From the Officers

As the business manager of local 49 I am committed to making this local union the best we can be. I will work hard to improve our training program to meet the needs of the industry, organizing the non-union companies to improve our market share and negotiate better labor agreements. I need to know what you need to make your life better. Your input and help is critical to the success of this union and we will only achieve great things if we all do something to help make it better.

Local 49 is made up of people who share the same issues, we want our families to have health care and retirement, good schools for our kids, live where we want and make enough money to enjoy our time off. We accomplish this by collective bargaining, which means we refuse to work for less than the contract rate. We do this as a group which gives us collective power.

The phrase “United we stand divided we beg” is a reality. Attend your union meeting, be a part of your union. Make local 49 the best we can be.

For those of you that don’t know me, I’m Thomas (Butch) Pariseau. Most people call me Butch and know me as Butch.

I would like all of you to know that being the President of your Union is the greatest honor I could have ever imagined. If someone would have told me 30 years ago that I would be President of this great union, I would have laughed and said, “Ya when the Vikings win the Super Bowl”.

This is the best Union by far. I’ve seen them all and belonged to the Laborer’s and the Steelworker’s before becoming a 49er. My wife, father, brother and most of my friends are union members and I know for a fact that Local 49 is above the bar in all categories.

I would like your help to keep our Union in the shape it’s in. I know if we all pull together we will come out on top as always.

I am the current Recording Corresponding Secretary for Local 49 and I cannot tell you how proud I am to be able to serve our Union in this capacity. As a 26 year member, I am energized and encouraged by what I have witnessed in the past year and a half in Local 49.

I have seen increased attendance at Union meetings, interest by the membership to get involved and a willingness to lend a hand. I have also attended leadership development classes with members eager to learn and advance their skills and thanks to the outstanding efforts of our organizing team, I have watched our membership grow. This is your Union and by taking ownership and being an active participant we, together, can achieve greater things.

I am excited about the future of the Operating Engineers Local 49.

I have been a member of Local 49 since October of 1975 and have worked for Local 49 since April of 1989. My current duties include being Treasurer, the assistant to the Business Manager, Health and Welfare Trustee and Labor Co-Chair of the Upper Midwest Health Care Coalition. Prior to becoming Assistant to Business Manager Glen Johnson I was the Dispatcher and later Business Agent in the public and private sector.

I have always been thankful for and proud of my membership in Local 49. The people I have worked with have been decent, hard working, and conscientious. Those attributes are the qualities that made this Union what it is today. Our fellow workers can count on us and so can the Contractors and Employers. Our reputation for safety, diligence, and productivity has served us well in the past and will guide us into the future.

The many changes that have taken place over the last months have been both challenging and exiting. More responsibility and authority have been given to Clerical Staff and Business Agents. Intensive training for employees and members has brought enthusiasm and new ideas to Local 49. The job of improving the Local will continue and it's every member and employees' duty to help make that happen. Collective action has made a difference through the years and with your help and involvement we will continue working to make our members' lives better.

Now more than ever we need your participation. Communicating with members at regular meetings helps make meaningful change possible. We value your concern for the future of Local 49.

I am proud to be a Business Agent as well as the Vice President of Local 49. I’ve been a member of Local 49 since 1978.

I am extremely grateful to have worked my entire career as a union member and proud that we live in a nation that recognizes the importance of union membership. I encourage all members to remember that together we stand tall, but divided we stand alone.

I wish all the membership continued success with Local 49 and hope to see you at your Local Union meetings.