Tom Leedham, General President
Local 206, Oregon
Tom Leedham is the Secretary-Treasurer of Local 206 in Oregon, representing warehouse, freight, UPS, public employees, sanitation and other Teamsters. Leedham spent years as a working Teamster. Fed up with weak contracts and benefit cuts, including the elimination of retiree health benefits, Leedham organized his co-workers to elect reform local leadership. After being elected, Leedham inherited a union health trust that was almost broke. Instead of making excuses or pointing fingers, Leedham instituted reforms in how the trust was operated and negotiated higher employer contributions to the benefit fund. He won back retiree healthcare that previous leadership had eliminated and eliminated two-tier contracts that allowed employers to pay lower wages and benefits to newer Teamsters. In today’s tough bargaining climate, Leedham continues to bargain industry-leading contracts by organizing strategic contract campaigns. Leedham has served at every level of Teamster leadership, including shop steward, local union representative, local union principal officer, Joint Council officer, IBT Warehouse Division Director and International Vice President.
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