Members of Teamsters 117 gather on the steps of the state capitol in Olympia for a Lobby Day rally.

Fue un espectáculo impresionante - cientos de Teamsters y sus familiares se reunieron en las escaleras del edificio legislativo en Olimpia para nuestro día de lobby del 2018.

Bufandas de color amarillo brillante con cabezas de caballo en los hombros de los miembros. Muchos llevaban carteles que decían "Honrar a nuestros servidores públicos" y " Servicio público, seguridad pública".

Michelle Woodrow, our union’s president addressed the crowd: “Thank you for your outstanding service and for keeping our communities safe.” View photos from the event here.

Poco antes, los miembros del Local 117 se habían agrupado a las puertas de las cámaras del Senado y la Cámara de Representantes solicitando reuniones con sus legisladores.

Con un corte para aprobar los proyectos de ley en perspectiva, las conversaciones tenían que ser cortas y directas.

"Acabamos de reunirnos con el Senador Sheldon", dijo el Sargento Larry Reeves del Centro Correccional de Washington. "Dijo que estaría más que feliz de apoyar un esfuerzo bipartidista para ver si podemos financiar nuestra auditoría del modelo de dotación de personal."

“This is wonderful,” said Fran Deel, a nurse at the Airway Heights Corrections Center who brought her three grandchildren to the event. “I’m here to make sure our rights are represented and to make sure our union has the power to negotiate.”

In addition to calling for an audit of DOC staffing levels, we urged legislators to pass bills that protect the privacy of public employees and give us a better opportunity to welcome new employees into the union. 

The day’s activities culminated with a rally on the capitol steps.  Newly-elected Teamster councilmember of the City of Burien, Pedro Olguin, fired up the group with a series of chants.

"We are the union. You are the union. We need to take the bull by the horns to fight off these attacks together."

Michelle Woodrow presentó a los oradores comenzando con el Representante Roger Goodman, el presidente del Comité de Seguridad Pública de la Cámara. Le siguieron tres miembros: Los oficiales Alfredo Cruz, Debra Gordon y Gerry Pinero.

Pinero, who made the trip to Olympia with his wife Angelic, talked about Teamster pride and the need to defend our union. “I started with the Teamsters in 1974 and have always been treated well by the Teamster family fighting for better benefits, better conditions, and better pay.”

“But senior Teamster staff can’t do it alone,” he said. “We are the union. You are the union. We need to take the bull by the horns to fight off these attacks together.”

John Scearcy, our union’s secretary-treasurer, echoed Pinero’s call for unity.  “When we stand together, we’re stronger. When we talk about our core values and find out where we align, we can move an agenda. This lobby day is a perfect example of us showing that when we’re committed to each other, we are strong and our voices will be heard.”