Manuel Arellano - President Candidate
Introduce yourself and tell us why you are running.
My name is Manuel Arellano, I am a Library Lead Steward, former
member of E-Board and the Bargaining Team for the current
Contract. In my Department, I am part of at least 10 Committees
where I represent the interest of our members, coworkers and
Local 88. Some of them are Bargaining Teams that have shaped
and made possible a better development of our people at their
positions, vocations, aspirations and their lives in general.
I am also from Peru, I am the first latin american and the first
bilingual to run for President of our Local which are big
motivations to lead our Union. But, the biggest motivation is the
vocation of service which would allow me to bring to our Union
the efficiency, hard work, dedication and compassion that I use
and used while serving as a Union Leader.
It is my intention to bring all my skills to lead our Union with
passion, tenacity and firm steps to the achieving of our goals.
That is what I have to offer.
How will you get to know all the departments and
their separate contracts? You can describe any
relevant past examples of doing similar work to
demonstrate this.
It is one of my life mottos, “Unity in the Diversity” which means
that we have to identify the common grounds, the similar goals
and same needs. However, we have to also respect the uniques
and the particularities that each Departments have.
We can’t achieve that without effective, clear and constant
communication among our members and the Cabi.
Communication and Information is one of our biggest strengths
that Management always wants to take away from us. Keeping
our people informed keeps us engaged and committed.
As a Lead Steward, our Stewards’ team and our different
Business Reps made sure that our whole department was
informed and aware of what is going on in our Union life. I not
only made sure that relevant matters were communicated to our
members, but also at the end of each year we summarized our
goals for the coming year and our achievements of the past one.
As a leader in your Local, how do you intend to
ensure that you are hearing and responding to all of
your members, not just the ones who are the most
outspoken or the loudest? (What is your overall
communication and response plan, and how do you
center the equity of voices?)
Who knows me and who worked and works with me knows that
we are here to listen to their needs and when action is required,
we take it!
I appreciate all voices, the loud ones, the outspoken ones and
also the ones that are cautious and also silent.
We do and will encourage all voices to do it with pride, objectivity
and creativity. I recognize, value, and affirm that our rich
diversity contributes to the excellence of our community and
therefore our Union.
In this decade humanity (and therefore our Union) has faced
harsh challenges. The pandemic showed how unprepared we are
when put through difficult circumstances. But on the other hand,
it showed us how resourceful we are as humans. I will rely on
each of our members’ capabilities, experiences and expertise. We
can’t do this job alone. Me and the elected team will need of
everyones’ input and feedback.
Is there anything else you want our union members
to know? (Is there anything you want to follow up
on or that you wished that you would have been
asked? This is your time!)
I want our members to know that I will advocate for all of them,
not only for the ones that share our same way of thinking and
values. My commitment is to all members without distinctions of
their job, values, skin color, creed, national origin, gender,
political beliefs and sexual orientation; all of this is real Solidarity!
Solidarity doesn’t exist when people discriminate against others
based on their differences. I have recently been on the receiving
end of discrimination and will always stand for myself and others
to push back and to end with these behaviors.
As a person whose first vocation and training is in Law, I will work
for creating precedence that makes Management accountable for
their decisions and that gives us a bridgehead for future
bargainings, representations and negotiations.
I will continue to push for trauma leave and a safer workplace
and will advocate for a Violence Free Workplace and continuously
challenge systemic racism and the cycle of oppression in all
County Departments.
I understand and see the need to be responsible with our Union
resources. We can’t afford frivolous expenses and unaccounted
adventures. Our members make us Stewards of their dues and
we can’t disappoint them!
It is my commitment to do my best to make sure that all
members are paid fairly, treated equally – I promoted with the
help of others to stop the weaponize use of Letter of Expectations
by limiting the length of their usage – and compensated for their
unique skills and services, like in the bargaining of the last
Contract where a bilingual pay of 4% was ensured for the first
time in our “Red Book”. I will also work for more equity for our
members who experience disabilities and push back on managers
who try to suppress members’ legal rights to workplace
accommodations
I would like to reiterate the importance of inclusivity and diversity
within our Union. It’s my firm belief that a diverse leadership and
membership base enriches our perspectives and helps us better
address the unique needs of all members. I am dedicated to
promoting inclusivity, creating an environment where all voices
are valued and respected.
Muchas Gracias a todos y por todo. Si se puede!
Jackie Tate - President Candidate
Introduce yourself and tell us why you are running.
