Big Week Ahead for Business Manager and Members

Sunday, August 31, 2008

HEADQUARTERS - Business Manager Chris Darker will travel to 6 cities this week to meet new members of the Local and provide updates and information on the local.  “This is a big week for the Local and for our Union”, said Darker.  Following the Labor Day festivities in Anderson on Monday, the Local will be signing the first Collective Bargaining Agreement on Tuesday, September 2nd in San Francisco for the Presidio Trust employees who have been without a contract for 8 years. The Presidio Trust Employees were merged into Local 792 from Local 36 in July 2007. Business Manager Darker assigned Senior Labor Representative Steve Allen as Chief negotiatior for the 172 member bargaining unit. “Most of UPEC’s staff have worked on this contract campaign for the past year as well as Public Employee Director Bob Purcell and his Assistant Bill Keeton from LIUNA Headquarters, and Presidio Trust Stewards Norm Infusino, Margaret Loo, Paul Hahn and Sam Clinton. You couldn’t have asked for a better team to get the job done. I am proud of everyone who put forth the effort”, said Darker. Local 792 also received the support of the San Francisco Labor Council and their President, Tim Paulson.
Business Manager Darker invited LIUNA Pension Fund Administrator Mark Speakes from LIUNA Headquarters in Washington D.C. to meet with members in the central coast area this week who participate in the LIUNA Industrial Pension Fund. On January 1, 2008, fifteen (15) bagaining units were merged into Local 792 from Local 270 some who participate in the Fund. “I think it’s very important for the members to meet with the top union officials whenever possible. Mark is a good friend and colleague and never fails to respond to our needs”, said Darker. Darker and Speakes will meet with members in Milpitas on Wednesday, Capitola on Thursday and Seaside on Friday. In addition Darker along with Senior Labor Representative Steve Allen and Labor Representative Rick Burruss will meet with the Monterey Employees Association Board (MEA) in Monterey on Thursday night and attend their membership picnic on Saturday.