5-7-26 LT DIGITAL EDITION

Guarantee Electrical donates $10K to STL Building Trades Wellness Coalition; CEO calls it ‘a drop in the bucket’ Page 3

Laborers’ LEAN-STL program is a team effort that saves lives

By TIM ROWDEN Editor-in-Chief

St. Louis – For the Laborers Escaping Addiction Now (LEANSTL) program, success is measured in lives changed one phone call, one email and one conversation at a time.

tion Research and Training, which showed 17,100 construction workers died from opioid overdoses and 5,200 died by suicide compared to 991 who died because of a workrelated injury.

MOWIT 5th Annual Cornhole Tournament a success Page 11

Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562, Glaziers Local 513 volunteers partner with Rebuilding Together to help needy St. Louis homeowners Page 10 IBEW Local 1 hosts

Car & Bike Swap Meet Page 16

It’s a team effort. LEAN Peer Support Specialists Aaron Walsh (Laborers Local 42) and James Pursell (Laborers Local 110) and Laborers’ Welfare Director Diana Marburger sat down recently with Laborers Local 42 President Matt Andrews and the Labor Tribune to discuss the program’s first three years, its success and the challenges ahead.

LEAN is based on a program that was started by the Laborers in Boston. LEAN-STL has since become a blueprint locally and nationally for how peer support can make a

LEAN-STL (Laborers Escaping Addiction Now) has seen progress since starting the peer support program in 2023. Seen here (from left), Peer Support Specialist James Pursell (Laborers Local 110), Laborers’Welfare Director Diana Marburger, Peer Support Specialist Aaron Walsh (Laborers Local 42) recently sat down to discuss the program’s progress.

– Labor Tribune photo

difference.

LEAN-STL was launched in 2023 in response to a 2022 study from CPWR-The Center for Construc-

Those numbers have changed since then to around 14,000 deaths caused by opioid overdoses and substance use – thanks for the prevalence of Naloxone (Narcan) for treating overdoses, education and peer support programs like LEAN.

lizing behavioral health care. Not all of your calls become claims. But I think the fact of knowing there are resources out there is huge. We’re not just talking about addiction; we’re talking behavioral health across the board.”

They are also seeing an impact in the greater Labor community in St. Louis with building trades unions and other unions developing their own peer support programs.

“We saw participation go up 45 percent in the first two years,” Marburger said of their own member health care statistics. “Forty-five percent more participants are uti-

Regionally, the STL Building Trades Wellness Coalition, formed in response to overdoses and suicides in the construction industry, aims to get building trades unions and contractors on board with the understanding that physical health, mental health and safety on the jobsite are all related.

See LEAN-STL page 18

Madison County Federation of Labor’s Workers Memorial Day program remembers IBEW member killed in helicopter crash

By ELIZABETH DONALD Illinois Correspondent

Alton, IL – A memorial to workers killed on the job in Madison County went forward last week despite the wild weather leading up to the event.

The Greater Madison County Federation of Labor held its annual Workers Memorial Day ceremony at the Workers Memorial in Gordon Moore Park on April 28, remembering all those whose names are carved into the memorial who died at work in service to the unions who are part of the federation.

Every April 28, the unions of the AFL-CIO across America observe Workers’ Memorial Day to remember those who have been injured, contracted an illness, or died as a result of simply doing their jobs over the past year. The date is the anniversary of the Federal

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), which was enacted on April 28, 1970.

to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries report released by the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. This marks the second yearly decrease in a row, but there is still much work to be done.

MICHAEL CODY CURRY

Remembered in Madison County this year was Michael Cody Curry, 37, of Ashley, a lineman with IBEW Local 702 who was killed in a helicopter crash on Aug. 7 while placing marker balls over the Mississippi River. The helicopter

There were 5,070 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States in 2024 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), down four percent from 5,283 in 2023, according See

May Day rallies highlight workers’ issues in Missouri, Illinois

Union members, community organizations rally for May Day in St. Louis

By BRUCE DARNELL Correspondent

St. Louis – Organizers across St. Louis planned a general strike on this year’s May Day, getting together for an evening rally at Aloe Plaza. A few speakers said that compared to last year, this May Day rally had pulled hundreds if not thousands more people into the streets.

Every speech, face-to-face conversation and picket sign articu-

See MAY DAY MO page 17

‘Action and solidarity’ message of May Day protest in Belleville

By ROBERT KELLY Correspondent

Belleville, IL — The recent May Day rally and protest in Belleville against poor working conditions and low wages must become an annual event, its organizers say.

“May Day is the signal of distress,” said Cyndi Oberle-Dahm, executive vice president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers.

“We are in distress,” she said at

See MAY DAY IL page 17

PARTICIPANTS in

MOTHER JONES re-enactor Loretta Williams speaks with guests at the Madison County Federation of Labor’s Workers Memorial Day program April 28 at the Workers Memorial at Gordon Moore Park in Alton, IL. – Photo courtesy of B. Dean Webb

MADISON COUNTY page 23

MARBURGER

the May Day rally and protest at the Belleville Public Square. About 150 people participated at times during the two-hour event on May 1. Most were members of Labor Unions, particularly members of the Illinois Federation of Teachers in the Metro East area. – Labor Tribune photo

‘Electric ‘Choice:’ The blarney that will cost Missouri families dearly’

By TIMOTHY P. GREEN Executive Vice President St. Louis Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA

My late grandfather had a saying for every occasion. When a fast-talking salesman would come knocking at his door in North St. Louis with promises too good to be true, he’d say, “There’s more going on here than meets the eye, and none of it good.”

I’ve been thinking about that man a great deal lately, because the Missouri General Assembly is entertaining a pitch from some very fast talkers. They’re calling it “Electric Choice.” Back in the trades, we call it what it is: live wire with no ground fault protection.

I’ve been around the block on this one. I served in the Missouri General Assembly from 1989 through 2012, and I remember when ENRON marched into Jefferson City in the 1990s promising the same sweet deal — deregulate the electric utilities, break up the investor-owned utilities, introduce competition, and watch the rates fall like leaves in October. What followed for the states that bought that story wasn’t lower bills. It was higher prices, a less dependable grid, and a whole lot of residential customers left holding the bag while corporate and industrial players walked away with the savings. History, as the Irish know well, has a cruel way of repeating itself for people who weren’t paying attention the first time.

WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY

Here’s what the numbers actually say, because in this trade, we work from the blueprint, not from the sales pitch.

Over the past five years, Missouri’s electricity rates increased by 2.2 cents per kilowatt hour. During that same period, New York — a deregulated “choice” state — saw rates climb by 7.8 cents per kilowatt hour. Illinois, another “choice” state right across the river from us, saw rates jump 4.5 cents per kilowatt hour. The national average increase was 4 cents per kilowatt hour. Missouri is sitting well below that average. The deregulated states in California, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Connecticut are clustered at the very top of the rate-increase chart, with California posting a staggering 11.8 cents per kilowatt hour increase — more than five times what Missourians experienced.

Now, the proponents of this legislation will tell you that “choice” means lower rates. They’ll say the free market will sort it all out. As an IBEW wireman who has pulled cable in basements and substations for decades before serving in the legislature, I can tell you this: the free market doesn’t give a damn about the retired senior on Aragan Avenue, who is on a fixed income and can’t negotiate a long-term energy contract with an out-of-state conglomerate. And the data confirms it.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, residential electricity rates in states with restructured electricity markets have increased nearly 55 percent more than in vertically integrated states like Missouri Most of the rate benefits that do exist in “choice” states — and they are limited — flow to commercial and industrial customers who have armies of lawyers and procurement specialists to navigate the markets. The families and retirees we represent? They’re on their own.

THE DIRTY TRUTH

And that’s the dirty truth hiding under all the “choice” language. Large commercial and industrial companies love deregulation because they can hire the expertise to shop the markets and lock in favorable long-term contracts. Seniors on fixed incomes don’t have that luxury. Working families juggling rent, groceries, and car payments don’t have that luxury.

The complexity of electric “choice” isn’t a feature — it’s the exploit. Sophisticated energy suppliers have an established track record of deploying what I’ll charitably call aggressive market practices. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office documented this in a 2021 report that found residents of that state “suffered large financial losses” by signing contracts with third-party electric suppliers, and that low-income customers “continue to suffer a disproportionate amount of the consumer harm.” That’s not an anomaly. That’s the model.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE UNION WORKFORCE?

There is also the matter of what happens to our union workforce. Under Missouri’s current regulated system, our investorowned utilities — including Ameren Missouri — have a long history of working with the building trades and employing IBEW members. If deregulation forces these utilities to sell off their generation assets to out-of-state, or potentially international, entities, there is no guarantee those workers keep their jobs, and no guarantee those plants stay open at all. The community economic investment that comes with locally regulated utilities doesn’t follow the asset when it’s sold to the highest bidder in some distant boardroom.

TEXAS IS A REAL-WORLD LESSON

We need look no further than Texas for a real-world lesson in what happens when you strip away regulated reliability obligations in the name of market freedom. In a “choice” state, power generators have no enforceable obligation to make the reliability investments necessary to stay online during periods of peak demand. When Winter Storm Uri hit the Lone Star State, power generators failed catastrophically. Texans paid the price — some with their lives, and all of them on their electric bills.