My name is Jackie Tate (she/her) and I am Black with Mexican,
Indigenous and white heritage. I grew up in Multnomah County, live
in NE Portland and graduated from Gresham High School. I went to
college at University of Maryland as a scholarship student where I
studied psychology, African-American studies and Women’s studies.
I have worked for Multnomah County for over 28 years mostly in
direct service to children, families, older adults and people with
disabilities. I have served on the local 88 executive board for over
20 of those years and as a steward for over 10 years with most of
them as a lead steward for DCHS. I am running to:
● Support and advocate for local 88 members
● Increase membership and member engagement
● Build worker power and activism
● Bargain strong contracts and agreements
● Support, train and recruit a diverse steward pool
● Fight for management and leadership accountability
● Fight white supremacy culture and worker oppression
● Increase communication and transparency in our union
● Mentor new leaders with a focus on diverse voices
● Have more FUN events for members to participate in to
increase member solidarity
● Make Multnomah County a great place to work!
How will you get to know all the departments and their separate
contracts?
As a Local 88 Executive board member for over 20 years, I worked
with members from across the County and our sub locals, especially
TPI and CCC. In that role I served the interests of all members and
got to know their work, their needs, their struggles and advocated
for better working conditions, wages and contracts. I have also
been a long term member of the Employees of Color ERG (employee
resource group) that has countywide membership. And I have
worked on the WESP (workforce equity strategic plan) that is a
county wide initiative brought forward through the work and
advocacy of the EOC. I don’t believe in silos or artificial separation,
I believe in solidarity! I believe, as members of local 88, we are all
siblings and all of our work is valuable and important and we all
deserve excellent and safe working conditions, a living wage and
respect.
As a leader in your Local, how do you intend to ensure that you are
hearing and responding to all of your members, not just the ones
who are the most outspoken or the loudest?
As President, I would like to be available to all members:
● Get out to different work groups regularly (weekly if possible)
● Host coffee/ tea with the President
● Encourage and attend solidarity breaks/ lunches
● Facilitate good meetings that get business done, build
relationships and encourage all participants to have a voice
● Visit ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) to share information,
get feedback, build relationships and encourage participation
● Work with stewards/ lead stewards to do member outreach,
hear issues, recruit and train more stewards, mentor leaders
Working with the members of the local 88 cabinet and executive
board I would like to:
● Create digital tools for members to:
○ Share bargaining ideas and feedback
○ Communicate directly to the cabinet
○ Share concerns, complaints, issues
● Work on transparency and sharing information with members
and receiving feedback
● Have Fun! Create low barrier events and ways for members to
get involved, build relationships and get support.
● Encourage members to go to union trainings and conferences
● Build solidarity with other unions and community organizations
that matter to our members
Is there anything else you want our union members to know?
Thank you for reading this and being a member of local 88, I
appreciate your time and attention. I want to say that I have a
commitment to racial and social justice. In college I organized my
campus to attend 2 national marches for women’s rights and started
the Pro-Choice Advocacy group that was the largest student group
on campus. When I returned home in the early 90’s, I helped create
and run African Americans Voting No on 9, a group of queer and
straight black people that worked in the black community against a
measure that would have added anti-gay bigotry to the Oregon
Constitution. And, I have consistently worked on issues of food
insecurity and access, housing rights, immigrant rights, women’s
rights, disability rights, racial justice, and the peace movement. And,
as a member of local 88, I have focused most of my time and energy
on workers rights which are intertwined with all the ways we show
up as diverse human beings.
All of this work has been done working in community and in
solidarity with other people. That is why when I was asked and
decided to run for President, I knew I wanted to do it with a team of
people that shared similar values and commitment to our union and
membership. Together we are running on the Solidarity ticket and
we share the following commitments and values:
● Commitment to diversity and equity
● Commitment to mentorship to build diverse leadership
● Commitment to advocacy for our members and building
membership and member power
● Commitment to the physical and mental health of our members
● We believe that women’s rights are human rights and worker
rights
● We believe in human rights and civil rights
● We are in solidarity with all working people and people
experiencing oppression.
There is an African Proverb that says: If you want to go fast, go
alone, if you want to go far, go together. I hope you will join me in
voting for the solidarity ticket as I believe that working together
with all of you, we can go far!
Grant Swanson - Vice President Candidate
Introduce yourself and tell us why you are running.
Hello, my name is Grant Swanson, I use he, him, and his pronouns. I have worked in the library
department for over 20 years and have been a local 88 officer, e-board member, a Council 75
officer and e-board member, and a steward for over 17 years which was as soon as my
schedule allowed me to attend Local 88 meetings. I wanted to share a few additional things I
have done with AFSCME that I wasn’t able to share at our first forum.
