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Lifeblood Of The Union
Workers in the logistics, kitting and warehouse departments of the American Red Cross in Pomona, Calif., recently voted to become members of Local 63 in Covina.
Local 63 already represents other job titles at the Pomona facility and this new unit brings the total to nearly 200.
“We are proud to continue our strong representation of Red Cross employees in Pomona,” said Randy Cammack, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 63 and International Vice President.
Other Teamster local unions across the country also represent Red Cross employees, in particular in the Detroit, Cleveland, Boston and Philadelphia areas.
Blood Drives
Since 1998, Local 63 has represented workers at the American Red Cross in Pomona. There are other blood collection companies in the area who are for-profit agencies and are nonunion, but the Local 63 members at the Red Cross are proud to hold union membership.
Before the current organizing victory, the local represented approximately 170 Red Cross Teamsters in Pomona. They represent laboratory technicians who test the blood for purity and type before segmenting it into units, and those who work as mobile op drivers who transport and set up the equipment for blood drives. Then, they temporarily store the blood and transport it back to the lab.
Local 63 not only represents these Red Cross workers, they put them to work at the local. At least twice a year, the local holds blood drives that supply local hospitals. The Red Cross blood workers who run the drive are Teamsters themselves.
“The blood that our members donate and collect helps to save lives around Southern California,” said Hector Fernandez, business agent with Local 63. “Our members at the American Red Cross are an extremely dedicated, intelligent and professional staff. The work they do is so important to healing and returning people to good health.”