Missouri’s regulated system requires our utilities to plan years ahead for future demand, build and maintain generation and grid infrastructure, and submit rates to the Missouri Public Service Commission for review and approval. That oversight is not a burden. It is the protection working-class Missourians have paid for and deserve to keep.

Here’s what deregulation actually delivers: middlemen, marketing expenses, sales commissions, and short-term pricing practices. None of those things generate one kilowatt of electricity. They just add cost between the generation source and your meter. My grandfather would have spotted that con in thirty seconds.

Missouri’s regulated system is working. Our rates prove it. The blueprint is solid — don’t let anyone convince you to rewire the panel while the lights are on.

(Timothy P. Green, executive vice president of the St. Louis Electrical Connection IBEW/ NECA served as a Missouri state representative from 1989–2002 and Missouri state senator from 2005–2012.)

Why Congress needs to bring back trade adjustment assistance

By ROXANNE D. BROWN President United Steelworkers

Al King and other United Steelworkers (USW) activists spent much of the past year piecing together support for about 600 union miners in Minnesota laid off by Cleveland-Cliffs.

He and leaders across the union collaborated to secure a 26-week extension of state unemployment benefits. King, the USW Local 6511 president, helped to search for training and part-time employment opportunities to give his coworkers options as the layoffs dragged on.

He also threw his support behind the possible development of a manufacturing plant on the Iron Range with the potential to generate 200 jobs — one more potential alternative — for miners waiting to return to the Hibbing Taconite and Minorca mines.

And while King would do this all again in a heartbeat to lift up fellow union members, it infuriates him that Congress killed a widely respected program four years ago that successfully delivered many of the very services he’s now trying to put into place.

He has every right to be angry. I’m livid, too, and so are hundreds of thousands of workers across numerous industries — farming, glass, mining, steel, and tires, to name a few — who got kicked in the gut when Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) ended for no reason in 2022.

The program’s demise ripped away a lifeline from workers who face job losses because of the adverse effects of global trade.

Prime example: the Iron Range miners, who produce the taconite, or iron ore, that’s used to make steel for an auto industry roiled by trade disputes.

“Not having it is nothing short of a nightmare,” King said, noting that miners and workers in many other sectors face periodic threats to their jobs over long careers.

“It blows my mind that we don’t have this safety net,” he added. “It’s a no-brainer.”

King is among the USW activists trying to push Congress into bringing the program back, saying it’s as integral to a manufacturing economy as investment in equipment and maintenance of supply chains.

DISPLACED WORKERS LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES

Those of us in the USW and throughout the Labor Movement recognized the risks of losing the program four years ago.

We made phone calls, wrote emails, and published articles at the time, demanding that members of Congress come together to save TAA, a decades-old program that more than paid for itself by sustaining families and stabilizing manufacturing communities.

TAA provided job search and case management services to displaced workers.

Over the years, it offered retraining and apprenticeships as well as tuition for other educational programs, while also covering books, tuition, mileage, and childcare expenses to ensure workers had all of the resources they needed to take advantage of the career opportunities the program made available to them.

Many workers used TAA to start over in the places they already lived, ensuring stability not only for their families but also for the communities that relied on them.

But if workers wanted or needed to move, the program helped with relocation expenses. It also provided temporary wage support if their new jobs paid less than the ones they lost.

Unions and advocacy groups gathered many stories of workers who credit TAA with carrying them through difficult times and giving them a fresh start.

Better yet, there’s data backing up those stories. Workers who received TAA assistance earned $50,000 more over 10 years than peers without access to the program, according to a 2018 study conducted by a researcher who worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and attributed the gains both to “higher incomes and greater labor force participation.”

TAA was one of the few programs built specifically for the working class, said King. So far, its death has left about 200,000 displaced workers to fend for themselves or rely on services that states, unions, or others put in place for them.

‘WE NEED TO PROVIDE THIS FOR OUR KIDS’

It’s all haunting places like the Iron Range.

“A lot of folks are potentially looking at selling their houses and leaving,” King explained. “This is going to result in people having to leave the area.”

Given the incredibly high stakes, we’ll never stop fighting to reestablish TAA.

We got a boost in March when U.S. Representative Linda T. Sánchez introduced legislation that would reestablish the program with stronger benefits than before. Among other improvements, her version would extend eligibility to public sector workers who risk losing their jobs when a local or state government outsources their work to a foreign company.

The new bill already drew a number of co-sponsors, but the reauthorization will face challenges in a dysfunctional Congress with few shared values in international trade.

Despite his busy days trying to meet the day-to-day needs of miners, King jumped right into the effort of reestablishing the program.

“TAA is a hill I’m willing to die on,” he said, explaining the program needs a stable future to meet workers’ long-term needs. “We need to provide this for our kids.”

(This article was produced by the Independent Media Institute.)

With a digital subscription, get the Labor Tribune delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning. Go to our website labortribune.com and click the subscribe button.

Views from Near and Far

BROWN GREEN

Guarantee Electrical donates $10K to STL Building Trades Wellness Coalition; CEO

calls it ‘a drop in the bucket’

AFL-CIO conducting 2026 Member Priorities Survey

In preparation for the campaign season, the AFL-CIO is conducting a member survey, soliciting input and opinion on issues important to union members in 2026.

HUMMEL

“I hear it as I travel all across Missouri, union members and their families are expressing concerns about the increasing cost-of-living,” said Jake Hummel, president of the Missouri AFL-CIO and member of IBEW 1. “Gas prices are up. Inflation remains a concern, electricity prices are up and health insurance prices have spiked.

“But the economy isn’t the only issue at the top of worker’s minds.  So-called ‘right-to-work, ‘collective bargaining rights, the security of our democracy and our individual

freedoms are also top issues that many union members and their families care about,” Hummel continued. “That’s why the AFL-CIO is conducting this survey; because we want to hear directly from union members what issues in Missouri and America they are concerned about right now.”

The brief issues survey for union members can be found by scanning the QR code with this story. The survey is being offered to union members nationwide, with results from Missouri participants shared with the Missouri AFL-CIO.

“So please take three minutes, scan the QR code and tell us what matters to you!” said Hummel.

St. Louis – Guarantee Electrical, the St. Louis-based electrical contractor and IBEW Local 1 signatory, has donated $10,000 to the STL Building Trades Wellness Coalition’s efforts to address mental health, suicide prevention and addiction in the construction industry.

Speaking at the Wellness Coalition’s recent meeting on recovery friendly workplaces, Guarantee CEO Rich Ledbetter called the donation “a drop in the bucket” toward what is needed. “We’ve got to get to $100,000 and a million next year. That’s what this effort needs to look like.”

A 2022 study from the Center for Construction Research and Training showed 17,100 construction workers died from opioid overdoses and 5,200 died by suicide compared to 991 who died because of a workrelated injury.

Guarantee suffered its own recent tragedy among its workforce earlier this year.

“At Guarantee, I think we spend $3 million a year on very specific safety efforts and investments,” Ledbetter said. “We’ve done such a great job with limiting the risks on job sites. But 5,000 humans in our industry died by suicide in that

same time frame and 17,000 died by overdose. How does that statistic not scream at each of us to show up and do whatever we can do, whether it’s speaking or a check for 10 grand, or devoting resources to well-being?

“I think the hopeful silver lining in all this is this is what do we do in this industry! We solve problems every day. Our entire being is about solving problems. And I think that is the most intense problem that any of us will solve or make progress on in our careers. Nothing is more important.”

TREATING SAFETY AND MENTAL HEALTH AS ONE

David Scott, Elevator Constructors Local 3 business representative and executive director of the Wellness Coalition, said the goal is to treat safety and mental health as one.

“I think one of the big goals of this coalition is to take safety from being on the left side, mental health from being on the right side and have them being one,” Scott said. “As we move forward with these conversations that we have with other people around the city, around the state, around the

country, it’s that narrative that we have to keep moving forward that mental health, addiction and suicide crisis are part of safety. It’s not just physical safety, and it’s that conversations we need to make sure we’re having. I think one of the leaders in St. Louis in doing this is Guarantee Electrical.”

RECOVERY-FRIENDLY WORKPLACES

St. Louis University (SLU), the Building Trades Wellness Coalition, the Occupational Safey and Health Administration (OSHA) and Aetna will host a program on recovery-friendly workplaces, the latest installment of SLU’s Building Resilience series May 19 at SLU’s Wool Center with Dr. Doug Swanson, field representative in Labor and workforce development with the University of Missouri Extension’s Labor and Workforce Development Program, and Andy Bowman of the Aviary Recovery Center. Scan

GUARANTEE ELECTRICAL, which recently suffered a tragedy in its workforce, has donated $10,000 to the STL. Building Trades Wellness Coalition to address mental health, suicide prevention and addiction in the construction industry. Pictured at the check presentation are (from left) James Pursell and Aaron Walsh, peer support specialists with the Laborers Escaping Addiction Now (LEAN-STL) program; Todd Cook, Guarantee’s vice president of Risk & Safety; David Scott, Elevator Constructors Local 3 business representative and executive director of the Wellness Coalition; Guarantee CEO Rich Ledbetter; Guarantee Safety Manager and IBEW Local 1 electrician Dave Ballew; Guarantee Chief Construction Officer David Gralike; and Dr. John Gaal, director of the Missouri AFL-CIO’s Missouri Works Initiative’s Worker Wellness Program.

