Mike Lowery has been President of Local 1395 since May of 1999. Before that he was Vice President from May 1998 till May 1999.  Mike Lowery was just elected to his 4th three year term as President/Business Agent.

Mike's qualifications:

Attended ATU International schools at the George Meany School of Labor Studies in Silver Springs, Maryland

1.  Leadership Course

2.  Basic Arbitration Course

3.  Advanced Arbitration Course

He has also attended the following labor courses:

1.  Grievance Handling

2.  Grievance Processing

3.  Labor Law

4.  Organizing

5.  Negotiations

6.  Public Speaking

7.  Lobbying - Florida AFL-CIO

Currently - Lowery is taking classes at the Cornell Universary Institute of Labor Relations - He has taken and passed 3 courses so far.

Lowery served for 5 years as the President of the Northwest Florida Federation of Labor (Central Labor Council).

He also served on the Florida AFL-CIO as a District Vice President from 2000 - 2005

Lowery has won the John Sweeney Organizing award for ATU during the ATU Conventions 2001 and 2004

He has been a member of the United Union Lobbying since 1999 till present - this organization lobbies Florida Legislators through the Florida AFL-CIO.

Lowery organized in Escambia County, Florida:  Tucker Transportation in 1999 (known now as Pensacola Bay Transportation and also Board of County Commissioners in Escambia County - blue collar classified employees in 2001).  He also organized the Customer Service representatives at Escambia County Area Transit in 2000.

Also in 2001 Lowery organized in Santa Rosa County, Florida:  Laidlaw Education Services school bus drivers and monitors.  The outcome of the vote was 3 to 1 victory  (155 to 48).  Also he organized the mechanics in 2001 as well.

Lowery has negotiated approximately:  4 ECAT contracts / 4 Pensacola Bay Transportation contracts / 3 County contracts / and 4 school bus contracts.  Not including the many Memorandum of Understandings for all properties.

Some of his success stories are:

1.  Health insurance for school bus drivers and monitors.

2.  Securing vacation & sick leave for County employees.

3.  He fought for affordable health care for Pensacola Bay Transportation workers - which they enjoy today.

4.  Health insurance for ECAT retirees

5.  Wage increases for living wage at Pensacola Bay Transportation - 22% increase after a 77 day strike

6.  Wage increases for living wage at Laidlaw - the workers who made only $8 an hour now make over $10

7.  Pushed for Pay Study for County workers from 2001 to 2006 - they received between 5 - 20 % increases 

8.  Help save ECAT bus system - Encouraged ECAT employees to take wage freeze in fiscal year 08

9.  Pushed for wages for Mechanics at ECAT, the County, and Laidlaw

Queenie Brown has held the position of shop steward at ECAT for almost 2 years.  She represents the bus operators and trolley operators.  Queenie was voted in without opposition as the new Chief Shop Steward of Local 1395 during the January 2008 regular business meeting.

Mike Baxter is entering his 3rd term as an Executive Board officer representing the BCC workers.  Because of his seniority Mike is now the Senior Executive Board officer.

Steve Price is a mechanic with Durham School Services and he has assisted in the last contract negotiations for the Mechanics contract.

Earnest Skanes has held the positions of shop steward at ECAT and Executive Board.  He now holds the position again as shop steward.  

. 

David represents Fleet Maintenance and Roads & Bridges Department of the County

Cliff represents the Mosquito Control workers of the County