A Message from Business Manager Chris Erikson Jr.
Local 3 just celebrated another rite of spring this weekend, as we held the 78th Annual Scholarship Awards and Breakfast presented by the Educational and Cultural Trust Fund. We celebrated 48 daughters and sons of Local 3 members who earned $30,000 scholarships to universities and colleges across the northeast and the country.
Congratulations are due to both the scholarship winners and their parents. The students put in years of hard work, sacrifice and effort, and these young adults are intelligent, creative, hard-working, committed, and prepared to take on any challenge. As the daughters and sons of Local 3, they were raised in and supported by the labor movement, with the ideals of solidarity, mutual support, respect and dignity for all working people, integrity, and that our voice is indeed as important as the CEO’s and the politician’s. We believe that they will be successful in all their future endeavors and never forget where they came from.
I also want to acknowledge another special award given out at last week’s General Membership meeting. Local 3 Financial Secretary Joseph Proscia and EITC Administrator Michael Valero were presented the IBEW’s Life Saving Award for recognition of their efforts to help save a motorcyclist hit by a car and trapped under it. Their quick and decisive actions to organize onlookers to help raise the car and remove the victim, then perform CPR until the paramedics could arrive, were undoubtedly crucial in saving the man’s life. These brothers exemplified the best of us, as they chose to not stand by and watch, but to take action and help a fellow human being.
Finally, nominations for officers of Local 3 were made at the meeting last week, and as such, Local 3 will hold an election on May 16th. I urge all members to participate in our Union’s democratic process and vote. A strong turnout sends a message to everyone watching, including the developers and GC’s, elected officials, and other unions, that Local 3 members are actively engaged. It’s one more way to keep the Union strong.
