|
The Southwest Coastal Area
Local
Of the
American Postal workers Union, AFL-CIO |
 The
Southwest Coastal Area Local was formed from a group of
individual locals in the summer of 1973. Throughout the years
the local has continue to merge with other smaller local
unions.
The local was approximately 700 members after merger and grew
throughout the years to it current numbers of approximately
1800 members.
Currently the Southwest Coastal Area Local represents: |
• Anaheim City
• Anaheim Plant
• Atwood
• Brea
• Buena Park
• Capistrano Beach
• Corona Del Mar
• Costa Mesa
• Cypress
• Dana Point
• El Toro
• Fountain Valley
• Fullerton |
• Garden Grove
• Huntington Beach
• Irvine
• Laguna Beach
• La Habra
• La Mirada
• Los Alamitos
• Mission Viejo
• Montebello
• Newport beach
• Norwalk
• Orange
• Pico Rivera |
•
Placentia
• Rancho Santa Margarita
• San Clemente
• San Juan Capistrano
• Santa Ana City
• Santa Ana Plant
• Silverado
• Sunset Beach
• Trabuco Canyon
• Tustin
• Westminster
• Yorba Linda |
|
The Southwest Coastal Area Local was very progressive from the
very beginning and recognized the benefit of having a full
time union official. From 1973-1979 that was the Local
President. In 1979 the local expanded to two full time union
officials and then to three full time officials in 1985. The
Southwest Coastal Area Local currently has three full time
union officials.
The Southwest Coastal Area Local has a rich history. Many
union members have represented the Southwest Coastal Area
Local as stewards, local officers state officers and national
officers.
|
| The Southwest
Coastal Area Local President |
| 1973 -1977 |
John Gaffney from Orange |
| 1977 -1979 |
Peter Katz from Newport
Beach |
| 1979 -1987 |
Bonnie Nelson from
Huntington Beach |
| 1987 -1990 |
Bobby Donelson from Santa
Ana Plant |
| 1990 -1996 |
Ralph Lefter from Santa Ana
Plant |
| 1996 -1999 |
Richard Cantu from Santa
Ana Plant |
| 1999 - 2005 |
Ralph Lefter from Santa Ana
Plant |
| 2005 to present |
James Chiang from Santa Ana
Plant |
|
The Southwest Coastal Area Local has also been active in the
California State APWU AFL-CIO. Bonnie Nelson, Helen Lebowitz,
Bobby Donelson, Bruce Bailey, Richard Shepard, and Ralph
Lefter have also been state officers as well.
President Ralph Lefter is currently the California APWU,
AFL-CIO Santa Ana SCF Representative.
In 1990, the Southwest Coastal Area Local added a new chapter
to its history. Then Southwest Coastal Area Local President
Bobby Donelson was appointed the position of Western Region
Maintenance National Business Agent. The first time the
Southwest Coastal Area Local has a national officer. Bobby
Donelson was then appointed the position of National
Representative at Large for the Maintenance Division in
Washington D.C. in 1996. This was soon followed by the
election of Motor Vehicle Service Director Bruce Bailey to the
position of Western Region Motor Vehicle Service National
Business Agent in 1998. Three years later the Southwest
Coastal Area Local Vice President Leonard Trujillo was elected
to the position of San Francisco Region Clerk National
Business Agent and Maintenance Director Richard Shepard was
elected to the position of Western Region Maintenance National
Business Agent “B”.
2001 was a very proud year. Local President Ralph Lefter had
the honor of having four Southwest Coastal Area Local members
as National APWU AFL-CIO officers. They were Bobby Donelson as
the Maintenance Assistant Director, Leonard Trujillo as the
San Francisco Region Clerk National Business Agent,
Richard Shepard as the Western Region Maintenance National
Business Agent “B”, and Bruce Bailey as the Western Region
Motor Vehicle Service National Business Agent.
The Southwest Coastal Area Local under the leadership of
President Ralph Lefter turned out the highest vote in the 2001
National APWU Elections the local had ever done. The reward
was four national officers representing all three crafts from
the Southwest Coastal Area Local.
The President Ralph Lefter of Southwest Coastal Area Local
also hosted two National APWU AFL-CIO Conventions in 1992 and
2000. These were very successful conventions due to the hard
work of the 130 plus members who assisted with the National
APWU Conventions.
The goal of the Southwest Coastal Area Local has always been
to represent Postal Workers and to ensure unjust action are
corrected, protect our rights, defend our members and make our
union stronger.
The foundation of the Southwest Coastal Area Local is its
members.
Representing employees is not an easy task and requires the
assistance and cooperation of many union members who serve as
stewards, local officers, state officers, and national
officers. |
