Robert Sandoval, Commissioner

Born in the United States Canal Zone in Panama to a Panamanian mother and Salvadorean father, Robert Sandoval and his family immigrated to San Francisco after his father was honorably discharged from the US Army. Robert would follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather into the labor movement and become a third-generation Teamsters Local 350 member. His father worked as a garbageman in San Francisco for many years, and his grandfather Bob Morales was the former Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 350, President of the San Francisco Labor Council, San Francisco Film Commissioner, and Teamsters Solid Waste & Recycling Director.

Raised by his young parents in San Francisco, Robert saw the struggles of an immigrant family first-hand. As he got older, he moved to South San Francisco to be raised by his grandparents. This transition provided him with the gift of multiple perspectives in life - what it meant to be in a place of need and to be in a place to help those in need. Robert’s upbringing has fueled him in his various capacities throughout his tenure with the Local Union. Currently, he is the President of Teamsters Local 350, an affiliate of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents members in the Solid Waste & Recycling Industry, Linen Industry and Public Sector from the City and County of San Francisco, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County and San Benito County, making it one of the largest waste locals in the nation. In addition to his representational duties and negotiating industry-leading contracts, Robert is an organizer and political director of the Local Union. He is also an Executive Board member of the San Mateo County Central Labor Council and Executive Board member of the South Bay Labor Council, which both oversee more than 100,000 union members from various unions and affiliates to promote and increase the standards of living for working people. Most recently, he was also elected to be a California Democratic Party delegate in District 17.