Jason George

Business Manager/Financial Secretary

I am extremely proud and humbled that the members of Local 49 have put their faith in me to lead this incredible organization. I have been a member of this great union since 2008, and in that time, I have worked every day to make sure that our members have good paying jobs and a strong union.

Growing up, I was raised by a single mother in the St. Paul area. I watched my mother work two jobs to keep a roof over our head, and struggle to keep us afloat. I learned what it is like to be one missed paycheck, one flat tire, one illness away from life unraveling. The life experiences I had as a kid shape who I am, and they shape the kind of leader I want to be. I eventually made it to the University of Minnesota where I studied Political Science, but it didn’t compare to the education I got growing up.

My uncle was the President of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1005 in Minnesota, and he taught me everything I know about what it means to represent working class people. I ran for this job because I saw the good my uncle did for the membership he cared so much about. I wanted to spend my career working on behalf of the people who are the backbone of our great nation. This great Local Union has given me the chance to do that every single day.

The biggest part of my experience working for you has been in the political arena. I have built relationships on both sides of the aisle and have pushed our Union to be non-partisan. That effort has paid off, Local 49 is as respected in the offices of republican elected officials as we are with democrats. Minnesota is the only state in the upper Midwest that hasn’t gone right to work, and still has prevailing wage. That isn’t by accident, and we have led the way in those victories. I have also worked to build relationships with business owners and fellow labor leaders that have positioned us as a major force for job creation and worker strength in our region.

I’m proud of the work I’ve done with you in the past. But I’m more excited about the future. There is no limit to what we can achieve together. I look forward to working with you to ensure that Local 49 is stronger than we found it and built to thrive another 100 years.

Clayton Johnson

President

As President of Local 49, it is without a doubt, one of the greatest honors and privileges of my 35 years as a member of Local 49. I am looking forward to the challenges that are before us whether they are economic or political in nature. We as a Labor organization need to stay active on all fronts; it’s obvious one strongly affects the other. I will continue to take all concerns presented to Local 49 and give them the due diligence they deserve.

Local 49 was chartered in June of 1927. The contracts that all Local 49 members work under have taken literally decades to build. The terms and conditions we currently work under have not come easily, our Brothers and Sister before us, have fought hard to ensure the integrity of the contracts are maintained. History has shown that through the process of collective bargaining, each generation must continue to strive to make the terms and conditions better for each generation that follows. It is all of our responsibility to maintain the highest level of professionalism at all times. This is the task that WE as Union members are given.

Be proud to be a member of Organized Labor and a member of I.U.O.E. Local 49, I know that I am.

Ryan Davies

Vice President