Teamsters Newsletter
Inside Our Current Newsletter
- Ken Coleman writes "Why Join a Union?"
- Heros in Kodiak
- 2010 North Slope Construction
- Wayne Craft, From Trainee to Trainer
- Yukon Disaster Relief
- About Our Shop Stewards
- Members Celebrate 35+ years
- Local Welcomes Jerry South, Business Representative
- and more!
Ken Coleman Jr.
Secretary-Treasurer, General Teamsters Local 959
Born in Puyallup, WA, in 1951, Ken moved to Alaska with his parents when just a few months old. Growing up between Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula, Ken makes his home today in Kenai with his wife, Vicki, and sons, Bryon and Kyle. In his spare time, Ken and his family run their commercial fishing sites and pursue their interests in sport fishing and snow machining.
Ken joined Teamsters Local 959 in Fairbanks in June 1969. He worked construction and freight for many years, and specifically for Pacific Western Lines in Anchorage from 1976 through 1984.
In December 1993, Ken was hired on with Local 959 as a business representative for the Local's sub-office in Kenai. He currently manages the Kenai office with the voluntary assistance of retiree Ruth Fitzpatrick.
As a business representative, Ken's initial contract responsibilities were in Kenai, Homer, and Kodiak. His responsibilities were in such industries as freight, pupil transportation, healthcare (hospitals in Homer and Kodiak), construction, and Service Contract Act areas (Kodiak US Coast Guard Base).
In 1999, Ken began working predominately in Anchorage as the primary negotiator for various industries, while maintaining day-to-day contract oversight in Anchorage, Kenai, and Kodiak. He has also been the designated industry director for freight, healthcare services, and United Parcel Service statewide. Ken has served as advisor and backup to the primary business representatives for many of Local 959's industries, while being a mentor to all of those whom he has worked with at Local 959.
Ken was appointed vice president of Local 959's Executive Board in 1992, and in 2002, he was appointed president. In 2003, Ken ran for, and was elected as, the president of the Local. In addition, Ken served as a union trustee on both the Alaska Teamster-Employer Pension Trust and the Alaska Teamster-Employer Welfare Trust.
In October 2006, Ken was elected as secretary-treasurer of Local 959, which is the Local's principal executive officer. He began his term in this position on January 1, 2007. He is also the chairperson for both the Alaska Teamster-Employer Pension Trust and the Alaska Teamster-Employer Welfare Trust.