After 32 years as a Local 52 member Ken Vadini has decided to retire at the age of 63. Ken's last day will be February 28th. We congratulate him and also appreciate him for the many years that he has supported and  helped guide this Local. Since 1990 Ken has held many positions within the Local 52 Executive Board, starting as a Trustee and spending the last 10 years as the President of the Local.

 Ken plans on being active this summer by helping Coach his grandson's baseball team, continuing his love of hunting by teaching Hunter Education Classes for the Division of Wildlife. He is involved with Al-Anon and Alcoholics Anonymous in the Cleveland area and hopes to volunteer more of his time to help fight this illness. If that is not enough to keep him busy he is also a Stephen Minister with Divinity Lutheran Church.

 Ken wishes Local 52, it's Executive Board and it's membership success and best wishes for the future!

 Ken, we wish the same for you and remember, "Once a Teamster, always a Teamster".

During the 20th. Annual Steward Seminar on Feb. 16th. Stewards are to recieve new training for a New Program offered by the International. We urge all Members to take advantage of this training.

The First Observer™ program is funded by a grant from the Transportation Security Administration. It is one tool, among a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress, to strengthen the nation's critical infrastructure against risks associated with potential terrorist attacks, specifically in the transportation sector.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is one of five partners in the program. Our obligation is to provide outreach and training to the transportation industry. First Observer™ is a voluntary counter-terrorism security training program we are providing to our membership at no cost. They are trained to observe, assess and report things they think appear to be preparations for acts of terrorism intended to destroy our infrastructure or harm our citizens.

Link for on line training  http://firstobserverteamster.com/

  American Greeting members of Local 52 recently ratified a new 5 year Agreement.