Monroe resident Richard Jackson is the new Chief of Staff at Machinists Union District Lodge 751.
Originally formed in 1935 to represent hourly workers at Boeing, District Lodge 751 of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers now represents more than 32,000 working men and women at 50 employers across Washington, Oregon and California.
Jackson replaces Jim Bearden, who has retired after nine years as the top administrative assistant to the union's district president.
Jackson, 47, will work out of the union's Seattle Union Hall, performing a range of administrative duties assigned to him by IAM 751 District President Jon Holden.
"I'm really excited to get started,GÇ¥ Jackson said. "Jon has laid out a plan for how we can improve the lives of our union members and other workers in our industry. I'm going to focus on what we need to do to follow through on his ideas.GÇ¥
Jackson had been a union business rep in Everett since 2007, most recently as the representative for workers on the Boeing Co.'s 767 and KC-46 programs.
Jackson had previously worked as a work transfer investigator at Boeing, looking for ways to keep work from being outsourced. He started at Boeing as an electrician, a job he held for 18 years while also serving as a union steward and representative to the IAM 751 District Council.
Jackson is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy, where he served as an electrician's mate.
Holden welcomed Jackson into his new role.
"Richard has been a very hard-working and successful business rep. because he is focused on what's best for our members,GÇ¥ he said. "That's exactly the right approach for someone in his new job, too.GÇ¥
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