VOTE Joseph Passero for President Local Union 1556

Dear Brothers and Sisters of Local Union 1556

Change is in the air. You can feel it or ignore it at your very own personal peril. These last few years/months have been different from what we all usually expected. We have been merged, we have seen many people come and go and yet, some want things to remain the same.

Our deep and great history has shown us that dockbuilders, timberman, divers, tenders, hod hoist carpenter and core drillers are essentially conservative, but now, to try and conserve what we have is madness, because change is in the air. If we do not adapt to the new situations under which we must survive, then we will perish and become the new dinosaurs.

I am Joseph Passero, a proud diver/dockbuilder that has in the past sought and fought for what is right for the members. In my zeal to achieve our survival (in these very difficult times), some have chosen to marginalize me, minimize me and pray that I would just go away and melt into the background. But my determination to see a better local, transparent and loyal to its members has not been affected.

The majority of you, the members can see for yourself who are the people that have our local's interest at heart. Change is in the air and I ask you to join me in defining our future, our destiny without the shackles of those that have misled us all in the past. We can together forge a new direction which is accountable and transparent, that is responsible and trustworthy, that is real in these difficult times to our needs. I ask for your help because I am not, never have been, nor will ever be associated with the past "leaders" that have brought us all too where we are now.

I pledge before you now to run an administration that will carefully weigh the best interest of our membership. I pledge to secure our jurisdiction and make no concessions to those that would water down our rights and our prestige as craftsmen in our industry. I pledge to lead, with the input of every member and the consent of each and every one of you. I will update all of us as to progress or setbacks transparently. We are all in this together. I pledge zero tolerance for cronyism and favoritism. After all, the local belongs to all of us and should reflect this basic truth: that any leader or administration is acting in behalf of the intended beneficiaries of the local: this means you! And you are the most important part of this union as a member in good standing whose productivity contributes to the wellbeing of all our membership. In putting all of you as individuals first. We cannot fail, this is my pledge for a new direction.

I am asking for Your Support and Vote Joseph Passero for President of Local Union 1556 for a New Direction, not business as usual.

You can contact me about issues or concerns with our Local or the NYCDCC, my email address is thedockbuilder@gmail.com my phone number is 646-456-6966.

Fraternally,
Joseph Passero
Local Union 1556
UBC Certified Shop Steward