Sister Kshama Sawant,

As rank and file Western Washington Union Carpenters currently on strike for a fair contract, we appreciate the solidarity you have publicly expressed with us through your first letter on September 6 and another on September 17. We especially value a union sister elected representative standing steadfastly with us, even in the face of the regrettable attacks on you for doing so.

Your letters recognize the courage it took for rank and file carpenters to reject four tentative agreements and to put pressure on our leadership to sanction a strike. Rank and file carpenters have been organizing themselves, having recognized months ago that the proposed wages being offered by the AGC bosses were not keeping up with inflation. It is a grim reality that we cannot afford to raise a family in Seattle, a city that we build. We are grateful to you for reaching out and making clear that you stand behind carpenters’ demands for better wages and fully-funded benefits. You may not know that many of the carpenters are unable to join their brothers and sisters on picket lines due to PLA and other side agreements that include no-strike clauses. Your support has strengthened carpenters’ voices who are inhibited by these concessions to the bosses. We appreciate that your letters support our specific demands, including a three-year contract to remain united with other building and construction trades workers. We cannot win this alone, thus, we will not forget those who stood beside us when we needed them most.

Rank and file carpenters are diverse and are dedicated to uniting members of all backgrounds. We aim to organize and amplify the voices of all carpenters in demand of a fair contract. We appreciate that you have echoed our demands for stronger protections against workplace harassment. Carpenters are calling for support from union leaders and politicians of all affiliations who sincerely wish to help us fight for a better future. To date, you are the only politician to have stepped forward in solidarity.

We hope that you will use your elected position to make further efforts, in coordination with us, to support our strike action. We urge other elected representatives to follow your example.

In solidarity,

Aaron Maher, Local 30

Aaron Medema, Local 30

Aaron Pate, Local 129

Agnes Wurz, Local 30

Alan Poindexter, Local 30

Alfonso Villarreal, Local 816

Allen Hopson, Local 30

Andy Hecker, Local 129

Arthur Esparza, Local 30

Austin Tedtaotao, Local 129

Brandon Aldrich, Local 30

Bryce Owings, Local 816

Caleb Hatch, Local 70

Christopher Thibodeau, Local 30

Cody McPike, Local 30

Colin Gibson, Local 30

Colin Heft, Local 70

Courtney Carmack, Local 70

Craig Wa, Local 70

Danell George, Local 30

David Coffey, Local 70

David Wang, Local 70

Devin Davies, Local 96

Don Sorenson, Local 70 (17 Year Delegate & Officer)

Duane Petty, Local 30

Elias Marchan, Local 30

Erick Lopez, Local 30

Gabe Evans, Local 30

Gilberto Marchan, Local 30

Glenn Vasquez, Local 70

Grant Howard, Local 30

Jacob Beattiger, Local 30

Jacob Schley, Local 129

Jacy Purkiss, Local 70

Jagziel Aguirre, Local 70

James Green, Local 59

James Jones, Local 70

James Leisure, Local 30

Jarry Tourn, Local 30

Jason Bartos, Local 30

Jeff Olszewski, Local 30

Jereme Peterson, Local 30

Jessica Warren, Local 30

Joe Poplaski, Local 30

Joe Sosa, Local 30 (Union Steward)

John MacDonald, Local 30

John Schneble, Local 129

John Thompson, Local 30

Jordan McDonald, Local 30

Jordan Sears, Local 816

Kenneth McElhose, Local 129

Mason Thompson, Local 30

Melina Harris, Local 30

Michael Effler, Local 30

Michael Silvey, Local 30

Michael Townsel, Local 70

Michael Whitaker, Local 30

Michael Yusko, Local 41

Monty Woods, Local 70

Nathan Kelling, Local 129

Nick Ross, Local 30

Patrick Burns, Local 30 (Retired)

Randy Johnson, Local 30

Ricardo Banuelos, Local 70

Robert Kimbrough, Local 30

Ron McMullen, Local 70

Ryan Campbell, Local 129

Ryan Peaslee, Local 30

Scott Shern, Local 30

Sergio Zamora, Local 30

Seth Adams, Local 30

Shane Bentley, Local 70

Shane McMurray, Local 70

Taylor Morris, Local 30

Taylor Tunison, Local 30

Thomas Reams Jr., Local 30

Thomas Smith, Local 152

Tom Nolan, Local 30

Travis Philpot, Local 30

Tyson Frazier, Local 70

Uriel Newcomb, Local 41

Vern Reber, Local 70

Posted: September 21st, 2021 under Uncategorized