As a part of the $15 now campaign, endorsed by local 88, we helped fight for a higher
minimum wage throughout Oregon. Though the final piece of legislation wasn’t what we had
hoped for, the end result was widely considered far better then we would have passed if we
didn’t fight, and locally the minimum has finally edged up over $15 per hour this year.
I helped to create a young worker program with AFSCME International, the Next Wave. It was
created when we met as a group of about 30 members that were a part of young worker
programs from a few parts of the US, and built a toolkit that has been used across the country
to engage younger workers. Your model was then emulated by the AFL-CIO’s “Next Up” young
worker program.
I also helped raise AFSCME’s voice in the fight against climate change with the Environmental
Caucus. Specifically, we convinced AFSCME to join the Keep Nestle out of the Gorge coalition,
and after many years with the instrumental help from water protectors including members of
the Columbia River Tribes including the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and the Yakama
Nation, as well as the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde to pass local measure 14-55 in
Cascade Locks that lead to the governor finally withdrawing the transfer application which
convinced Nestle to give up this fight.
I have also authored AFSCME International resolutions that gave a green light for members on
pension boards the ability to divest from fossil fuels. This has now occurred, with AFSCME a
part of the coalition calling for this change, in New York State and California.
With my experience I hope to show our members how to effect change in their union and build
a union for the 21st century. I specifically hope to educate our bargaining teams in the Jane
McAlevey style of member organized bargaining, that is a change from the 20th century way we
have been negotiating our contracts.
I am excited to share my experience and understanding of our local, statewide, and
International AFSCME union and the broader union movement as a whole for the good of all our
members and the community we serve and are a part of. I hope you will support myself and
our slate in the upcoming election.
How will you get to know all the departments and their separate contracts? You
can describe any relevant past examples of doing similar work to demonstrate this.
I would first learn from our lead stewards and deepen relationships with them. I want to
familiarize myself with the biggest issues faced by our departments and sub-locals. I will then
go out to speak to the workers where they work, including teleworkers, to deepen my
understanding of the issues most important to them. Finally, I will invite members out to fun
social events where we can get outside of the grind of their workplace to find out what is
important in their workplace and to their broader community.
I have been one of several members that have been tasked with being a MAT coordinator in the
past, possibly the first, and have mapped and visited many county worksites both in that role
and coming off for lost time to do internal member organizing drives. In my early 20’s, I
managed to afford rent in Portland as a canvasser for over a year. This gave me the skills for
1-on-1 and small group discussion, which is a critical link for effective member communication.
This is an activity that I really enjoy and look forward to doing more of, just not door-to-door
anymore.
I would also take on the task of reading all the contracts and department specific Memoranda. I
want to take point on contract negotiations with our sub-locals. This is a role that I have
played, with our largest bargaining unit where I was often in the numerical minority
representing the interests of low wage workers, part-time, on-call, and library members.
In my years at Jobs with Justice I sat down with many unorganized workers and helped them
strategize on how to win 1st contracts, and many of our sub-locals are seemingly perpetually
bargaining contracts that often feel like 1st contract wins. I am particularly keen on getting all
of the sublocals who have Multnomah County as their employer to have several so-called “me
too” clauses to bring greater parity among these locals with a common employer.
Finally, I have been learning about the concept of bargaining for the common good, and I have
a few ideas where I think we may be able to do this here at Local 88. Specifically, engaging the
13 or so private non-profits in the behavioral health local 1790 and in our local specifically TPI
and CCC. After building community consensus we could get more universal concessions in our
contract that would help workers in those locals. Many of these agencies get significant funding
through the joint office, which is a part of our union. We can expand this coalition by
coordinating with Metro local 3580 (another big funder of these programs) and local 189 at the
city (since it is a joint office after all). This coalition building and the grassroots support
associated with it is a long term project, likely 2 or more contract cycles, but this is work that I
feel would help our whole region and better support those in need. Similarly, we could build a
coalition with the clients and patrons, their families and communities that we serve in our
departments and find out what services they want to see and work toward their needs and
wants alongside ours at the bargaining table.
As a leader in your Local, how do you intend to ensure that you are hearing and
responding to all of your members, not just the ones who are the most outspoken or
the loudest? (What is your overall communication and response plan, and how do you
center the equity of voices?)
