Experience and Consistency
The Unmatched Record of Victor Torres and His Team
Hello my name is Mindy Scott, and I am writing to share my complete support for the reelection of Victor Torres (and his entire team) for Secretary Treasurer of Local 481. I worked at the San Diego Zoo for 31 years retiring in 2020. I was a Senior VIP Tour Operator Guide as well as Chief Shop Steward. My work with our Union also included several years as a Trustee on the Board as well as the first female Vice President of Local 481.
This is a critical election that WITH Victor Torres and team, we will continue to have a highly successful Local Union. As you prepare to vote on the next selection of our Local’s team slate, please look closely at the experience of each slate running.
Victor has created a very comprehensive and very effective administrative staff for the Union office. The combined experience of his team has over 210 years of Union experience, unmatched by far by anyone else in San Diego County.
Victor has negotiated 100’s of Union contracts covering dozens of different divisions of Local 481 (the Zoo being the largest).
Victor is a 45-year Teamster with Local 481 starting at the San Diego Zoo in the B&G department. He has NEVER MISSED a single Board meeting since he began on the Board over 30 years ago and has gone to EVERY single General Membership meeting since the early 1990’s. Again, unmatched dedication by far anywhere throughout our Teamsters organization.
Victor currently sits on the Teamsters Advisory Committee of Joint Council 42 and was named Labor Leader of the Year by the John Lyons Foundation in 2021.
Victor is the Chair of the San Diego County Teamsters Insurance Trust, which holds an equal number of employer and Union representatives (one of only three people to have done so in the 55 year history of the Trust Fund).
Victor fights tirelessly for our top of the line health care, safeguarding hard won health care benefits (not having to pay monthly premiums like non-Union employees have to) achieving a contractually negotiated healthcare plan for our members that is accessible and affordable.
Through all his contract negotiations, he has consistently negotiated pay raises, helped to create new classifications within the contract, improved work hours as well as many other improvements.
He is consistent in adding many benefits to the contract and over time steadily strengthening as many provisions as possible, diligently pursuing, securing, maintaining and protecting workers’ rights.
Our Local is run with extreme high efficiency. Victor kept our union finances in the black during Covid when many other unions were in the red.
Local 481 has passed every single audit with flying colors, highly commended by auditors.
Something most of you don’t know, Victor (himself) received an approved pay raise prior to the pandemic, but refused to take it as his Local 481 Brothers and Sisters were experiencing difficulties during Covid. Victor believed strongly that it was more proper to walk side-by-side with his Local 481 Brothers and Sisters and respectfully acknowledge their plight rather than blindly proceeding as if everything was operating as normal.
Victor has successfully expanded collective bargaining rights by organizing non-Union workers and obtaining recognition for those workers under a collective bargaining agreement.
For any Union member who might find themselves with needing help on protecting their job, Victor is well skilled in grievance handling and securing legal advice as necessary.
By building relationships throughout San Diego and Southern California, Victor has made the membership aware of candidates and issues of local and national politics so that every member is informed how politics affects our personal and work lives.
I would advise all of you to look through the many contracts that have been passed at the San Diego Zoo as well as other companies as far back as you can, and then start looking through the progressions and improvements that have been captured throughout the years to better explain the value of what Victor Torres and Team has done for our Union.
One of the words repeated throughout this letter is the word “consistent”. That is the strength of Victor Torres.
Mindy Scott
Retired Local 481 Vice President
