Chip Elliott has been appointed president/directing business representative (DBR) of Machinists District W24. He will finish out the term of Robert “Bob” Wilson, who retired July 1. The term expires in December 2014.
Elliott, 59, has served as one of three assistant DBRs at W24 since Jan. 1, 2011, when Machinist District Lodge 24 merged with Woodworkers Lodge W1. District W24 represents more than 6,000 workers covered under 120 contracts in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Northern California. The district lodge is located in Gladstone, Oregon.
Prior to the merger, Elliott was assistant DBR to Wilson at Woodworkers Lodge W1.
Elliott is a 40-year member of Woodworkers Local 130 in Centralia, Washington. After working 26 years as a log processor operator for Weyerhaeuser, Elliott joined the staff of Local 130 as a union rep in 1997. In 2004 he was appointed as a district representative and in 2010 in was named assistant DBR.
A resident of Dryad, Washington, an unincorporated town located southeast of Centralia, Elliott said as DBR he will continue to focus on organizing. District W24 recently launched a nationwide campaign at Jeld Wen. The union is trying to secure a first contract at Bradken Engineered Products in Chehalis, and it still has its eye on 2,000 workers at Precision Castparts, where last month it lost a close election.
The union also is dealing with a strike at Daimler Trucks North America, where 520 machinists walked out July 1.
