IUOE Local 612 Members. Here is your chance to get involved and let your voices be heard!!

Your help is needed! We need to contact legislators and urge them to pass a transportation package this session.

Calls, texts, and emails are all highly encouraged.

We are asking all of our members to contact their legislators directly.

Below are some suggested items of discussion:

• Please pass a package this year:  As we head into the final week of session, we urge you to come together and work toward agreement on a comprehensive transportation funding package to pass this year.
• The needs are urgent:  A bold infrastructure package will spur job creation and support our economic recovery; putting folks to work in a manner that provides equity of opportunity, moving goods more effectively and efficiently, and ensuring mobility for all workers. Postponing a package will be detrimental to our state’s economic recovery, push more workers into poverty, cost billions more in preservation and maintenance in the future, and fail to provide any advancement on issues to benefit our environment.
• A broad coalition urges you to act:  We stand with others in the business community, labor unions, environmental advocacy community, and transit advocates along with local governments who are all urging action this year.
• We must do this:  While there are multiple transportation proposals with some differences, there is broad agreement on needs.  Let’s find common ground and get this done!

Here are the links to the Senator Hobbs’ bond bill (SB 5481), expenditures bill (SB 5482), and revenue bill (SB 5483).  We MUST pass all three!

Legislative Hotline: 1-800-562-6000

Legislator phone and email contacts can also be found by visiting: https://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/

 

September 10, 2020

Brothers and Sisters,

It is September already and I hope everyone is having a successful work year, despite COVID-19. Pierce County is still in modified Phase 2, which only allows group gatherings of 5 or less and Thurston, Lewis and Pacific are in modified Phase 3, which only allows gatherings of 10 or less people. We didn’t think that we’d still be in the same situation as we are today with the COVID crisis. We are hoping that things will get better, so we can get back to having membership meetings at District 1 and 2. That being said, meetings are still cancelled until further notice.

Here’s an update on the latest changes to the Local 612 Executive Board. The Line Officers met on August 16^th and voted unanimously to appoint Jennifer Wisner to Executive Board District 2, backfilling the unexpired term of Larry Ayers. We also voted unanimously to appoint Jessie Christopherson to the Trustee position, backfilling the unexpired term of Larry Ayers. Chad Campbell resigned as Sergeant of Arms on August 13, 2020 and we unanimously appointed Jerry Wilson as Sergeant of Arms to backfill Chad Campbell’s resignation. These members will do a great job for the membership and I want to thank them all for stepping up to represent Local 612.

Please continue to take the necessary steps to be healthy and safe. Let’s all make sure we wash our hands frequently, do our best to wear masks when required, and social distance ourselves when near crowded areas. We can do this together to help fight off this nasty virus so some day we can get back to reality, of some sort.

We hope everyone stays healthy and safe and want to send a big shout out and prayers to the firefighters to keep them safe while protecting lives, homes and the land that we live on. If you have been adversely affected by the fires please reach out to the Hall to see if you might qualify for member assistance.

In Solidarity,

Todd J. Mickelson

Business Manager

July 1, 2020

Brothers and Sisters,

It saddens me to inform you that President Ed Taylor pulled the pin and retired on June 30^th, 2020. He’s doing what every Operating Engineer wants to do: put blood, sweat and tears into your job and after many years decide it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. He has put in 19 years as a rank and file member and another 22 years of services as a Representative of this great Union. Ed’s commitment to the Operating Engineers Local 612 is one for the history books. This man is an organizing machine and has done so much to build relationships with contractors and grow this local over the years. We will continue his legacy on organizing companies to give our membership more opportunities to work. I want to wish Ed a long and exuberant retirement.

On June 24^th the Line Officers met, according to the constitution, and unanimously voted to backfill Ed Taylor’s unexpired term as President with Brother Kevin Tedrick. The line officers also unanimously voted to backfill Kevin Tedrick’s unexpired term as RCS with Sister Christina Hall. I want to congratulate both Kevin and Chris on their new positions; I know they will do a great job for Local 612. We will keep you informed as the Executive Board continues to follow the guidelines of the IUOE Constitution and 612 by-laws to backfill the positions left open by the movement.

In other news, Local 612 is cancelling the July District 1 and 2 meetings to stay in compliance with the Governor’s Safe Start Washington, a Phased Approach to Recovery. We are in Phase 2 of the Stay Home Stay Healthy process and will continue to make sure that everyone’s health is our number one priority. I’m hoping that someday we will be able to get back to having our monthly meetings, but for now I will continue to update you as much as I can with letters and website updates. We will continue to keep the in-office visits by appointment only. Please work with us to make sure we keep the staff healthy and safe by handling your business over the phone.

Washington state is seeing a worrisome trend of rapidly increasing coronavirus cases so please follow the Governor’s guidelines by wearing a mask, continuing your social distancing efforts, and washing your hands. Let’s be respectful and not politicize the efforts of others so we can get back to some sort of status quo. We can only get there by making sure we all participate to stay safe and healthy.

Just in Per General President Callahan: Due to the rapid advance of Covid-19 pandemic in Harris County Texas, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, ALL TRAINING CLASSES AND REGULAR OPERATIONS AT THE ITEC ARE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED UNTIL AT LEAST AUGUST 1, 2020.

Please check the website for updates.

Take care.

In Solidarity,

Todd J. Mickelson

Business Manager