James Borsum representará a los miembros del Local 117 en las industrias de reciclaje y lácteos.

James Borsum comenzó temprano como Teamster, cuando fue a trabajar en Sysco, en la industria de servicios de comida, a la madura edad de 18 años.

At Sysco, the benefits were better than his previous employer, wages were higher, and best of all, it was a union shop. Borsum bounced around at Sysco, selecting groceries, loading trucks and docking freight. After seven years, he bid into a position as a driver, and ultimately became one of the group’s shop stewards.

Borsum always wanted to be more involved in the union. “As a steward, you can stand up to the employer and say this is wrong, you need to fix it,” he said.

En su nueva función como delegado sindical, lanzó una plataforma de medios sociales como un foro para que sus compañeros de trabajo puedan discutir temas en el trabajo y para ayudarle a acudir a reuniones durante las negociaciones de contratos.

His skills as a digital organizer caught the attention of our international union, and in 2015, he was called on to help out with a Sysco organizing drive in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He engaged in online communications, visited prospective members on house calls, and attended organizing meetings.

Borsum’s glimpse into conditions at a non-union Sysco facility gave him an even greater appreciation for his union. “They were making a lot less, and they were running themselves ragged. That’s when I was like, wow, the union difference is huge.”

In the end, the organizing drive came up short, but the experience was profound: Borsum was ready to take the next step. After a few more years at Sysco, he joined our Local 117 staff this September and will be representing Teamsters in the recycle and dairy industries. 

He says his immediate goal is to engage members in the union and be responsive to their concerns.  “Communication is huge, so I’ll be working on that,” he said.