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President Simmons-Peterson and Have A Voice Slate Formally Take Office
Aug 09, 2014

On Jan. 1, the membership of Teamsters Local 743 made a powerful and progressive statement for the future by electing new leadership with the Have A Voice Slate.

The re-established Local 743 Executive Board, led by President Debra Simmons-Peterson, took the oath of office and was formally seated after the New Year. The board includes Secretary-Treasurer James Thomas, Vice President Alexander Ramirez, Recording Secretary Goleen Bradley and Trustees Cindi Flaws, Beverly Sisson and Tracy Reed.

“The election of the Have A Voice Slate means the members of Local 743 really took a stand and made their voices heard about the kind of leadership they’re looking for,” said Simmons-Peterson, who previously served as the local’s Secretary-Treasurer since 2010. “The newly elected Executive Board of Local 743 couldn’t be prouder to serve our dynamic, diverse and talented members, and we will do everything possible to ensure Teamsters and their families have a well-run local union that truly works for them.”

Simmons-Peterson was a patient transport employee of the Rush University Medical Center for more than 28 years, having served as a union steward for two decades. In her new role as Local 743 President, she brings the experience of working for more than five years as a union business agent and officer. She also served as the President of the Teamsters Joint Council 25 Women’s Committee from 2011-2013.

In addition to being the first woman to be elected President of Local 743, Simmons-Peterson is the first African-American woman to be elected principal officer in the local union’s 70-year history.

“This is an extraordinary time for Local 743 and all of its members — a time when history has been made and the future is boundless,” said Thomas, who was a local trustee before being elected Secretary-Treasurer. “Local 743 members can expect real leadership from its new board over the coming years. We are determined to negotiate stronger contracts, win more grievances and arbitrations and organize more workers across the Chicago area to fortify this local’s foundation for generations to come.”

Thomas also previously worked at the Rush University Medical Center for more than 20 years. In addition to being a Teamster leader, he is an active union musician and professional percussionist in and around Chicago.

Vice President Ramirez is a veteran Local 743 member and employee of Unisource. Recording Secretary Bradley is a decades-long employee of the Central States Pension Fund and concurrently serves as the Recording Secretary of the Chicago Chapter of the Teamsters National Black Caucus. Trustee Flaws has been an employee of the University of Chicago Physicians Group for more than 23 years, Trustee Sisson has been a Local 743 member for four decades at the Rush University Medical Center and Trustee Reed is a longtime Certified Pharmacy Technician with the Cook County Health and Hospital Systems. Reed also previously served as Trustee after being first elected in 2010.

The next Local 743 general membership meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 3, at the Local 743 union hall, 4620 S. Tripp Ave., Chicago. All member meetings are held the first Monday of each month.

Teamsters Local 743 represents more than 10,000 hardworking men and women in warehouse, mail-order, health care, clerical and professional industries across northern Illinois, northwest Indiana and southern Wisconsin.


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Teamsters Local 743
4620 S. Tripp Avenue
Chicago, IL 60632
  (773) 254-7460

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