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
Allen Hopson, Local 30
Andy Hecker, 129
Arthur Esparza, Local 30
Austin Tedtaotao, Local 129
Brandon Aldrich, Local 30
Bryce Owings, Local 816
Cody McPike, Local 30
Colin Gibson, Local 30
Colin Heft, Local 70
Craig Wa, Local 70
David Coffey, Local 70
David Wang, Local 70
Don Sorenson, Local 70 (17 Year Delegate & Officer)
Duane Petty, Local 30
Elias Marchan, Local 30
Erick Lopez, Local 30
Gilberto Marchan, Local 30
Glenn Vasquez, Local 70
Jacob Beattiger, Local 30
Jacy Purkiss, Local 70
James Green, Local 59
Jarry Tourn, Local 30
Jason Bartos, Local 30
Jeff Olszewski, Local 30
Jessica Warren, Local 30
Joe Sosa, Local 30 (Union Steward)
John MacDonald, Local 30
John Thompson, Local 30
Jordan McDonald, Local 30
Jordan Sears, Local 816
Kenneth McElhose, Local 129
Melina Harris Local 30
Michael Effler, Local 30
Michael Townsel, Local 70
Michael Whitaker, Local 30
Monty Woods, Local 70
Nick Ross, Local 30
Patrick Burns, Local 30
Ryan Campbell, Local 129
Ryan Peaslee, Local 30
Scott Shern, Local 30
Sergio Zamora, Local 30
Seth Adams, Local 30
Shane McMurray, Local 70
Taylor Morris, Local 30
Tom Nolan, Local 30
Travis Philpot, Local 30
Tyson Frazier, Local 70
Uriel Newcomb, Local 41