I wanted to say goodbye to all of you, and say that it has been an honor and a privilege to represent all of you over the years. I met many wonderful, hard working people over these 38 years as a union representative. I couldn't have asked for a more rewarding career.

You, regardless of where you work - whether it’s Macy’s, Stop & Shop, UMass Memorial Hospital, St. Vincent’s, one of the laundries or packing houses, Golden Living and our other nursing homes, Gorton’s, Hannaford warehouse, and EVERY facility represented by Local 1445 - are the salt of the earth. You are the people who go to work every day, paying the bills that never stop coming, struggling to support your families, and putting up with the stress from overbearing and demanding bosses, while many of you are taking care of aging parents and disabled children. YOU deserve the best life can bring you.

It is time for me to go and for the younger energetic staff to take the helm.

I hope I have served you well and led with compassion, honesty, integrity, and transparency. The road ahead for you will be challenging and rocky until the country elects a president who will stand up against corporate greed and uphold your rights to collectively bargain with your employer. But keep the faith, brothers and sisters! Only by sticking together will you overcome all the obstacles thrown in your way.

Stop & Shop members, you made this union proud with your spirit and resolve last April, and your fellow union sisters and brothers demonstrated by their support and encouragement the true spirit of union solidarity. I thank you all.

I will leave you in good hands, with Tom Brown for a short while, then Fernando Lemus, who will lead the local for the rest of the term. Fernando is very competent and will provide strong leadership. Local 1445 officers and staff are stronger than ever, diverse and very qualified.

To all the Local 1445 members:  Thank you for your support over the years and for the privilege of allowing me to represent you.

In solidarity,
Jeff