Gas Workers 11-6’s Pat White elected St. Louis Labor Council president

Effective Jan 1, 2015 when President Bob Soutier retires

The Greater St. Louis Labor Council has a new president- elect: Pat White, 46, veteran business representative of Gas Workers Local 11-6. The council’s delegates at their July 15 meeting elected him unanimously, without opposition.

White, a 23-year Local 11-6 member who comes from a very strong and active union family, will assume the council’s presidency January 1, 2015 upon the retirement of President Bob Soutier.

“I love my job with the union, and this is the only other job I would ever consider,” White said to the delegate’s standing ovation.

In nominating White, UFCW Local 655 President David Cook said of White: “He walks the walk, talks the talk. He is one of us.” He so dedicated to serving his members that during the legislative session when critical issues are coming to a head, Pat practically lives in Jefferson City. He’s in the halls every critical day trying to educate and persuade legislators to support working family, union issues explaining what the unions do for everyone, Cook added.

Mark Boyle, Local 11-6’s Business Manager, said that Pat has done it all: he rose from the ranks of working guys to become a shop steward, a union trustee and president and ultimately business representative who has been active, and effective, in negotiations, contract administration, labor law issues, and pre-negotiations preparations.

“He will do an incredible job for the labor movement,” Boyle said proudly to another round of applause.

A member of the Council’s executive board for the past nine years whose advice and counsel was often sought by others, White thanked the delegates for their confidence saying that he will work relentlessly on behalf of working families.

“It’s growing harder and harder for our members, and we have to worker harder, smarter to get them involved in the things we all believe in, especially in politics,” White told the delegates. “Our challenge is to help those who are not union members to understand the overall impact we have on everyone’s lives, not just the lives of our union members.”

White said he’s passionate about politics because it impacts the lives of our members in so many ways.

Soutier congratulated President-elect White, cautioning him that representing over 100 unions and more than 75,000 area workers, the job can be “awful frustrating at times. But knowing you all these years, I’m confident you will do a great job for our labor movement.”