Labor Tribune photo

Laborers Local 660 volunteers tackle outdoor projects at Bridge of Hope Lincoln County

By SHERI GASSAWAY Missouri Correspondent

Troy, MO – “When Laborers Local 660 shows up, things get done, and they make it look easy.”

That’s how members of Bridge of Hope Lincoln County described a recent cleanup event at the nonprofit in which Local 660 members volunteered their time and skills to make some essential outdoor improvements.

‘SHINE A LITTLE BRIGHTER’

Tim

Gassaway Missouri Correspondent

sheri@labortribune.com

Elizabeth Donald Illinois Correspondent

Ed Finkelstein Publisher Emeritus edf@labortribune.com

Robert Kelly Correspondent

Linda Jarrett Correspondent

“A huge thank you to the members of Laborers Local 660 for rolling up their sleeves and helping tackle some much-needed outdoor projects at Bridge of Hope,” said Bridges of Hope Executive Director Jessica Trachte. “Thank you for bringing the muscle, the teamwork and the heart. You helped make Bridge of Hope shine a little brighter.”

The Local 660 volunteers:

• Mulched the landscaping around the building, making it look sharp and welcoming.

• Power-washed the building, bringing it back to life.

• Straightened and secured parking blocks.

• Installed a new border around the playground.

• Filled the playground with mulch, making it ready for fun.

‘FIRST IMPRESSIONS MATTER’

“At Bridge of Hope, we believe first impressions matter,” Trachte said. “When someone walks through our doors, we want them to feel welcomed, respected and valued, and these improvements help make that happen.”

Local 660 Business Manager Nate Rose said members of the union’s Retirees Committee and Volunteer Organizing Committee orchestrated the project.

‘HAPPY

TO HELP’

“The volunteers were happy to help,” Rose said. “Some of our committee members found an organization in the community in need and decided to help out with the initiative with the union hall’s

financial support.”

Bridge of Hope empowers Lincoln County neighbors to overcome crises through resources, healing and hope. It creates an environment

where individuals have access to the most basic need of food and shelter, plus wraparound care they individually need. For more information, visit bridgeofhopelc.org

LABORERS LOCAL 660 volunteers provided some much-needed outdoor improvements at Bridge of Hope Lincoln County April 9. – Bridges of Hope Lincoln County photo

Boilermakers Local 363 Meetings are the second Wednesday of each month at 8 p.m. at the union hall, 2358 Mascoutah Avenue, Belleville.

IBEW Local 309 Regular union meetings are held on first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Local Union Hall, 2000 Mall Street, Route 157, Collinsville, Ill. Executive Board — Executive board meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday preceding each regular union meeting at the IBEW Local 309 Hall, 2000A Mall St., Collinsville. Iron Workers 392 Meets the last Friday of the month at 7 p.m. at 2995 Kingshighway, East St. Louis.

Operating Engineers 520 Meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the second Friday of the month at the IUOE Local 520 Hall, 520 Engineer Rd., Granite City, IL 62040.

Operators Local 399 Third Tuesday of each month at 6:30

IL 62234.

Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 101 Union Meetings will be held on the 4th Wednesday of the month except December, which will be held on the 3rd Wednesday. The meetings will be held at the Local 101 Hall located at 8 Premier Drive in Belleville, IL 62220 at 7:30 p.m.

Official IAM District 9 Notices

Unemployment Stamps will be $4 per month.

IAM Local 822

Regular meetings at 6 p.m. first Tuesday each month at the IAM Local 822 Hall 2929 N. Fifth St., Quincy, Ill. PLEASE NOTE: New Office Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed noon - 1 p.m.

IAM Local 1345

The regular meetings will be held at the Machinist Hall, 12365 St. Charles Rock Rd., Bridgeton, on the second Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. and the night steward meeting is held at noon. If there is a cancellation of any meeting, it will appear under a special notice.

SPECIAL NOTICE: Effective Jan. 1, 2026 IAM Local 1345 dues rates are as follows: For members making $12.50 or less, their dues rate will be $92 per month. For members making $12.51 and above, their dues rate will be $99 per month.

The initiation fee is $198, which is twice the monthly dues and $396 for reinstatement, which is four times the monthly dues. The out-of-work dues remain at $4. Dues are due no later than the 15th of the following month they are due.

SPECIAL NOTICE: Members should contact the Local 1345 office 314-739-8301 when retiring, going out on sick leave,workers comp and with any change of address or phone numbers.

IAM Local 1745

Membership meetings will be held for the first shift at 4 p.m. the second Monday each month at Ron’s Catering, 113 E. Main St., Warrenton. Quarterly meetings will be held for the second shift at 2 p.m. the second Monday of these months: March, June, September and December. SPECIAL NOTICE: When approaching retirement, it’s a member’s responsibility to contact the financial secretary or local lodge officer to get an application for a retirement card.

IAM Local 2782

The regular monthly meetings will be held at 5 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the IAM Local 2782 office, 408 Washington Ave. Suite 134, West Plains, MO.

SPECIAL NOTICE: The meeting for second-shift workers will be held at 2 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the IAM 2782 office, 408 Washington Ave. Suite134, West Plains, MO.

RETIREE CLUBS

IAM District 9 Retirees Club

Meets the fourth Tuesday, 10 a.m. at Machinists’ Building, 12365 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton, Mo. David Meinell, president, Caroline Kemper, secretary-treasurer. Retirees and spouses are cordially invited to join the Retirees’ Club.

IAM Local 660 Retirees’ Club Retired members, wife or husband, father and mother of members in good standing, the retired members club’s regular meeting will be held at the Machinists’ Center, 161 Shamrock Street, East Alton, Ill., on the first Wednesday of each month. Social hour at 10 a.m. Covered dish dinner at noon and games and entertainment at 1 p.m. Barbara Hayes, Recording Secretary.

IAM Local 822 Retirees’ Club Meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Call L. 822 at 217-222-0394 for information.

Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 160 Union meetings are on the second Friday of the month at 8 p.m. at the hall, 901 Mulberry Street, Murphysboro, Ill. 62966.

Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 553 First Tuesday of each month September through May, 7 p.m., 967 East Airline Dr., East Alton, IL 62024. Sheet Metal Workers Local 268 Caseyville Meetings: Fourth Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Sheet Metal Workers’ Hall,

first Wednesday of each month, 7:30 p.m. in the Donald Bailey Building, 1220 Donald Bailey Dr., Caseyville, Ill. 62232-2061.

RETIREE CLUBS

AFSCME Retirees Subchapter 59

Boilermakers Local 363 Retirees

IBEW Local 309 Retirees

Sheet Metal Workers Local 268 Retirees’ Club Meets on the second Wednesday of the month at Sheet Metal Workers Local 268 Hall, 2701 N. 89th St., Caseyville, Ill. at 1 p.m. All Retirees Welcome.

Teamsters Local 600 Golden Age Retirees

MISSOURI

CENTRAL BODIES

Greater St. Louis Labor Council, AFL-CIO Third Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., IBEW

Ave., St. Louis. St. Louis Building & Construction Trades Council First Wednesday, 10 a.m., Electricians’ Industry Training Center Auditorium, 2300 Hampton. St. Louis Union Label & Service Trades Council Meetings third Monday at 5 p.m., IBEW Local 1, 5850 Elizabeth Ave., 63110. John Schepers, president. Information: fritz@ unionlabel.info 314-779-9959

LOCAL UNIONS

Boilermakers Local 27 The monthly membership meetings are at 8 p.m. the first Monday at the Boilermakers Hall, 1547 S. Broadway. Applications for Construction Boilermakers Apprentice will be accepted by the Boilermakers Joint Apprenticeship Committee on the second Monday of each month at the Local 27 hall, 1547 South Broadway, St. Louis, Missouri 63104, from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. The recruitment, selection, employment and training of apprentices during their apprenticeship shall be without discrimination because of race, religion, national origin, age or sex. Every applicant must supply a copy of their BIRTH CERTIFICATE and High School DIPLOMA/G.E.D. that the Committee can keep at the time of filing application for apprenticeship.

WELDING QUALIFICATION: Applicants that have a welding certification or welding training qualifications will have priority selection over applicants with no welding qualifications. Applicants must provide a copy and proof of welding certification or welding training qualifications at the time of application.

Bricklayers Local 1 Meets at 5:30 p.m. the first Thursday at Bricklayers’ Local No. 1 Union Hall, 1670 Fenpark, Fenton, MO 63026. To register for a course, contact Dale Jennewein at the Bricklayers Local 1 MO JATC at 314-770-1066.

Cement Masons Local 527

3341 Hollenberg Dr, Bridgeton, MO 63044

Elevator Constructors Local 3 5916 Wilson Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110

Glaziers Local 513 5916 Wilson Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110

Persian Gulf (Satire from The Borowitz Report) — Trump sonin-law Jared Kushner was “caught red handed” trying to establish his own tollbooth in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard reported on Tuesday.

Unsatisfied with the billions he has extracted from an array of Gulf states, Kushner had hoped to cash in on the Hormuz bonanza before he was nabbed by the Iranians.

