There is an initiative going around for your signature — INITIATIVE 1082. We are recommending you do not sign this Initiative. This Initiative is to, in effect, privatize L&I insurance. This Initiative, if passed: could allow your employer to decide what insurance you need to use for on the job injuries, your private insurance, the companies’ insurance or whatever; it may delay the Department of Labor & Industries from intervening on your behalf if your L&I benefits were delayed or wrongfully denied by self-insured companies.

It may allow insurance companies to reject your claim, forcing you to appeal your claim before you receive medical and time loss benefits; make it difficult to negotiate wage increases because it ties the rate of L&I insurance to wages, as wages go up so will the cost of L&I insurance. We have one of the lowest L&I rates in the country, some of the highest benefits, and some of the strongest legislative protection for injured workers in the nation.

If you have ever had problems getting your benefits through a self-insured company you well know this could only make things more difficult. Do not let private companies take away your existing protections and benefits which could potentially leave you out in the cold should you get injured on the job. Do your own research and make an informed decision over the potential harm this could mean for you and your co-workers and we urge you, do not sign the petition and if it gets on the ballot this fall make sure you vote No on 1082.

Construction is off to a slow start this year, due to the economy. We hope to have about as good a year as last year which we all know was nowhere near an average year. For those of you working at Hanford, the Stimulus money made available, has kept the number of jobs relatively stable (for this economy). Please note that some of the Hanford employers are now requiring a hazardous endorsement on your license as condition of dispatch. To enhance your eligibility for dispatch you may want to consider obtaining this endorsement.

Negotiations with Bonner General Hospital are ongoing. The Nurses Committee and the Business Agent are working very hard to complete negotiations for a successor agreement for the 109 Registered Nurses in Sandpoint. We’ve had about 15 sessions to date and hope to get a recommended offer soon. Issues on the table are economics and we are discussing the Teamsters Pension for the first time. Thank you to Committee members Angie Shadel, Debi Hanson, Karen Price, Karla McCorkle, Business Agents Mark Brandt, Terry Moser, and Sec.-Treas. Val Holstrom for your dedication and hard work to negotiate a second agreement for these deserving Nurses.

Cenex Harvest States (tanker division) are open and we are co-coordinating with the various Locals in Washington and Oregon for negotiating dates with the company. Negotiations are open for Central Pre-Mix, Coeur d’Alene. Proposal meetings and negotiating dates are being scheduled.

The Teamster Apprenticeship Program announced the retirement of Director Rick Imes, March 30, 2010. Rick led the Program since 1984. Thank you, Rick, for building this Program and for your many years of service. The new Director is Tom Hamilton. Many of you know Tom as he has been an Instructor for several years. Tom will continue to expand on the great Program developed by Rick. We would also like to welcome a new Instructor, Shelley Thompson. Shelly has many years in the field and her background and experience will be a great asset to the Program and our members. Shelly came to the Program from ACME Concrete Paving.

Workplace injuries have been a major issue in the Food Industry for our Teamster warehouse worker and driver members for a long time. Musculoskeletal disorders represent a huge loss for many members and their families, usually through no fault of their own.

Now one Teamster employer is taking a new approach to looking in to ways to address the problem at its grassroots level, where the work is done. URM Stores, Inc. has allowed a team of experts in the field of injury prevention to conduct a trial study of the URM drivers soon to determine what possible ergonomic and safety improvements can be made.

The expert team has received a government grant to perform the study and URM has graciously allowed the team to study the drivers on route to learn more about the essential functions of their jobs. We’re excited about the prospect that some day the results of this study might keep more of our members from being hurt on the job. Hats off to URM for this effort!

The members in many public sector bargaining units have had to make difficult decisions during the past 18 months due to County and City budget reductions. Although stressful, there have been an unprecedented percentage of members involved in the discussions and votes. ALL units have chosen to save the jobs of their fellow Teamsters, through various arrangements. These negotiated midcontract settlements have underscored the high value of being protected by a Labor Agreement; otherwise, the employers would have unilaterally imposed changes in pay, benefits and hours of work. When times get tough, Teamsters are taking care of each other, better than ever!

John Merrick, a Teamster employed at American Medical Response, operates a ZIMEK Sterilization Machine at the Spokane Headquarters. The machine was acquired as part of the Stimulus Bill and is available to Spokane area fire, police and public transportation departments as well as AMR for the rapid decontamination of vehicles.

American Medical Response Teamsters EMT Hailey Karnitz and EMT John Prichard present a life saving demonstration to the Membership Meeting April 15, 2010. This demonstration showed emergency life saving techniques and safety procedures to the membership.

Workers’ Memorial 2010
Members of Teamsters Local 690 attended the Spokane Labor Council’s and it affiliates’ sponsored Workers Memorial Ceremony held on Saturday, April 17. This is an annual event which honors those workers who lost their lives while on the job.

Pictured here left-to-right are Bill Joy (retiree), Pat Griffus (Nabisco), Mark Brandt (Business
Agent), Marv Long (Waste Management), Terry Moser (BA), Buck Holliday (former Sec.-
Treas.), Val Holstrom (current Sec.-Treas.), Ron Vevoda (BA) and Matt Tanner (President).

The Spokane Police and County Sheriffs Department Honor Guard opened the ceremony while a bagpiper from Musicians Local 105 played in the background. Governor Chris Gregoire’s husband spoke in the place of the Governor and State Representative Tim Ormsby spoke about the importance of worker safety.

After the Ceremony everyone in attendance retired to a BBQ hosted by the Labor Council. Local 690 thanks our employers Coca-Cola and Seven Up for donating the beverages for this important annual event.

This Memorial Ceremony is a reminder to all us that no matter how diligent we are with regards to working in a safe environment you can never work too safe.

Bye and Thanks, Buck!
The Staff and Membership would like to take this opportunity to thank Justin “Buck” Holliday for his many years of service to the Teamsters organization and the members whom he served. Buck announced his retirement effective June 30th of this year.

Buck began his career in the Freight Industry in 1964 with Local 741 working for Garrett Freight Lines until 1967, he moved to BN Transport in ’77, went to Insured Transporters in ’77- ’78, Oak Harbor Freight Lines ’78-’80 and was offered a job by 741 S-T Jerry Lavelle, and< became a Business Agent for Local 741 in ’80. Buck served the membership of 741 until 1984. Local 690 was fortunate that Buck was offered a position as Business Agent in ’85. Buck served in that capacity until his retirement. Buck became an Executive Board member and was elected Secretary-Treasurer in 1995 through 2010, when he decided not to run for reelection and actively supported the “Tried and True” Performance Team Slate.

Buck served the members of our Local and great International Union by serving in various capacities. Buck was a member of the Executive Board of Joint Council 28, Freight Director of Joint Council 28, Chairman of the Freight Committee, Chairman of Tank Haul Committee, Chairman of the North West Auto Transport Committee, Union Chairman of the Apprenticeship Trust, Trustee of the Washington Teamsters Welfare Trust, Trustee of the Freight Medical Trust, among others. Our members reaped the rewards of Buck’s innovative and dynamic leadership and experience. Buck was instrumental in shaping the direction and the policies of the various Trusts and Committees which benefit not only the members of Local 690 but all Teamsters. Thank you Buck for your lifelong leadership. Your personal sacrifice, on behalf of the membership, is immeasurably appreciated.

Left-to-right: Previous S-T Justin “Buck” Holliday and current S-T Val Holstrom holding up the plaque researched by Buck which expresses the history of Local 690 S-T’s from 1917 to the present. It was requested of Buck by some previous S-T’s to retrieve this information and Buck found great pleasure in doing so.