Veteran Teamsters 600 president Larry Tinker to head Teamsters Joint Council 13

Third-generation Teamster with 24 years leadership experience

A third-generation Teamster, Larry Tinker, president of Teamsters Local 600, is the newly elected president of Teamsters Joint Council 13, filling what he calls “some big shoes” of veteran council president Marvin Kropp who died last December.

A 42-year member of Local 600, Tinker has served at every level of the union’s leadership in the past 24 years, which has prepared him for this new task. They include shop steward, trustee, organizer, business representative, delegate to three International conventions and president of Local 600 since 2010.

A graduate of the Teamsters Leadership Academy, his leadership skills were recognized by the Teamsters International Union when he was chosen as Local 600’s first business representative for the International Union’s Advocate in Arbitration Proceedings training program preparing him to deal with member grievances at the local, regional and national levels.

As chairman of the Teamsters Central Region Grievance Council, which includes Missouri and Kansas, he has helped hundreds of members fight for, and protect, their rights.

‘FIGHTING FOR MEMBERS’
“My goal, like Marvin’s, is straightforward: to keep fighting for our members,” he said. “We have to grow the Joint Council’s affiliated unions by organizing new members, helping them to a better life. Organizing is important to me and our union. By organizing, we strengthen our ability to win solid contracts and provide the best service possible for our members.”

Expressing his condolences, again, to the Kropp family, he said the sad part of this new challenge was getting the responsibility in the manner it happened — Brother Kropp’s passing. “I’ve got some big shoes to fill,” he added.

Local 600’s jurisdiction includes the Greater St. Louis area and parts of southeast Missouri. The union represents drivers in the freight, beer and dairy industries, the barge lines and airfreight handlers.

Joint Council 13 represents eight affiliated Teamster locals.