One of the biggest challenges of being a leader in a large local is being able to respond to
people’s concerns and situations when there is so much day-to-day work that needs to get
done. This question has been raised for many years in many ways, and I really think that
teamwork is the best way to address member’s concerns, and ensure that things don’t fall
through the cracks.
One way that can help make sure things don’t fall through the cracks, as mentioned in the 1st
forum, is through more robust communication tools. These will help us get the information from
our members that we need to help them resolve their issues. Sending questions and concerns
from members to leadership, without a response, has unfortunately been the way too many of
us have experienced a lack of communication in our local, myself included. This is why I intend
on engaging our stewards and sometimes active members at all levels, not just the lead
stewards, but all members to help in communicating to other members through reaching out
and having 1-on-1 conversations about the problems and concerns that they are facing. When
these conversations lead to situations that need to be elevated we will encourage this to
happen as quickly as possible so that we can get a swift resolution, or at least gather data for a
larger systemic resolution in the future.
4 officers and 4 staff can’t possibly follow up on the various concerns from all workers, whose
work is often very different from ours. This is why we need to grow and strengthen our
communication away from just expecting leadership to follow up with all concerns, but
empowering the line stewards to help us since they better understand the work culture and
challenges our members face.
With our data collection tools the officers will be able to collect these concerns and make sure
we are following up. At my day job I use automated sheets generated from forms that alert us
when we need to act, or when someone has been waiting too long to have been contacted
about their issue. This is why I am so excited to be running as a slate because I know that all of
my running mates have my back and will work tirelessly for all of you.
I want to make sure that any time we have a meeting that impacts our members, we share as
much information as we can with our membership as soon as possible. For me any session that
should have a report back to the affected members isn’t over until a communication and
communication plan has been created. This could look like a single communication, or add them
to a list of updates that are sent in regular intervals so that the issues our members are
following will get regular updates.
When we get reports where one’s marginalized identity is playing a factor in the challenge they
are facing, if we don’t share that common identity we will ask for help and understanding from
a member with lived experience facing these challenges. We don’t want to lean too heavily on
these marginalized members, so if they don’t want to have to have the initial conversations
with the affected member themselves, we can at least seek out information and get a better
understanding of the issue before we initiate a back-and-forth with the affected member.
Is there anything else you want our union members to know? (Is there anything
you want to follow up on or that you wished that you would have been asked? This is
your time!)
I want to share more information that I have cut out of these 3 minute sound bites that I think
might help you better understand where I am coming from and share some experiences that
have helped me grow since my last term as VP.
When the pandemic hit, the city of Portland wanted to set up houseless Covid camps; a
coalition formed to help them with this, including Right 2 Dream Too where I have been
Treasurer for over 10 years, and we agreed to call them Creating Conscious Communities with
People Outside or C3PO camps, a nod to our Right 2 Dream Too or R2DToo. I was working 70
hour weeks in the EOC setting up the warehouse and running a crew of drivers to get PPE out
to outbreaks, community partners, and other counties in Oregon when we initially set up these
camps. After 6 months of another non-profit, JOIN, struggling to operate these COVID camps,
the City then reached out to our small, all volunteer non-profit R2DToo to help them operate.
We were the only non-profit in Portland with an established record of running outdoor shelters
so we were the only group who could get insured. So, our little non-profit went from being all
volunteer to having 25-30 employees running outdoor shelters in a different way then the
Co-op structure we were used to. I was the one to negotiate with the city and did the lion’s
share of running these for a year, all while working full time at the library. I got a crash course
in running a non-profit. I was able to rely on years of knowing and applying labor law at my
workplace as a steward and was able to look out for the workers we employed. We eventually
disagreed with the city’s model and gave up the contract which was taken over by the new at
the time All Good Northwest, whose workers are now union members with AFSCME 1790. One
thing I am particularly proud of was raising the starting wage for shelter workers by $5 an hour,
which the other shelters soon followed.
In my 5 years as a co-chair of Jobs with Justice I learned what solidarity looks like in action.
Not only by coming out for other people’s struggles, but also helping unorganized workers get a
first contract. This chapter in my life gave me valuable insights that I hope to share with our
local, and I hope to get a standing solidarity committee going that routinely becomes a
presence at other union’s rallies, pickets, and strike lines in the Portland region. Hopefully with
awesome butterfly costumes.
I also helped Oregon join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. We joined the compact
in the next full legislative session after the resolution our local brought forward at the 2018 OR
AFL-CIO convention.
