end of July, the employers presented us with a last best and final offer. In our view, it was premature and their actions were an unfair labor practice. We took a strike vote, and the members gave us the 100% strike authorization we needed. We tried to get the companies to back off their last best and final, and they refused. So, in typical 174 fashion, we put the picket sticks in the air.

The initial unfair labor practice strike was against Cadman and lasted all of 40 minutes. They (all four companies) agreed to convert the “last best and final” into a counter proposal and return to the bargaining table. The strike could have been shorter, but we insisted on getting it in writing before we would stand down.

Click the photo to view the photo gallery!We returned to the bargaining table and made some progress, but we didn’t get enough movement from them to get to an agreement. They once again gave us a premature “last best and final”. We filed unfair labor practice charges and on Thursday, September 16, and once again went out on an unfair labor practice strike. This time we struck the two multi-nationals, Glacier and Cadman. We contacted Stoneway and Salmon Bay and told them they were next. The owners of the two local companies came to the hall and reached a settlement on behalf of all of the employers. This strike lasted about eight hours from start to finish.

We scheduled a ratification vote for Monday night (September 20).  The members ratified the tentative agreement by an 87% margin.  Once again, the courage and solidarity of our members won the day.  THANK YOU to the members in the Sand and Gravel industry, to the bargaining team, and to the staff of 174 who, as always, were all hands on deck at multiple locations to ensure the picket lines were operating smoothly.

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Teamsters Live in Affected Area; Were First Responders to Disaster
TEAMSTERS FEEL IMPACT OF MASSIVE EXPLOSION IN SAN BRUNO
(SAN BRUNO, Calif.) -- The massive gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno has deeply affected Teamsters Local 856, as members and retirees live in the affected area. It is not yet certain how seriously the Teamster brothers and sisters living in the area have been impacted.

The brave first responders, San Bruno firefighters, San Bruno police officers and other city workers are also members of Local 856. The Teamsters commend the dedicated service of all the Teamsters first responders who have worked tirelessly to ensure public safety. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who this tragedy has impacted," said Joseph Lanthier, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 856.

If you would like to help the Teamster members who have been impacted by this tragedy, checks may be made out the "Teamsters Local 856 Solidarity Fund."

Checks should be mailed to:

Teamsters Local 856
453 San Mateo Ave,
San Bruno, CA 94066

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Wash. ferry officials wait approval on new boat
Source: Peninsula Daily News, http://www.peninsuladailynews.com
PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. -- Washington State Ferries officials say they are still waiting to take possession of the new ferry Chetzemoka so they can start six weeks of crew training.

The 64-car ferry was to be turned over to the system last week to begin service on the Port Townsend-Coupeville route. But the Peninsula Daily News reports that paperwork issues are holding up clearance by the Coast Guard. The ferry system hopes the problem will be solved soon, so the boat can start service by the end of October.

The new ferry has completed it sea trials, and is awaiting results of Coast Guard safety tests of emergency systems. It originally was to enter service Aug. 29, but was delayed after trials found excessive vibrations. Those were corrected through a software adjustment.

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Teamsters National Black Caucus Northwest Chapter
Teamsters National Black CaucusWhat is the TNBC? The Teamsters National Black Caucus (TNBC) is an organization of black Teamster men and women, who are united by their special concerns for rights and conditions of workers.

Working within the framework of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Constitution, the TNBC seeks to address pressing issues confronting black workers ranging from increased participation to outreach to the African-American community and other communities of color. The TNBC is not a separate union.

If you are interested in joining the Teamsters National Black Caucus (TNBC) Northwest Chapter, please e-mail Abe Taylor at ataylor@teamstersloca1174.org.   You can download a flier with info about the objectives of the Teamsters National Black Caucus here.

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