Michael J. Williams
President
Michael Williams was elected Secretary-Treasurer of UFCW Local 81 in 1987 and has been honored to serve as its President since 1999. He has represented the union in many capacities, but he is happiest when he is, in his own words, “finding economic fairness for the many who work so hard for the few who have so much.”
Michael became a meatcutter in 1978. Through his union service over the years—on numerous governing bodies and committees, on negotiation teams, and as a conference delegate—he developed the leadership skills that prepared him for his current position as union president. He has also been elected to the Executive Board of UFCW Local 81— eight consecutive times. In 1999, he successfully negotiated the merger of Local 81 and UFCW Local 554, which brought even more economic stability to UFCW Local 81.
Michael was born in Long Branch, New Jersey and educated both in the U.S. and western Europe. He has studied at Harvard- Law School/benefits, the University of Washington, University of Oregon and the IFEBP Foundation. But, in his own words, his “masters training” came from more than 35 years in “The School of Hard Knocks.”
Five things you might not know about Michael
- He is fascinated by history.
- If he could rewind his life and play it again, he would be a lawyer or a singer today.
- He can probably beat you in a game of backgammon, checkers, or hearts.
- When he is not fighting for members’ rights, he can be found taking his daily 4.2-mile walk, watching the Discovery channel, or just hanging with Pam.
- His unfinished to-do list includes writing his autobiography, collecting more rare coins, traveling the world and visiting the schools of “higher golf learning.”
Steve Conway
Secretary-Treasurer
Steve Conway, Secretary-Treasurer, has been with UFCW Local 81since 1989, when then president Tony Abeyta recruited him to help Local 81 with organizing and negotiating. Steve’s rich and interesting background—he has a Ph.D. in History and was once a Fulbright Fellow at the London School of Economics—has served the union well. In 1993, he was elected as a state representative for the 29th Legislative District and has since then been re-elected nine times.
Long a champion of workers’ rights, Steve is called “Mr. Labor” in Olympia, where he is Chair of the House Commerce and Labor Committee. As Chair of the Select Committee on Pension Policy, he leads the group that studies policies and recommends changes in the state’s public retirement systems.
Steve has been a special assistant for bargaining for both Tony Abeyta and the current president, Mike Williams.
Tim Phelan
Recorder
Tim joined UFCW Local 81 in 1977 but has been in the trade much longer. He learned to be a meat cutter from his stepfather Tony Abeyta, past president of Local 81. He completed his apprenticeship at Hogan’s Market in the Bag and Save unit.
For the next 18 years, he managed meat departments in stores in Pierce and South King counties. In 1995, Tim took a meat specialist position at Associated Grocers, where he was responsible for Red Apple/Thriftway programs in Washington and parts of Oregon.
In 2001, Tim became UFCW 81’s union representative. He is the rep for workers in more than 130 meat departments and meat distribution warehouses, for Safeway, Unified Grocers and Renton’s Draper Valley operation. Two years later, in 2003, he was elected to union recorder, a position he still holds.
Tim is the staff representative on Local 81’s Seattle Meat Cutter Joint Apprenticeship. He has also helped members with job referrals across industries and supports the union in grievance processing, contract policing, health plans and pensions, unemployment benefits, wages and hours and state Labor and Industries claim assistance matters.
Ru
th Erickson
Union Representative
Ruth Erickson, Local 81’s Union Representative, loves helping members with their questions about health care and insurance, their pensions, time-loss benefits and L & I (Labor and Industries) issues. And Ruth has served the UFCW for over 20 years.
Born in the tiny logging town of Randall, Washington, she went into union work right after college, taking a position with UFCW Local 367. Ruth came to Local 81 in 2006 and now represents members at 120 work sites. She also assists with plant bargaining and coordinates the shop stewards’ training. Ruth has graduated from many educational forums, through the years.
Jenny Scott
Administrative Assistant
Jenny Scott is administrative assistant at Local 81’s offices, where she provides key support to Mike Williams, UFCW 81’s president. She has worked for UFCW local unions for 23 years. At UFCW Local 367, Jenny started as a receptionist. She was promoted to membership services a short time later, where she supervised membership data entry, posted members’ dues payments, prepared reports and billings and maintained the computer network.
In 2003, Jenny moved into the position of administrative assistant at Local 81. Born and raised in Washington, she lives in Tacoma. Jenny has one daughter and is a proud grandmother with the photos to prove it.
Gayle Lanway
Bookkeeper
Gayle Lanway, Local 81’s bookkeeper, joined the team in 2008. She attended Foothills College in California.
Gayle is a whiz at accounting. She has more than 30 years of experience across a wide number of professions and industries, from accounting firms and attorneys’ offices to property management, universities, and publishing companies. She also served on her condominium association’s board for two years.
James G. McGuinness
Attorney
UFCW Local 81’s attorney, James McGuinness, represents our union and its members in grievance arbitrations, unfair labor practice proceedings and collective bargaining with employers. James started as an associate attorney in private practice, spent some time on staff at UFCW Local 367 in Tacoma and since then, has been helping UFCW locals and other labor organizations with educations and legal representation issues.
James graduated with honors from the University of Montana School of Law and is a national member of the Order of Barristers.
UFCW Local 81 Executive Board
Michael J. Williams- President; Steve Conway- Secretary-Treasurer; Tim Phelan – Recorder
Sharon Russell, Safeway- Vice President; Scott Shiflett, Safeway- Vice President; Brian Aitchison, Metropolitan Market- Vice President; Moria Pomije, Kings Command- Vice President;