Finally, I just wanted to share how excited I am for the future of our union. I have seen the
respect and adoration that other unions in the area regard our local as a progressive leader in
the Portland region and beyond. I have an innovative vision for member engagement that can
help our members and workers more broadly throughout our region. I want to get back to
building a fun and connected union once again. These things are what I loved about my local
when I became active 17 years ago and want to bring this spirit of community and solidarity
back to Local 88. I want to contribute to this local that has afforded me such a happy and
rewarding life and I hope you will join with me to build a better, more equitable, and more
caring union together.
Cindy Sierra - Treasurer Candidate
Introduce yourself and tell us why you were running
Hello, my name is Cindy Sierra and I’m running to be your next treasurer. Members
should consider voting for me as Treasurer because I will bring a unique combination of
over 15 years of procurement and financial expertise, a commitment to transparency,
fresh perspective, and a genuine dedication to the well-being of our union. As a part of
the Solidarity ticket, having been with the county for 2 years, I have been asked to run
for Treasurer by our Members and Board. I am determined to be a fair and impartial
information resource for all. I treat all members equally, regardless of their background,
beliefs, or identity. Members should consider voting for me when they value unbiased,
reliable, and consistent information.
How will you get to know all the departments in their separate contracts?
I don’t know all the other departments – and that’s an exciting place to be! I don’t have
any biases, nor am I jaded. I plan on meeting with the other departments, inquire about
their work, and ask the why’s behind their jobs. I was a Procurement Manager for over
10 years with IBM, managing a $32 million budget. As the new manager I reached out
to each department and spoke with their team, leads, and members of management to
discuss what works and what has room for improvement. I was able to build trust by
listening, then by making well thought out changes that benefited them on a daily basis.
One of the changes was to automate how procurement requests were received. This
allowed my representatives to obtain a clear and concise request with all the required
approvals. Making that change helped with the timeliness of the request; it also served
as a key performance indicator. This KPI was so successful that IBM procurement never
failed an audit.
As a leader in your local, how do you intend to ensure that you were hearing and
responding to all of the members not just the ones who are the most outspoken
or the loudest?
As your union treasurer, I will work closely with the lead Stewards who have a pulse on
the true issues that our members are facing. One way would be by setting
agenda-based meetings, on what they’re hearing from the Leads, Members, Trustees,
and from the Executive Board. This will allow us to tackle true member issues. I will lean
on the expertise of my cabinet, communicate with the Trustees and Executive Team and
inquire how I can support, what is need from me as a Treasurer and as a Member. I will
help to remove barriers where I can. Transparency is really important; I’ve noticed in the
past few member meetings that the treasure reporting materials were not readily
available, and that stipend and mileage reimbursement was lagging. As a due paying
member, I would like to see where my dues are going. I truly understand the importance
of timeliness and will review the current process for improvements. The last thing I
would want as your new treasurer is to cause any financial hardship on our Members. I
will meet the high standards of the union!!
Niyia Batugo - Secretary Candidate
Introduce yourself and tell us why you are running
Hello, my name is Niyia Batugo, and I want to introduce myself and share why I am
running for the position of Secretary in our union.
I am a proud individual of Filipino, Black, and White heritage, and my pronouns
are she/her. With over five years of experience in the health department, I have spent
the most recent portion of my career in corrections health. During this time, I’ve had the
privilege of serving as a steward for nearly four years and got the opportunity to
participate in the bargaining process.
My decision to run for the Secretary position in our union is motivated by my
commitment to making positive changes within our organization. Over the past year, I
have had the privilege of hearing from many of our members who have expressed a
loss of faith in our union. It is my goal to be a driving force behind the transformation
that is needed.
Members should consider me for this role because of my unwavering passion for
ensuring that our members not only excel in their roles but also have the ability to
communicate effectively with their supervisors and peers when it comes to operational
decisions. Additionally, I am dedicated to providing them with a sense of protection in
their positions so that they can earn a fair wage and maintain the means to support
themselves and their families. I am fully committed to advocating for these changes in
any way I can.
Thank you for considering me as a candidate for the position of Secretary in our
union, and I look forward to the opportunity to work together for the betterment of our
organization.
How will you get to know all the departments and their separate contracts?
You can describe any relevant past examples of doing similar work to
demonstrate this.