“Why should you guys be the only ones who get in on this grift?” an irate Kushner shrieked at the Revolutionary Guards as they zip-tied him.

Asked to comment on her husband’s detention in Iran, Ivanka Trump said, “It is what it is.”

Electrical Connection advances electrical work for St. Jude Dream Home in St. Charles County

The Electrical Connection is installing electrical infrastructure in this year’s St. Jude Dream Home which, once completed, will benefit medical research and care for children facing critical health issues.

The Electrical Connection is a partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1 and the St. Louis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association. This is the 17th year that the IBEW/NECA Electrical Connection has donated services and materials to build the home.

The partnership is installing wiring and electrical systems by donating services and materials to build the O’Fallon home which carries an estimated value of $680,000. Proceeds from the sale of

the home and ticket sales to win it will support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

NECA-signatory Grasser Electric and its IBEW Local 1 workforce are performing interior and exterior electrical work on the 3,206-square-foot, ranch-style home for Fischer Homes.

THE 2026 DREAM HOME

Emerging at 151 Cardow Dr. in the Streets of Caledonia subdivision, the home relies on the collective generosity and support of sponsors, trade partners and the local community. Every dollar raised goes straight to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for funding research and providing care.

The home introduces The Em-

met – English Elegance design and features four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a finished lower level. It includes a luxury bath, spacious living room and an upgraded kitchen. The lower level includes a bedroom, full bath and wet bar. The home also has a three-car garage.

Later this year, tickets will be available for a chance to win the home and other prizes at $100 each. For more information, visit discover.fischerhomes.com/st-jude/ st-louis-missouri-2024

ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institutedesignated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent, and we won’t stop until no child dies from cancer.

St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children.

Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their

child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org

FISCHER HOMES

Founded in 1980, Fischer Homes is a privately held homebuilder that has constructed more than 40,000 homes. Ranked 31st nationally by Builder Magazine, the company is recognized for its thoughtfully designed homes, diverse product offerings and commitment to delivering an exceptional customer experience. In the St. Louis region, Fischer Homes builds new homes in highly desirable communities including Arnold, Chesterfield, Dardenne Prairie, O’Fallon, Richmond Heights, St. Louis, St. Paul, Town and Country, Wentzville and Wright City. For more information

about Fischer Homes, visit fischerhomes.com

THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION

The Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA partnership represents more than 5,000 highly skilled and safe IBEW Local 1 electricians and the more than 130 electrical contractors who employ them.  For more than 80 years, the partnership has trained more electricians/communication technicians than any education program in Missouri. Its award-winning work provides safe and reliable electrical construction, maintenance, repair and replacement services across Missouri, the nation and the world. Learn more at www.electricalconnection.org.

THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION is installing wiring and electrical systems by donating services and materials to build the 2026 St. Jude Dream Home, which carries an estimated value of $680,000. Proceeds from ticket sales to win the home will support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. – Electrical Connection photo

Laborers Local 42 hosts graduation, career fair for SLU’s Brownsfield’s Remediation Job Training program

By SHERI GASSAWAY Missouri Correspondent

St. Louis – Laborers Local 42 recently hosted the graduating class of the St. Louis University (SLU) Center for Environmental Education and Training’s (CEET) Brownsfield’s Remediation Training program and held a signatory contractor career fair after the ceremony.

The program, funded by grants from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), prepares community members for high-growth careers in environmental cleanup and hazardous-waste operations. It provides a six-week, free 222hour training for certifications in hazardous waste, GIS applications, worker safety and many other areas.

‘CELEBRATE THE GRADUATES’

“We’re here to celebrate the graduates for the EPA job training program,” said EPA Region 7 Supervisor Stan Walker. “But more important, it’s an opportunity for us to come together with the community and train people in the environmental field to help their communities out, especially after the tornado that hit St. Louis in May of 2025.”

Remediation Training program. Afterward, the union held signatory contractor career fair for the students. – Labor Tribune photo WALKER Louis area.

‘WELL-ROUNDED PROGRAM’

Rene Dulle, CEET director, said the six-week program involves multiple certifications and licensing that are in demand in the St.

“This is a very well-rounded program that offers students skills they could put to use in the St. Louis region to help with May 2025 tornado efforts,” Dulle said.

“We really try to take the students full circle to show them all the different career paths environmental training has to of-

fer. Most employers look at their portfolio of certifications and are really impressed.”

Ray Sarkis III, a Local 42 field representative and an organizer, said he reached out to Dulle about three years ago when the union was having a manpower shortage for qualified abatement workers.

‘FILL THAT GAP”

“We were trying to fill that gap through her class, which has over the last three years, turned into our unofficial pre-apprenticeship program,” Sarkis said. “The students get thousands of dollars’ worth of training before they come to us, and they’re ready to go work.

“It’s easy for a signatory contractor to grab one of these students and get them into our apprenticeship program where they’re going to learn even more skills that are conducive to their career path going forward – i.e. demolition tools, cutting torches, that kind of thing. Right now, they have just the environmental skills.”

IMMEDIATE CONNECTION

Lisa Williams, one of the program’s students, said she was affected by the May 16 St. Louis tornado and was in search of opportunities to help out in the community.

“When I saw the flyer for the program, I immediately felt like it was a connection for me because I was affected by the tornado and when I read that I could get certifications in asbestos and lead, I thought I could probably make a difference in my community. I’m beyond excited for the future.”

‘LEARNED A LOT’

Nicholas McGrue, another student who graduated, said the program was a great opportunity to learn new skills and tools. His background is in the restaurant and retail fields.

“Someone told me this program would change my life and now I understand what he meant,” McGrue said. The program is great. They help you along the way, and I definitely learned a lot.

For more information about the Brownsfield’s Remediation Training program at SLU’s Center for Environmental Education and Training, visit slu.edu/publichealth-social-justice/centersinstitutes/environmental-jobtraining.php

LABORERS LOCAL 42 recently hosted the graduating class of the St. Louis University (SLU) Center for Environmental Education and Training’s (CEET) Brownsfield’s

DULLE

SARKIS

WILLIAMS

McGRUE

Your Health

Mind, Body, Spirit

AI, robotics and motionpreserving implants expand spine surgery options for patients

People worldwide seek medical care for back and neck pain, which can interfere with sleep, mobility and daily life.

For individuals who need surgery for spinal conditions, advances in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and motion-preserving implants are expanding treatment options and allowing for more personalized treatment, according to Ahmad Nassr, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Nassr treats a wide range of spinal conditions that can affect mobility and cause pain, including:

• Herniated disk, a problem with one of the rubbery cushions, called disks, which sit between the bones

that stack to make the spine.

• Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord that can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that travel through the spine.

• Scoliosis, a side-to-side curve of the spine that can cause pain and

Mental health is essential to overall health, encouraging open conversations, providing resources for those in need and affirming that no one is alone in their struggles. Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in May in the United States since 1949 and aims to reduce stigma, educate the public and promote support for mental health conditions.

The “5 C’s” of mental health are a framework used to improve emotional well-being and resilience, commonly defined as Connection, Cop-

breathing problems.

• Spinal tumors, lesions that start in or around the spine.

• Degenerative spine conditions that most commonly affect older

ing, Calmness, Care and Compassion. These principles help manage stress, build stronger relationships and foster a balanced, positive mindset.

The most common category of mental health disorders in America — anxiety disorders— impacts approximately 40 million adults 18 and older. Anxiety disorders cause people to experience distressing and frequent fear and apprehension.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children. Symptoms of ADHD include inattention (not being able to keep focus), hyperactivity (excess movement that is not fitting to the setting) and impulsivity (hasty acts that occur in the moment without thought).

FIVE WARNING SIGNS

According to the American Psy-

adults, such as degenerative disk disease and adult degenerative scoliosis. These conditions can cause severe symptoms, including stiffness, numbness or tingling from nerve damage.

Research has shown that low back pain is the leading cause of disability around the world, and the elderly are one of the most vulnerable populations.

“My practice is to assess each of my patients holistically, regardless of their age, to determine whether they can benefit from spinal surgery based on the treatment goal, whether it’s to reduce pain, restore their ability to work or improve their quality of life,” Dr. Nassr explains.

MOTION-PRESERVING ALTERNATIVES TO FUSION

Many spinal conditions — such as degenerative disk disease, scoliosis and spinal stenosis — used

chiatric Association and other health organizations, the five primary warning signs of mental illness are:

1. Personality changes (acting unlike oneself)

2. Uncharacteristic anxiety or moodiness

3. Social withdrawal/isolation

4. Lack of self-care/risky behavior

5. Hopelessness or feeling overwhelmed

Recognizing these early can aid in seeking timely, professional help. Asking for mental health help involves acknowledging your needs; identifying trusted support that includes friends, family and doctors; and using direct communication or conversation starters like “I’m struggling and need help.” Immediate help is available by calling or texting 988 (U.S. and Canada), texting “HOME” to 741741 or contacting a primary care doctor.

to be treated with fusion surgery, in which two or more spinal bones are connected and heal as one bone. The procedure reduces pain but also limits spinal flexibility.

Motion-preserving devices, such as artificial disk replacement, offer alternatives that maintain more natural spinal movement.

