Have we met? Does my name sound familiar? It should! I have been a Business Agent in the union for 15+ years, doing my part to ensure that the contractors conform to our union agreements. I worked closely with the prior Business Manager, the late Matt Walters, for 9+ years, and learned a great deal under his fantastic leadership. Prior to my role as Business Agent for the Union, I worked as a Pipefitter & Welder for 19 years.

The Business Manager role is a big job. I am confident, enthusiastic, and ready to serve. I believe I offer the vision, the experience, and the ability to work hard to greatly improve the value of the Local Union - to all of our members.

What’s the state of our union? I know it can be significantly improved. Local 290 is stagnant and needs a proactive leader. A leader with a plan to improve our Local Union for the benefit of retired, active, and future members of our trade. I don’t settle for the status quo! I hope you won’t either.

After many years of working on your behalf, I have come up with number of ideas that I would go to work on from day one. First we need to negotiate a substantial wage increase. This should include a plan to increase pensions for the current and future retirees. We also need to improve Business Agent and Organizer accountability. This is likely to result in some personnel changes. I am not afraid of controversy when it means standing for what is right.

My goals are to organize this Union – in the short term and over the long haul. Organizing non union employees and contractors is certainly a valuable goal. I believe in Organizing and expect more progress in this area than we have experienced in recent years. But what about organizing our own membership first? The people you pay to take care of your business should have a plan to bring us all closer together so we are all playing for the same team. I will invest considerable effort in communicating with members in all areas of our jurisdiction. A Business Manager who listens to your ideas and concerns to build a consensus as to the direction of the local union is the form of leadership you deserve.

Thank you for your time and attention. Let’s talk! I hope you will contact me to talk about your concerns and issues and vote for me - Al Shropshire - for Business Manager, this December.