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Tacoma-based OPEIU 23 merges into 6,000-member OPEIU 8

OPEIU-mcguire-adams-merger(June 8, 2015) — Last month, members of Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU) Local 23 based in Tacoma voted to merge their union with OPEIU Local 8, a statewide union that now boasts more than 6,000 members in Washington. The merger has been formally approved by OPEIU’s International Union and took effect on June 1.

“What an absolutely wonderful way to end one era and begin another; an overall mandate with 95% votes cast to merge,” said former Local 23 President John L. Adams (pictured at right). “I am truly excited to move forward, together, as a proud and active member of Local 8. I look forward to our many opportunities of being part of a 6,000-member-strong union.”

“Thank you to Local 23 members who voted in this merger,” said OPEIU Local 8 President Kellie McGuire (also pictured above). “We made history with two strong OPEIU local unions becoming an even stronger OPEIU Local 8. I’m looking forward to working with our sisters and brothers joining us from Local 23. We will make this transition as seamless as possible.”

opeiu23-lastmeetingLocal 23 held its last Executive Board Meeting on May 28 and selected three Transitional Board Members to join the Local 8 Executive Board, until January 2016, when the General Election will be held. Those will be former Local 23 President John L. Adams and Executive Board Members Sue Laguana and Doris Tucker. Local 8 also welcomes the former staff of Local 23 Allan Jacobson, Leslie Liddle and Anita Larson.

The union’s new members work at Group Health Cooperative-Tacoma, Bremerton & Pierce Housing Authorities, Behavioral Health Resources, Metropolitan Development Council, Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake, Cascade Regional Blood Services, Communitas, union offices and many other organizations.

opeiu8OPEIU Local 8 is a progressive, democratically run union working for social and economic justice since 1945. Local 8 represents approximately 6,000 members all over Washington state working in many settings including offices, health and home care, housing, social services, the insurance industry, legal services and the public sector. Local 8’s next Membership Assembly on Saturday, Sept. 26 has been moved from Arlington to Tacoma to more easily welcome the union’s newest members and celebrate their combined strengths. For more information, visit OPEIU8.org.

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