Members and officers of Teamsters Local 324 gathered Aug. 20 to dedicate their new union hall, named in honor of a longtime leader.
Ward E. Graham, 1912-1997, was principal officer and secretary-treasurer of Local 324 from 1946 to 1973, the longest tenure in the local’s 93-year history. Five of his descendants were on hand to witness the dedication.
The new hall, on 4871 Lancaster Dr. NE in Salem, replaces Local 324’s old hall, down the street on 2686 Portland Rd. Local 324 secretary-treasurer Chris Muhs says the 1,700-member local had outgrown its the Portland Road hall, because member participation has increased, and there wasn’t sufficient parking.
The new hall is a former Key Bank location, and it’s in a prominent location on Lancaster Drive, conveniently located off I-5 and Highway 99E. Local 324 took possession of it in February and spent months doing a remodel, in part with volunteer labor.
