REGION 1

The regional office is based in Ontario, California and has a staff with a combined experience of over 50 years.

Vice President John Lewis not only has the responsibility of internal organizing of full and part time employees in a large natural gas utility with a geographic area from central California to San Diego and from the Pacific Ocean to the Arizona state line, he also assists the five local unions at that company. He assists members in California working at a diatomaceous earth mine, producing filtering agents for swimming pools, as well as beer, a convalescent hospital, a bleach manufacturing facility, and a resins and polymers facility.

Representative Vince Diaz assists local unions in California. The members he assists work with all sorts of chemicals including polystyrene, metal plating, soaps, and catalysts as well. He is also assigned to organizing campaigns throughout the region.

All representatives have experience in contract negotiations, grievance handling, representing members as counsel during arbitration cases, presenting cases before the National Labor Relations Board, and filing complaints with government agencies, such as OSHA and the Department of Labor. This allows for great flexibility to help each other with an ever-growing membership.

An annual meeting is held so as to provide leadership training and communication skills to encourage the exchange of ideas and to strengthen the ability of the local union officers in the execution of their responsibilities.

The local unions within the region have the opportunity of participating in the Regional Mutual Assistance Program during organizing campaigns. Their participation in the program dramatically lessens those costs to the smaller locals, allowing opportunity for growth.