Machinists vote today for new president

EVERETT – Members of the local Machinists union will head to the polls today to pick a new district president.

The elected official will play a major part the next time the labor group enters contract negotiations with the Boeing Co. in 2008. The newly selected president will represent more than 22,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in the Puget Sound region. Voters can choose between two longtime union members, Clifton Wyatt and Tom Wroblewski.

Either Wyatt or Wroblewski will replace Mark Blondin, who has led the district for six years. Earlier this year, Blondin accepted a promotion to serve as Machinists aerospace coordinator over Boeing contracts in Canada and the United States. He will take over for coordinator Dick Schneider when Schneider retires this year.

Both candidates have served in leadership roles for the union.

Wyatt joined the Machinists in 1988. He serves as president of the district’s local A lodge, representing about half of the district’s total membership. Wyatt works as a mechanic in Boeing’s Everett factory.

Wroblewski signed up with the Machinists in 1976. He spent the last 14 years working for the Machinists as a business representative and grievance coordinator but returned to the shop floor as an inspector at Boeing in order to run for district president.

Several polling places in the Puget Sound area will be open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, including sites in Auburn, Renton, Seattle and Frederickson. In Everett, Machinists who are eligible to vote can do so at 8729 Airport Road.

Machinists’ spokeswoman Connie Kelliher said that ballots from all locations will be counted in Seattle.

“I’m hopeful that we might know the winner by 10 p.m.,” Kelliher said.

For more information on the election or to check results, go to the district’s Web site at www.iam751.org.