We are the SOLIDARITY SLATE. We are running to be Trustees on the Executive Board of Teamsters Local 639. We hope to improve the Transparency and Accountability of our Local to its Members.
!!!IMPORTANT!!! If you have not received your ballot, you must call 1-877-455-9367 or email helpdesk@voteges.com before 12 noon on October 11, 2024.
Christopher V. Paiva
Landover UPS
-Shop Steward
-Union Activist
-Organizer
(Click for Bio)
As a first-generation American and Teamster, I am proud of my family’s immigrant journey from Portugal, where they primarily worked in concrete labor. Initially, I prepared to follow in their footsteps as a concrete worker. However, I received invaluable advice to pursue a Union job, which has significantly shaped my career and allowed me to provide for my family.
Since joining the Union as a rank-and-file member and Shop Steward, I have been dedicated to recruiting new members, educating and empowering our existing members, and organizing workshops and events. My commitment to these efforts culminated in my appointment as a strike captain during the historic 2023 UPS contract negotiation. I have also actively encouraged participation in our local’s monthly meetings and other Union activities, believing that engagement is crucial for both current and future generations.
As I seek to serve as a trustee, I am committed to advancing my knowledge of our Union, promoting transparency, and fostering greater involvement among members. Regardless of the outcome, I pledge to support all my Teamster Brothers and Sisters steadfastly.
*Note: Unfortunately, I was declared ineligible to run for trustee by the Secretary-Treasurer. Local 639 does not accept FMLA “bonding time” for my daughter as approved leave. Although I cannot run, I will continue to organize, educate, and empower all my Teamster Brothers and Sisters.
Loletta Edwards
TheBus! in PG County
-Shop Steward
-Women’s Conference Delegate
-Organizer
(Click for Bio)
Greetings! My name is Loletta Edwards. I’ve been employed by PG County’s The Bus since 2015, where I was first introduced to the Teamsters Union. In October 2021, I was honored to be elected as a shop steward by my peers at The Bus, marking the beginning of my dedicated Union career.
In September 2022, I had the privilege of representing Local 639 at the National Teamsters Women’s Conference. During the conference, I participated in several workshops to enhance my skills as a Shop Steward and attended seminars to gain a deeper understanding of the Teamsters’ mission and values.
As I continue to learn and grow, I am eager to bring about positive change for the members of Local 639. While many of my colleagues have years of experience, I bring the fresh perspective and passionate drive of a newer generation. I am committed to serving not just myself, but all members, with a spirit that equals success.
It seems that Local 639 has lost its focus on serving its members, and I am here to be the reminder of our true purpose.
Carl Riechers
Landover UPS
-Shop Steward
-Committed Unionist
-Fluent in Spanish and English
-Hablo Español
(Click for Bio)
For more than a decade, I have been an active and committed fighter in the workers’ struggle for justice and a better life. Prior to joining the Teamsters in 2018 when I started at UPS, I worked for 10 years in the restaurant industry. In my time in the kitchen, I experienced firsthand the gross exploitation by the employer class and attempted to organize multiple shops, albeit unsuccessfully. On two different occasions, I was fired for fighting on behalf of my fellow workers.
Following the birth of my son in 2017, I left the restaurants for UPS where I could enjoy the stable healthcare benefits won by the Teamsters and Local 639. I didn’t, however, escape the employer’s exploitation. I started as a Package Car Driver in June 2018 and became a shop steward in August 2020. One of the main reasons I was elected was to fight against a particularly abusive manager. Eventually, over the course of a year and a half we got him permanently removed from our building.
Over the last 4 years in Landover, we have continued and will continue to build our center into a strong union shop. I also want to bring this energy to Local 639’s executive board. As trustee, I promise to bring a strong voice to the board and provide the oversight of our finances that the membership wants and deserves.
What is a Trustee?
Teamsters trustees are responsible for ensuring that the union’s funds and assets are used properly and for the benefit of the union and its members. They are also responsible for ensuring that the union complies with legal requirements for financial reporting, record keeping, and bonding. This is not a full-time position.
Section 12 of the Local 639 Bylaws define the Duties of Trustees as follows:
It shall be the duty of the Trustees to conduct or have conducted a monthly examination of the books of the Local Union and the results thereof shall be reported at the next regular membership meeting. They shall sign the books of the Secretary-Treasurer if they have found them correct and the bank balances verified. In the event that a Trustee declines to sign the books, the Trustee must state in writing to the Local Union Secretary-Treasurer his reasons for declining to do so and shall also advise the General Secretary-Treasurer of those reasons. A Trustee’s disagreement with an expenditure properly authorized by the Executive Board or membership shall not be a valid basis for refusing to sign the books. Trustees shall not sign blank reports. the Trustees’ reports shall be sent to the General Secretary-Treasurer as required by the International Constitution. They shall receive and review the original surety bond covering each officer, employee and representative of the Local Union required to be bonded, and retain it at the Local Union’s principal office. they shall have the duty to see that such bonds are current and enforceable. In the event of the unavailability of a Trustee, the remaining Trustees or Trustee shall perform the above functions. In performing their functions, the Trustees may avail themselves of the services of the Certified Public Accountants retained by the Local Union Executive Board.
How do I vote?
You will vote by mail. Ballots were mailed by election company Global Election Services on Friday, September 27, 2024. You should receive your ballot by October 4, 2024. Ballots must be returned to the designated Post Office Box by 9am on October 21, 2024.
How do I fill out my ballot?
Mark an X at the top of the right column to vote for the Solidarity Slate as a whole.
Since we are not running a full slate you may also select individual members from the other column by filling in the oval next to their name. When voting for the Solidarity Slate, do not pick more than one Trustee from the other column or you will invalidate your ballot.
What if I don’t receive a Ballot by October 4, 2024?
If you do not receive a ballot, you must contact Global Election Services by phone at 1-877-455-9367 or by email at helpdesk@voteges.com before 12 noon on October 11, 2024.
Why was Chris Paiva disqualified from running?
Brother Paiva had his first child Amalia in July 2023. He took paternity leave from mid-November to the last week of January. The IBT Constitution and the Local Bylaws require that a member maintain continuous good standing for 24 months prior to an election, which means that all dues must be paid by the end of the month for which they are owed. At the Shop Steward training on December 9, 2023, Brother Paiva offered to pay his dues for December and January because he would not be at work for them to be taken from his check. The Local Officers told him that this would not be necessary, because his dues would be paid as soon as he returned to work. However, after Brother Paiva was nominated as a Trustee, these same officers challenged his eligibility because he had not paid his dues on time for December and January. We appealed this decision all the way to General President Sean O’Brien. We believe that Brother Paiva should have been eligible under the IBT Constitution, Article II, Section 4(a)4(a) that grants an exception for members on leave approved by the Local Executive Board. We believe that Brother Paiva’s leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act should be considered approved leave as Local 639 is a party to the UPS contract.
President O’Brien ultimately upheld the Local’s decision that Brother Paiva was ineligible for office because he took time off to bond with his newborn child. The IBT stated that the Local 639 Executive Board would have needed to specifically approve Brother Paiva’s leave to grant an exception.
Solidarity Slate for Teamsters Local 639 Trustees Election 