To ensure that I get to know all the departments and their separate contracts, I will
employ a multifaceted approach that draws from my previous experiences in similar
roles. I would make sure to have open communication channels, where I will establish
and maintain multiple communication channels tailored to suit the preferences of
different members. This will include in-person meetings, email communication, and
potentially other digital platforms. By providing a variety of options, I can engage
members who are more comfortable with different modes of communication. My goal
would be to get members to join regular meetings, where, alongside other Union
leaders, we will schedule regular union meetings, encompassing both large gatherings
and smaller focus groups. Smaller meetings will be particularly valuable for fostering
intimate conversations, enabling quieter members to feel more at ease sharing their
concerns and ideas.
I believe offering anonymous feedback will be imperative. Recognizing the
importance of open participation, I will create a system for anonymous feedback. This
can be achieved through means such as suggestion boxes or online forms, which allow
members to express themselves without fear of repercussions. Additionally, I will
actively promote diverse representation in leadership positions within the union. It is
essential to ensure that our leaders and representatives come from different
departments, backgrounds, and demographics. This way, we can better represent the
entire membership.
Surveys and polls will be conducted regularly to gather input on specific issues.
These surveys will be structured to elicit feedback from a broad range of members,
including those who may not speak up in meetings. I will encourage one-on-one
conversations with members to understand their unique concerns. Such personalized
interactions are particularly valuable for building trust and getting input from quieter
individuals. It is imperative that I make it clear that all voices are valued and respected
within the union, and I will strive to create an inclusive and safe space for discussions
where members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts.
In decision-making, I will commit to putting the diverse needs and perspectives of
all members, prioritizing solutions that benefit the majority while also addressing the
concerns of underrepresented or less vocal groups. Lastly, transparency will be a
priority, as I will keep members informed about union activities and decision-making
processes. By employing these strategies and building on my previous experiences, I
aim to facilitate a strong connection with all departments and their unique contracts,
fostering a thriving, inclusive, and responsive union.
As a leader in your Local, how do you intend to ensure that you are hearing
and responding to all of your members, not just the ones who are the most
outspoken or the loudest? (What is your overall communication and
response plan, and how do you center the equity of voices?)
As a leader in our Local, my foremost commitment is to ensure that I am actively
listening to and addressing the needs of all our members, irrespective of their level of
vocal expression. To achieve this, I have devised a comprehensive communication and
response plan that places the equity of voices at its core. We will establish open and
inclusive communication platforms, ranging from regular union meetings to digital
channels, and offer accessible avenues for anonymous feedback to ensure that every
member can voice their concerns without apprehension. In addition to larger gatherings,
I will organize smaller focus groups, creating an intimate setting where quieter members
can comfortably share their perspectives. Diverse representation within our leadership
is a priority, as it helps mirror the diversity of our membership and ensures that no one’s
voice is overlooked in decision-making. I will emphasize equity-centered
decision-making, focusing on solutions that benefit the majority while addressing the
concerns of underrepresented or less vocal groups. Transparency and accountability
will be paramount, with regular updates on union activities and decision-making
processes. Ongoing education and training will empower our members to engage
effectively, and my leadership team will be readily accessible for all. Through these
strategies and a steadfast commitment to inclusivity, I aim to create an environment
where every member’s voice is heard, valued, and acted upon, building a more inclusive
and responsive union that serves all its members effectively.
Is there anything else you want our union members to know? (Is there
anything you want to follow up on or that you wished that you would have
been asked? This is your time!)
There are a few important points I’d like to share with our union members. First and
foremost, I want to express my genuine commitment to being a responsive and
accountable leader. My primary goal is to represent the best interests of each and every
member. Your concerns, feedback, and suggestions are not just welcomed but crucial in
guiding the direction of our union.
I also wish to stress the importance of unity within our union. We are at our
strongest when we stand together, and your active participation is what makes our
collective voice so powerful. I encourage each member to engage, attend meetings, and
take part in discussions. Together, we can affect meaningful change and work toward
improvements that benefit all of us.
Additionally, I would like to highlight the importance of inclusivity and diversity
within our union. It’s my firm belief that a diverse leadership and membership base
enriches our perspectives and helps us better address the unique needs of all
members. I’m dedicated to promoting inclusivity, creating an environment where all
voices are valued and respected.
Lastly, if there are specific issues or questions you’d like to discuss, please don’t
hesitate to reach out to me directly. I’m here to listen, advocate for your concerns, and
ensure that our union remains a strong and supportive community for all its members.
Together, we can achieve great things, and I’m excited to work with you in realizing our
shared goals and aspirations.
Thank you all for taking the time to read our responses. It would be a tremendous
honor to collaborate with any of the outstanding individuals running. Together, I truly
believe we can achieve remarkable things for our union and its members.