Dr. Nassr served as principal investigator at Mayo Clinic in randomized controlled trials that led to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the TOPS replacement device, which stabilizes the spine while preserving movement. The device can be used to treat pinched nerves and spondylolisthesis, which is a slippage between two vertebrae.

Mayo Clinic was the first medical center in the U.S. to implant the FDA-approved Minimally Invasive Deformity Correction (MID-C)

THE MAYO CLINIC’S Dr. Ahmad Nassr displays a 3D-printed model.

Spine surgeries

device to treat scoliosis.

Dr. Nassr and other researchers are studying next-generation implants designed to replace both the disk and facet joints to maintain natural flexibility.

ROBOTICS AND MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY

Surgeries that once required large incisions can now be performed through small openings, reducing postoperative pain, helping patients recover faster and shortening hospital stays.

Conditions such as herniated disks, misalignment of the spine, spinal stenosis or instability can now be treated with a minimally invasive approach.

Robotic-assisted platforms, combined with CT scans and MRI, allow surgeons to plan complex spinal procedures and determine the most precise pathways for implants before surgery begins.

“Advances in robotic-assisted surgery, AI, 3D models and motionpreserving implants are allowing us to treat complex spinal conditions with greater precision and less disruption to back muscles,” Dr.

From page 1

Nassr says. “These technologies are changing how spine procedures are performed and can support faster recovery for patients.”

Advances in anesthesia, including specialized nerve blocks, also have significantly improved postoperative comfort and shortened hospital stays.

PERSONALIZED SURGERY WITH 3D MODELS

In complex cases, surgeons can create 3D-printed models of a patient’s spine — including nerves and blood vessels — and design custom implants tailored to the person’s anatomy. These models allow surgeons to rehearse procedures before the operation and refine surgical planning.

Complex cases — such as advanced adult scoliosis, revision surgery or spinal tumors — often involve a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists and rehabilitation specialists.

AI IN SPINE CARE

AI is integrated into multiple aspects of spine care at Mayo

Clinic. AI-supported tools assist in analyzing clinical data to guide treatment decisions and enhance surgical planning. In research, Dr. Nassr uses AI to better assess bone health and osteoporosis for patients who may need spine surgery.

“Advances in spine surgery enhance patient care as well as our ability to provide more personalized treatments,” says Dr. Nassr.

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Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562, Glaziers Local 513 volunteers partner with Rebuilding Together to help needy St. Louis homeowners

St. Louis – Volunteers with Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562 and Glaziers Local 513 spent their day April 25, repairing and updating plumbing, installing water heaters and repairing and replacing windows for those less fortunate, marking 31 years of partnership with Rebuilding Together-St. Louis.

“This morning is about a lot of things, but it’s 100 percent about the homeowners we’re going to, the life they live, where they are in their life and how we’re going to change their life today,” Local 562 Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer

John O’Mara told the huge group volunteers who turned out to help at Local 562’s offices and training

center in Earth City, Mo.

‘A LITTLE THING WE CAN DO’

“The simple things we take for granted, turning on the water in your kitchen, taking a hot shower, these people don’t have that. When we leave there, they’re going to have that, and have the simple necessities of life,” he said. “It’s a little thing we can do.”

Local 562 is in the midst of a job boom, with multiple projects underway and more in the pipeline. The union is scrambling to bring more apprentices on board to meet the demand. The annual Rebuilding Together event is a chance to give back, O’Mara said.

“We’re in a time where work is just unbelievable,” he said. “We just keep growing and growing. But today we’re about one thing – it’s our community. We live in it, and we build it. And we’re going to take some time today to rebuild our city and make the homeowners’ lives better.”

In addition to Rebuilding Together-St. Louis, Local 562 partners with the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA), supply houses, Local 562 contractors, it’s training center staff and many more to make the annual event possible.

PARTNERSHIP WITH LABOR

Elaine Powers, executive director of Rebuilding Together-St. Louis,

thanked the volunteers for their efforts.

“You could have chosen to do a lot of other things on this Saturday morning. You could have gone to the lake. Maybe you would have gone golfing. You could have worked on a project on your own house. But you chose to be here volunteering, rebuilding together and supporting your community,” Powers said.

“This partnership is very powerful in the impact that it makes. We’re part of a national organization called Rebuilding Together. There are about 110 of us around the country. And when we get together with our peers from other communities, when we swap stories and we share best practices, no one

else is doing this. No one else has the partnership that we have with Labor here in St. Louis. That speaks just volumes about the culture and commitment that you have, and have had, for three decades working with Rebuilding Together.

“In a few hours we are going to have older adult homeowners who right now don’t have hot water, and they’re going to have hot water,” Powers said. “They’re no longer going to be worried about that leak. They’re not going to be emptying buckets. They’re going to feel safe and confident opening and closing their windows because that glass isn’t going to fall out. It’s all those practical things that just make a huge difference.”

MOWIT 5th Annual Cornhole Tournament a success

St. Louis – The Missouri Women in Trades 5th Annual Cornhole Tournament was a huge success, drawing union members from across the trades including Tile Setters Local 18, Bricklayers Local 1, Carpenters, Laborers Local 110, Stagehands Local 6 and more. The tournament is the second largest fundraiser for the non-profit organization, which is designed to help women enter and succeed in the St. Louis building trades.

Notices From page 5

Greater St. Louis Council Retirees Group

The Greater St. Louis Labor Council Retirees Group is comprised of delegates from union retiree clubs and union locals. For more information, call Executive Board officers;

RETIREE CLUBS

Joint Council 13 Retirees

All meetings are held at the IBT Local 682 Union Hall, 5730 Elizabeth, St. Louis, MO. Greater St. Louis CWA Retirees Club Retirees Club meetings held on second Monday at CWA Local 6300 Hall, 2258 Grissom Dr., Maryland Heights. Meeting is at 11:30 a.m. and lunch at noon.

American Drive

Union Wages, Union Wheels

GM bringing back Chevrolet Camaro

By KEVIN WEAKS

Pony car returns to battle Mustang and Dodge Charger

There was panic at General Motors in the spring of 1964. The introduction of the Mustang in April caught everyone off guard. Where was Chevrolet’s affordable sporty car to compete with the Mustang? There was no denying the 1964 Ford Mustang was an instant success; 22,000 units were ordered on the first day and 121,538 sold during the first half-year. About 559,500

were sold for the subsequent 1965 model year. With a base price of $2,368 the Mustang — America’s first pony car — became one of the most successful product launches in history.

The Chevrolet Camaro became a desperate rush job. But where to begin? The Mustang was based on the compact Ford Falcon so, interestingly, Chevrolet turned to the compact Chevy II Nova, which itself was created in response to the Falcon. Two years later the 1966 Camaro finally hit Chevy showrooms. The same basic car with a nose job would show up at Pontiac dealers as the Firebird.

The first Camaro went on sale in September 1966 with a base price of $2,466. Just over 220,000 were sold

that first year compared to more than 480,000 Mustangs during the same period. The base engine was a 230-cubic-inch (3.8-liter) straightsix rated at 140 horsepower. The options list was long and included four different small-block V-8s and two big-blocks. The top choice was the 375-hp, 396-cu-in (6.5-liter) L78 big-block.

Camaro yearly sales always lagged behind Mustang’s, sometimes by as much as 100,000 units, but briefly caught up in model years 1991 and 1992. Battered by the popularity of SUVs and pickups in the early 2000s, the Camaro nameplate

went into hibernation between 2003 and 2009, but bounced back for the 2010 model year as a strong desire emerged for a new, affordable V-8 performance pony car to compete against the Mustang and Dodge Challenger.

The sixth-gen Camaro followed six years later but sales eventually began to slide again and GM ultimately axed the Camaro after the 2024 model year. Doing so put a gaping hole in Chevy’s performance arsenal, leaving only the $70,000plus Corvette.

Meanwhile, the Mustang has continued dominating its market, commanding 61 percent of mainstream sports car sales in early 2026.

SPORTS CAR MARKET STILL STRONG

That the sports car market remains strong is good enough reason to revive the Camaro, especially now that it can be coupled with GM’s updated Alpha platform. While GM has not made an official announcement on the return of the Camaro, inside sources have told GM Authority and Automotive News that a seventh generation of the Camaro was indeed in the works.

Set to ride on the rear-drive Alpha 2 platform, the next-gen Camaro is currently scheduled to enter production in late 2027 at the GM Lansing Grand River plant in Michigan, meaning it would go on

sale as a 2028 model. The facility was being retooled to make more electrics and hybrids before GM put the brakes on its EV plans. The plant currently produces the soon-to-be-discontinued Cadillac CT4 and Cadillac CT5 as well as an upcoming Buick sedan, which was reported in this column last month. Buick currently offers only SUVs. If all goes as planned, a rebooted Camaro is poised to return to battle its old foes, the Mustang and Dodge Charger (the Dodge Challenger coupe was discontinued in 2023). The shape and powertrain are still uncertain, but pundits expect the Camaro to continue as a two-door sports car, although it’s possible that Chevy will also offer a fourdoor version like Dodge does with the Charger. A hybrid Camaro is also possible.

