Drive-thru celebrates Local 853 members

In our largest drive-thru membership appreciation event yet, more than 800 members came by Local 853’s offices in Oakland (Oct. 29), San Jose, and Watsonville (Oct. 30). They filled out a card to enter the raffle and collected a Local 853 long-sleeved t-shirt.

The Local has held this event since 1993, but until the pandemic arrived, it was held indoors at a local school. Hopefully, we can get back to the indoor party venue soon so that staff can cook breakfast for the members and everyone has an opportunity to snack and chat.

Nine lucky members were selected at the November regular membership meeting on Nov. 10 to win a new TV or karaoke machine.

We all look forward to the day when we can get back to meeting in person, having the local staff make breakfast for the members, offering convenient flu shots, hearing the state of the union, and holding the live raffle. Fingers crossed that’ll happen for the 30th anniversary of these events!

Congrats to the lucky raffle winners

You didn’t have to be at the meeting to be a winner, and sadly none of the winners were. But since they had attended one of the three Membership Appreciation events, where they had filled out a winning raffle ticket, their win was just as valid.

Congratulations to select members at Gillig, Cargill, MV Transportation, Reliant Metals, Alhambra, Pak’nSave, and UPS who will get a TV or Karaoke machine delivered to their worksite.

Hopefully, 2023 will be the year that we can get out of our cars and get back to meeting in person. Watch for it!