Kennewick DOC member elected WFSE/AFSCME VP

The new Federation vice president is Bill Copland, Tri-Cities Local 1253.

The union's Statewide Executive Board meeting in SeaTac Saturday elected Copland from among five nominees. Copland received a majority of votes in a run-off with Sue Henricksen (Local 53,Tacoma).

He succeeds the late Howard Ocobock as union VP. Copland will finish the unexpired VP term until October when his and the three other officer positions come up for election at the union's state convention.

Copland, 37, is president of the union's Local 1253 in Tri-Cities. He is a Community Corrections specialist in the Kennewick Department of Corrections office. He is also active in the union's Conservative Caucus and the Next Wave movement to attract under-35 union members to a more active role in the Federation.

He started state service as a member of Local 1926 at Maple Lane School in Grand Mound, later with DOC in Longview (Local 1400), Pierce and King Counties and finally in Kennewick.