And like the Charger, which was briefly offered in both EV and internal combustion versions, the Camaro was initially supposed to be an EV riding on GM’s Ultium skateboard chassis. After the current administration discontinued incentives on electric vehicles, GM shelved its EV plans but continues to see them as the ultimate future. Meanwhile, GM’s fossil-fueled Alpha 2 platform is set up for frontengine, rear-wheel-drive vehicles and the new Camaro will likely stick to its tire-smoking RWD roots. A version of the turbocharged 2.7-liter

See CAMARO page 13

WEAKS

CHEVROLET DEBUTED THE CAMARO for the 1967 model year. To celebrate the Camaro’s 30th anniversary in 1997, Chevrolet released a white convertible Z28 with orange stripes reminiscent of those on the 1969 Indy 500 pace car.

GM DISCONTINUED THE CAMARO after the 2024 model year. While GM has not made an official announcement on the return of the Camaro, sources have told GM Authority and Automotive News that a seventh generation of the Camaro was in the works. Meanwhile, rival Ford Mustang has continued dominating the market.

Camaro From page 12 four banger currently found in the Cadillac CT4 slots easily into the Alpha platform and produces 325 hp, but the Camaro will also feature an optional 6.7-liter small-block V-8 that will debut in the 2027 Corvette Stingray and Grand Sport. The LS6 produces 535 hp in the Corvette and this monster could show up in future ZL1 or Z28 Camaros.

A 10-speed automatic seems likely, but the Chevrolet may offer a six-speed manual as it did in the last Camaro and currently does in both the CT4-V Blackwing and the CT5-V Blackwing. It is expected that a four-cylinder Camaro will start around $40,000, while a V-8 model will likely start over $50,000. When Chevrolet announced that the 2024 Camaro would be the last, they also said that the name could live on in a different form. Ford’s reintroduction of the Mustang as an electric SUV got the gears at Chevrolet turning and there were rumors that the Camaro would return as an all-electric crossover. But things change relatively quickly in the automotive world,

with EVs now on the back burner and the throaty combustion engine back on top. The electric Ford Mustang Mach-E, which started out strong, has had a sharp drop in sales; this spring the gas-powered Mustang outsold the Mach-E by more than triple.

The Mustang and Camaro have long been rivals, so it should be no surprise to see the return of the mighty Camaro.

(Contact Kevin Weaks at kweaks@ labortribune.com.)

THE REDESIGNED 1978 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 featured new bumpers and was factory-rated at 185 net horsepower from a 350 cu-in V-8 engine and was paired with either a 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission.

FIRST CAMARO went on sale in

Laborers Local 110’s Paul David ‘Dave’ Carroll

Paul David

“Dave” Carroll, a member of Laborers Local 110, passed away on March 25, 2026, in Festus at age 75.

Brother Carroll had a deep love for the outdoors and enjoyed hunting and fishing, but nothing brought him greater joy than spending time with his wife, Vicky, and playing with his grandchildren. He was a devoted husband, a loving father, a cherished brother, and a loyal friend. He will be remembered for his warm heart, his dedication to family and the love he shared so freely with

those around him.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Vicky; his children, Paul (Julie), Melinda (Victor), Amanda (Nick), and Michael (Starr); his grandchildren, Alexis (Kage), Hannah (Kory), Lauren (Cody), Shyanne (Wyatt), Elizabeth (Johnthan), Joshua, Jewl, Karla (Alex), Victor (Michelle), Chandler, Cole, Payden, and Cassidy; and his great-grandchildren, Brailee, Bryce, Zayden, Kameron, Azalea, Bennie, Stella, and Jonah. He is also survived by his sister, Darlene.

A memorial service was held April 11 at Chapel Hill Robert Brown Chapel in Hillsboro, Mo.

Teamsters, Machinists District 9’s Ronald Lee Lester

Ronald Lee Lester, of Imperial, died April 11, 2026 in St. Louis at age 84.

Brother Lester was a retired machinist for Anheuser-Busch in St Louis. He was a member of the St. Louis Teamster Brewery Workers and Machinists District 9. Born Oct. 21, 1941, in St. Louis, he was the son of the late Violet Lewis Hood.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years: Connie Irvin Lester.

He is survived by four children: Robbie (Ed) O’Toole, of Affton; Mark (Margie) Lester, of Imperial; Lisa (Tom) Michaud, of Arnold; and Lorrie (Raymond) Dale, of St. Clair; and five siblings: Yvonne Morff, of St. Louis; Joe (Sue) Lopez, of Fenton; Tonie Soutier, of Fenton; John (Anna) Lopez, of Plato; and Jimmy (Diane) Lopez, of De Soto.

He is also survived by 11 grand-

children: Rena Baker, of Pevely; Anthony Rossi, of O’Fallon; Sarah Leutzinger, of Pevely; Frank Rossi, of Festus; Mark Lester, of Imperial; Josh Lester, of Imperial; Kattie Gilstrap, of High Ridge; Nicholas Michaud, of Arnold; Jordan Cookson, of Lake St. Louis; Emily Nunnery; of Imperial; and Jackson Dale, of St. Clair; And 18 great-grandchildren: Melody and Shelby Ciolek, of Pevely; Hannah Jones and Tyler Rossi, of O’Fallon; Analyn, Lillianna and Everly Rossi, of Festus; Sophia and Steven Lester, of Imperial; Tanner, Tyson and Lalya Gilstrap, of High Ridge; Vivienne and Daisy Cookson, of Lake St. Louis; Zane, Blaire, Kai and Kade Nunnery, of Imperial; and a great-great-grandson: Jason Matthews, of O’Fallon.

A funeral service, officiated by Ron Llewellyn, was held April 16 at Kutis South County Chapel, followed by burial in Luebbering Citizens Cemetery in Luebbering.

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Earl Gordon, IBEW Local 1

Ashtin Harrison, Sheet Metal Workers Local 36

Mary Ann Gordon, wife of, Earl Gordon, IBEW Local 1

Paola Wilken, granddaughter of, Donald Peterson Jr., retired Iron Workers Local 396

Abigail Laramie (left), and Cecilia Wilken (right), granddaughters of, Donald Peterson Jr., retired Iron Workers Local 396

IBEW Local 1 hosts Inaugural Car & Bike Swap Meet

St. Louis – Car and bike enthusiasts had a great time looking through parts and other automotive-related accessories at the IBEW Local 1 Inaugural Swap Meet Sun-

May

Day MO From page 1

lated the need to join together to fight against the extreme rise in the cost-of-living and the terrors inflicted on workers through billionaires’ control, the war in Iran, entities like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the recent Supreme Court rollback on the Voting Rights Act.

According to a press release from the Missouri Workers Center, the “No Work, No School, No Shopping” May Day rally was “part of a national day of action spanning more than 3,000 events in cities and

May Day IL

towns across the country.”

In St. Louis, the Rev. Kevin D. Anthony, pastor at the Pilgrim Congregational Church United Church of Christ, led the speakers with a summation of the rally’s message.

“It’s so vitally important that people understand that without workers, there’s no economy in this nation,” Anthony said. “Billionaires are getting rich while people outside of politics are suffering.”

Ramonda Watkins, a healthcare worker at a local nursing home and SEIU Healthcare leader, discussed

From page 1

the rally. “We are here for action and solidarity.”

Oberle-Dahm told participants at the rally on May 1 that so long as workers continue to struggle that the rally and protest would be held on May Day each year.

This year’s inaugural May Day event was at the Belleville Public Square.  About 150 people participated at various times throughout the two-hour event.

UNDERFUNDED SCHOOLS

Oberle-Dahm teaches social studies at Belleville West High School.  She said that school is owed $23 million in state funds for this school year that have yet to be paid or scheduled for payment.

Other schools in the Belleville High School District and at its feeder schools are equally underfunded for the school year, she said.

“Three-quarters of Illinois schools are not adequately funded,” she said.

TRUMP POLICIES HURTING LABOR

Scot Luchtefeld, president of the Southwestern Illinois Central Labor Council, told the rally that President Donald Trump and his supporters in government had hurt Labor Unions and all workers with policies favoring big business over working people.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m done with this clown show!” Luchtefeld exhorted the crowd.

“We have to be willing to fight, and this is the fight of our lives!” he said.

He urged everyone to vote against anti-Labor candidates and antiLabor officials seeking re-election.

“The key is to get everyone out to

Medicaid cuts.

“Almost every single person in my facility relies on Medicaid... So, when you talk about Medicaid cuts, what I hear is: your residents are getting pushed out, your facility is closing, you are losing your job. Billionaires get break after break while we pay the price every single time,” Watkins said.

FIGHTING BACK

Fighting back was on everyone’s mind as worker organizations like the Missouri Workers Center took to

vote,” Luchtefeld said. Workers can win back their rights if they vote in every election, he said.

The Southwestern Illinois Central Labor Council represents union locals in Monroe County and in parts of St. Clair and Randolph counties.

A YEAR WITHOUT A CONTRACT

Wendy Lochmann, president of Local 1272 of the Cahokia Federation of Teachers, told those at the rally that members of that Union have worked almost a year without a new contract. Talks are continuing with the Cahokia School Board, but little progress has been made, she said. Lochmann said Local 1272 will celebrate its 70th anniversary as a teachers Union on May 25 with “seven decades of raising hell!” “Unions level the playing field

the stage to emphasize combatting the status quo.

Shayne Clegg, a leader with the Missouri Workers Center and team lead at Kaldi’s Coffee, said the event was for celebration, too.

