Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Effectively February 24, 2020 Keith Gahl will be taking over as Local 498 Organizer, I have appointed him to the position and have the utmost confidence Keith will do a fantastic job as Organizer. These positions are nothing like what we are used to in the field. In the field we see progress everyday but organizing you may not see any movement for long periods due to the nature of what it requires to convince people/contractors of the benefits of unions.
Keith will hit the streets and learn all the nooks and crannies of our local along with all the bad players that come here. This will be a learning process for Keith, as it was for me and Ben. We were fortunate to have the backing of all of you during our time as Organizer which is necessary for success. Both Ben and I were grateful for all the help you provided to us. I am sure you will all be as helpful for Keith as well with all the action around our local. Keith will be overwhelmed at first and as Iron Workers we are not always the most tactful with our words, but he will learn how to deliver the correct message for the right situation, because they are all different. As soon as I have his Organizer contact information set up, I will send that out.
If you have a chance, reach out and wish him good luck.
In solidarity,
Mark Richeson
