Local 705 Member Rich Egeland

Greetings and salutations members of 705

My name is Rich Egeland and I’ve been a member of 705 for a couple of decades. I’ve been a steward, chief steward, volunteer organizer, vacation fill agent in for the tankers, steel haulers and been on special assignment for the moving industry. I’ve been going to school since 1997 and have earned my bachelors degree in Labor Studies from the National Labor College of the George Meany Center for Labor Studies in 2006. I am currently working on my master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with the anticipated graduation date of 2011.

I owe a deep appreciation to this local as a 705 freight member adopted my mother and her twin brother in 1946 when they were orphaned. If it was not for the good job and benefits that he got as a result from being a union member, her situation could have been only worse. I learned about unionism and what a union can do from her and her dad, my grandpa Joe.

I have volunteered to share some of the knowledge that I’ve garnered from my studies with the members of 705 and anyone else who may be interested. I am starting a monthly column about union ideals, interviews with union people, laws and other items that affect the labor movement. Keep a eye out for the promising and interesting developments.