“We’re here today to celebrate all the progress we’ve made as workers in the past several years and decades,” Clegg said. “But we’re also here to demonstrate that we’re tired and fed up… I think people should know that this is just the beginning.”

Workers at Kaldi’s Coffee on

for everyone,” she continued. “If those in power won’t do things right, then the workers must become the power.”

Scores of cars and trucks passed by the Belleville rally with honking horns to show support.   Rally participants cheered each honk and waved at the supportive drivers and passengers.

Some of the passing vehicles displayed signs backing the rally and protest.

IFT members from Belleville, Granite City, East St. Louis, Cahokia, Dupo and O’Fallon Ill. organized the event. Speakers from those union locals said they would stand together to demand that lawmakers in Springfield Ill. and Washington D.C. put “Workers and students over billionaires!” by fully funding public schools and making the ultra-wealthy pay their fair

Skinker Boulevard recently organized and voted to join UNITE HERE 74 in January. They called out Kaldi’s for hiring anti-union consultants, using union-busting tactics like surveillance, packing bargaining unit and refusing to recognize the union or meet workers at the bargaining table.

The workers are calling for a boycott Kaldi’s at Bauer Hall on the Washington University campus, and urging consumers to skip the retail beans at the grocery store until workers win a fair contract.

share of taxes to support education and the resulting public services that benefit everyone.

‘PUT PEOPLE OVER PROFITS’

Rallies and protests throughout Illinois on May Day praised government policies that “put people over profits, reject the authoritarianism in Washington that is threatening our schools, families, and democracy, and will make workers demand that Illinois tax the ultra-wealthy so that working families – not billionaires’ fortunes – come first,” according to a statement from the IFT.

A core principle behind all the Illinois May Day events throughout the state was a commitment to nonviolent action, organizers said. Weapons, even if carried legally, were prohibited at the rally and protest.

24 HOURS A DAY

Walsh and Pursell respond to calls and emails from members to the LEAN-STL hotline 24 hours a day, and Marburger takes calls from Walsh and Pursell all hours of the day and night. It’s a labor of compassion and commitment.

“When I think about my career, this is probably one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done,” Marburger said. “Just the feeling about it helping people. Even working with these two guys has been a huge positive impact on my life.”

A TEAM EFFORT

ing help or referred to the program isn’t always immediate, Walsh said. It takes time to get comfortable talking about your problems or reaching a point where you’re ready to seek help, he said.

“Sometimes it takes a year-anda-half – year for somebody to actually engage,” Walsh said. “They’re making the call, they’re getting the information, getting comfortable talking about their substance use and anything else that’s going on.”

and checked on me daily until I tried to take my own life and called him. That’s what we get to offer up front because we understand.”

Talking to someone who understands makes a difference.

does, to his employer. I got copied on it and the union got copied on it and the email said if this individual is working, he needs to be walked off the job.

“LEAN is a threelegged stool,” Andrews said. “There are always people behind the scenes. There are always people working. It’s a cohesive unit to make this work. Nobody gets anything done alone, especially in this industry. They’re doing it because it needs to be done. I think that’s one of the reasons it’s so successful. They believe in what they’re doing.”

IT TAKES TIME

The response from workers seek-

Walsh is himself in long-term recovery from drug addiction. Pursell is in long-term recovery from alcohol addiction. When they talk to members about their challenges, they speak from their own experience.

Before there was LEAN, Walsh said it was a fellow union member who was in recovery who got him to seek help.

“For me personally, coming into recovery, I do not believe I’d be alive without this union. Being on that jobsite and him seeing me messed up. It was peer support. It took me seven months. That guy came up

“Aaron and I have lived experience with these challenges,” Pursell said. “We know that it’s not just the substance use. It is the mental health challenge. And we have been having those conversations with our members who reach out to us and their families. I think that’s what continues to make this program stand out. It addresses the full spectrum of challenges that these members are facing.

“A lot of the work we did early on addressed acute crisis,” he said. “Somebody is jammed up, ready to either die or go to treatment, and they’re saying, ‘Help me.’ Now we’re getting to do some upstream work where we’ve having these conversations proactively rather than reactively. People getting help sooner, changing their course, not losing their job, not losing their family, not losing the house. I love that we’re heading in that direction.”

THROUGH RECOVERY AND RE-EMPLOYMENT

Intervention and recovery isn’t always a smooth road, Marburger said.

“James and I just had a situation that we worked through that came up from a drug test. It was a guy that was in a treatment center, had a new job and had a drug test to start the new job and something from a medication when he was in the treatment popped on the test. So, he got counted as a positive test and an email came out, like it

“I reached out and said this is what we have and this is the situation, and James took it from there. We got push back, but we got it resolved. That was teamwork.”

“If they hadn’t got involved that guy would have just had a blemish, with all that treatment he went through all the work he did would have just been tarnished,” Andrews said. “He would have lost his job through no fault of his own if we didn’t have these guys stepping in and saying, ‘Look somethings not right here.’ How many guys has that happened to?”

CHALLENGES AHEAD

While they are seeing progress in addressing opioids and substance use, the numbers are still alarmingly high.

Easy access to drugs, including newer drugs like 7-OH (7-Hydroxymitragynine), are adding to the substance use problem. Often sold in smoke shops, gas stations, and online as a “kratom derivative,” 7-OH is 13 times more potent than morphine, posing high risks of addiction, severe withdrawal, and fatal overdose.

“It messes with the same receptors as opioids and the detox is brutal,” Walsh said.

Part of the problem is that 7-OH still exists in a grey area.

“It’s over the counter, so in their minds it’s safe,” Pursell said. “Our guys are always looking for something, an energy drink or something. They work hard. They work hurt, and they’re always looking for a little something, maybe at the end of the day, and this stuff is addictive and they don’t understand it.”

Meanwhile, suicide, remains a leading cause of death in construction. Men in the construction industry have a suicide rate four times higher than the general population. Women in the construction industry have a rate three times higher than women in other professions.

“Suicidal ideation is always right there at the forefront,” Walsh said. “It’s interesting, when you talk to guys a little more, especially when they come into 30, 60, 90 days of recovery, six-months, and get into those deeper conversations with guys. A lot of us are having those thoughts, not really wanting to admit it.”

All of these factors are calls for LEAN redoubling their efforts and expanding their focus to include suicide prevention and postvention.

“Aaron and I have lived experience with these challenges,” Walsh said. “We know that it’s not just the substance use, it is the mental health challenge. And we have been having those conversations with our members who reach out to us and their families. I think that’s what continues to make this program stand out. It addresses the full spectrum of challenges that these members are facing.”

GET HELP

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call 988, the national Suicide Life Crisis hotline to speak with a trained professional. You do not need to be at immediate risk of suicide to call the hotline.

Laborers facing substance use or mental health challengers can reach out for support for themselves or their families by calling the LEAN-STL hotline at 844-691-LEAN (5326) or visit www.stllaborers. com/lean-stl. The hotline is 100 percent confidential and available 24 hours a day.

ANDREWS

PURSELL

WALSH

Calendar of Events

MAY

May 8 – St. Clair County League of Women Voters Meet & Greet will begin at 6 p.m. at Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant in Fairview Heights, Ill. The meet and greet is a way to get to know the league before its annual meeting on June 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the O’Fallon Public Safety Building at 285 N. Seven Hills Road in O’Fallon, Ill. The league will be empowering local voters, protecting the right to vote for free, fair and assessable elections and advocating for positive change for education. For more information, please contact Carol Clover at 636-395-9337.

May 9 – Laborers’ Crappie Tournament, hosted by the Missouri-Kansas Laborers District Council, will be held from 5:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Mark Tawin Lake at Huck’s Hall at 19199 Buzzard’s Roost Road in Florida, Mo. The entry fee is $60 per boat, and $10 per boat to participate in the big crappie pot. Pre-registration is requested. For more information or to register, visit molecet.org/ crappie-tournament

May 16 – St. Louis City Labor Club Pinball Tournament will be held at the Silver Ballroom at 4701 Morganford Road in St. Louis. Doors open at noon, and play begins at 1 p.m. The entry fee is $20. Must be 21 to enter. Snacks will be provided. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place. Sponsorships are also available for $500 for the Skillshot Level or $300 for the Orbit Level. For more information, email STLcitylaborclub@gmail.com

May 21 – Missouri Women in Trades (MOWIT) Meetup for tradeswomen and women interested in joining the building trades, 4 to 6 p.m. at the AGC Training Center, 6301 Knox Industrial Ave. in St. Louis. RSVPs are required and food will be provided. Register at mowit.org or call 636926-6948.

