Members of Painters Local 10 took nominations for union officer positions May 19. Because all nominees were unopposed, they were declared elected.
Local 10’s new president is Mark Fleming, a 38-year member of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT). After graduating from high school in Pittsburgh, California, Fleming joined Painters Local 741 at age 19. Once he completed his apprenticeship, he relocated with his wife to Vancouver, Washington, and joined Painters Local 360. Local 360 merged into Local 10 in 2007. Fleming has worked for Thompson Metal Fab since 1998, painting bridges and ships among other things. He became a shop steward, and served several terms as warden. Now he’ll preside over local union meetings.
Based in Portland, Local 10 represents over 700 painters working in the building trades as well as industrial coatings and for public agencies in Southwest Washington and Oregon north of Salem. Local 10 formerly included about 450 drywall finishers as well, but last year they formed their own union, IUPAT Local 101.
Also elected to three-year terms:
- Vice president Jasmine White
- Financial secretary Robert Woods
- Recording secretary Melissa Austin
- Treasurer Daric Williams
- Trustees Raymond Wheeler, Jerico Navas, Matt Botsford
- Warden Tearsa McVey
All the offices are unpaid volunteer positions. The staff representatives who help negotiate and enforce union contracts work for District Council 5, which comprises 13 locals in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, and Alaska.