May 21– St. Louis Faith Labor Alliance Breakfast, hosted by Missouri Jobs with Justice (MOJWJ), will be held at the Painters District Council 58 union hall at 2501 59th St. in St. Louis from 7:30 to 9 a.m. To register, visit mojwj.org/action/join-a-st-louisfaith-labor-alliance-breakfast

May 30– IBEW Local Shockers Ice Hockey Team’s 4th Annual Mouse Races will be held on Saturday, May 30 at the Local 1 union hall at 5850 Elizabeth Blvd. starting at 6 p.m. The cost is $200 per table and includes soda and drinks. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own snacks. TO RSVP or for more information, contact Dustin Zimmerman at 636-795-1833 or at dazlocal1@yahoo.com

JUNE

June 4 – Jefferson County Democratic Central Committee (JCDCC) Awards Dinner will be held from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the VFW Hall 2593 at 2301 Church Road in Arnold. Tim Rowden, Labor Tribune editor-in-chief, will be the guest speaker. The following Labor and community leaders will be honored: Richard

von Glahn, Merri Berry, Chuck DeMoulin and Maranda Leigh Akers. Tickets are $100 per person or $800 for a table of eight. Ads and sponsorships are also available. To RSVP, visit https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jcdcc-tickets or makes checks payable to JCDCC and mail to 109 Walnut St., #398, Festus, Mo. 63028.

June 12 – St. Clair County League of Women Annual Meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the O’Fallon Public Safety Building at 285 N. Seven Hills Road in O’Fallon, Ill. The league will be empowering local voters, protecting the right to vote for free, fair and assessable elections and advocating for positive change for education. For more information, please contact Carol Clover at 636-395-9337.

June 12 – Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562 Car & Bike Show will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Local 562 union hall at 3640 Corporate Trail Drive in Earth City. The free event will include a raffle and fire trucks for the children. Please bring non-perishable items for a food drive. For more information, call 314-630-1641.

June 18 – Missouri Women in Trades (MOWIT) Meetup for tradeswomen and women interested in joining the building trades, 4 to 6 p.m. at the AGC Training Center, 6301 Knox Industrial Ave. in St. Louis. RSVPs are required and food will be provided. Register at mowit.org or call 636-926-6948.

June 18 – St. Louis Faith Labor Alliance Breakfast, hosted by Missouri Jobs with Justice (MOJWJ), will be held at the Painters District Council 58 union hall at 2501 59th St. in St. Louis from 7:30 to 9 a.m. To register, visit mojwj.org/action/join-ast-louis-faith-labor-alliancebreakfast

JULY

July 11 – IAM District 9

Sporting Clay Shoot will take place at Nilo Farms, 15025 State Highway 111 in Brighton, Ill. Registration runs from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Shooting starts at 10 a.m. Entry fee is $150 per participant or $700 for a team of five. All proceeds benefit Guide Dogs of America/Tender Loving Canines. Hotel accommodations can be booked at the Hampton Inn located at 1904 Homer M Adams Parkway, Alton, Ill. 62002. To reserve, call the hotel directly by at 618-433-8999, press option 4 and mention Guide Dogs of America. Call by June 10 to secure the group rate. The event will include raffles, a 50/50 drawing, and trophies awarded in first, second and third place for overall team score and individual score. For more information, contact Darren

Bierman at 618-259-7011 ext. 3 or email dbierman@district9.org , or Neil Queathem at 314-739-6200 ext. 242 or email nqueathem@ district9.org

July 16 – Missouri Women in Trades (MOWIT) Meetup for tradeswomen and women interested in joining the building trades, 4 to 6 p.m. at the AGC Training Center, 6301 Knox Industrial Ave. in St. Louis. RSVPs are required and food will be provided. Register at mowit.org or call 636926-6948.

July 16 – St. Louis Faith Labor Alliance Breakfast, hosted by Missouri Jobs with Justice (MOJWJ), will be held at the Painters District Council 58 union hall at 2501 59th St. in St. Louis from 7:30 to 9 a.m. To register, visit mojwj.org/action/join-a-st-louis-faith-labor-alliance-breakfast

GET LISTED

Have something for the Calendar? Send it to Sheri Gassaway at Labor Tribune, 301 S. Ewing Ave., St. Louis, MO 63101 or email sheri@labortribune.com

This Week In Labor History

MAY 4

1886 – Haymarket massacre. A bomb is thrown as Chicago police start to break up a rally for strikers at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Co. A riot erupts, 11 police and strikers die, mostly from gunfire, and scores more are injured.

MAY 5

1852 – National Typographical Union founded, Cincinnati, Ohio. It was renamed the Int’l Typographical Union in 1869, in acknowledgment of Canadian members. When the ITU merged into CWA in 1986 it was the oldest existing union in the U.S. 1886 – On Chicago’s West Side, police attack Jewish workers as they try to march into the Loop to protest slum conditions.

1886 – Some 14,000 building trades workers and laborers, demanding an eight-hour workday, gather at the Milwaukee Iron Co. rolling mill in Bay View, Wis. When they approach the mill, they are fired on by 250 National Guardsmen under orders from the governor to shoot to kill. Seven died, including a 13-year-old boy.

1888 – Nineteen machinists working for the East Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia Railroad gather in a locomotive pit to decide what to do about a wage cut. They vote to form a union, which later became the Int’l Association of Machinists.

1920 – Italian-American anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are arrested in Boston for murder and payroll robbery. Eventually they are executed for a crime most believe they did not commit.

1931 – Heavily armed deputies and other mine owner hirelings attack striking miners in Harlan County, Ky., starting the Battle of Harlan County.

1937 – Lumber strike begins in Pacific Northwest, will involve 40,000 workers by the time victory is achieved after 13 weeks: union recognition, a 50-cent-per-hour minimum wage and an eight-hour day.

MAY 6

1935 – Works Progress Administration (WPA) established at a cost of $4.8 billion to provide work opportunities for millions during the Great Depression.

1937 – Four hundred Black women working as tobacco stemmers walk off the job in a spontaneous revolt against poor working conditions and a $3 weekly wage at the Vaughan Co. in Richmond, Va.

MAY 7

1867 – The Knights of St. Crispin union is formed at a secret meeting in Milwaukee. It grew to 50,000 members before being crushed by employers later that year.

1907 – Two die and 20 are injured in “Bloody Tuesday” as strikebreakers attempt to run San Francisco streetcars during a strike by operators. The strike was declared lost in 1908 after many more deaths, including several in scab-operated streetcar accidents.

1977 – Philadelphia’s longest transit strike ends after 44 days. A key issue in the fight was the hiring and use of part-timers.

MAY 8

1863 – The constitution of the Brotherhood of the Footboard was ratified by engineers in Detroit, Mich. Later became the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

1970 – About 200 construction workers in New York City attack a crowd of Vietnam war protesters four days after the Kent State killings. More than 70 people were injured, including four police officers. Peter Brennan, head of the New York building trades, was honored at the Nixon White House two weeks later, eventually named Secretary of Labor.

Tire & Rubber win an 18-day strike for improved wages and job security.

MAY 9

1837 – The first Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women was held on this date in New York City. Attendees included women of color, the wives and daughters of slaveholders, and women of low economic status.

1909 – Japanese workers strike at Oahu, Hawaii’s Aiea Plantation, demanding the same pay as Portuguese and Puerto Rican workers.

Ultimately 7,000 workers and their families remained out until August, when the strike was broken.

1907 – Legendary Western Federation of Miners leader William “Big Bill” Haywood goes on trial for murder in the bombing death of former Idaho governor Frank Steunenberg, who had brutally suppressed the state’s miners. Haywood ultimately was declared innocent.

1972 – Four thousand garment workers, mostly Hispanic, strike for union recognition at the

in

MAY 10

1937 – Hollywood studio mogul Louis B. Mayer recognizes the Screen Actors Guild. SAG leaders reportedly were bluffing when they told Mayer that 99 percent of all actors would walk out the next morning unless he dealt with the union.

1971 – United Auto Workers President Walter Reuther and his wife May die in a plane crash as they travel to oversee construction of the union’s education and training facility at Black Lake, Mich.

1869 – Thanks to an army of thousands of Chinese and Irish immigrants, who laid 2,000 miles of track, the nation’s first transcontinental railway line was finished by the joining of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific lines at Promontory Point, Utah.

1898 – U.S. & Canadian workers form Western Labor Union. It favors industrial organization and independent labor party politics.

2005 – A federal bankruptcy judge permits United Airlines to legally abandon responsibility for pensions covering 120,000 employees.

Artist depiction of a bomb exploding, sparking the Haymarket Massacre, 1886

Twenty injured on “Bloody Tuesday” in San Francisco, 1907

Steelworkers strike at Goodyear Tire & Rubber, 1997

Louis B. Mayer Clipping is from the Chicano Times of San Antonio, featuring Farah factory employee Rosa Flores. courtesy Our Lady of the Lake University, 1972

The ceremony for the driving of the “Last Spike” in Utah, 1869

1997 – Some 12,000 Steelworkerrepresented workers at Goodyear

Farah Manufacturing Co.

El Paso, Texas.

(Compiled by David Prosten, founder Union Communication Services)

Gary Crowe, retired Machinists District 9

Dan Clark, retired Operating Engineers Local 520

Grayson Bradshaw, grandson of, Morton Todd, retired Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562

Charlie Gale, nephew of John Farrell, retired Business Agent Heat and Frost Insulators Local 1

Kurtis Belcher (left) Business Agent Laborers Local 459, and son, Drew Belcher, Laborers Local 459/ISP Trooper

Golf Tournaments

Union and worker-friendly golf tournaments

Area unions and union-friendly organizations are hosting the following fundraising and charity golf tournaments. To have your tournament listed, contact Editorin-Chief Tim Rowden at tim@ labortribune.com, or mail your information to Labor Tribune, 301 S. Ewing Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63103.

May 8 – United Steelworkers (USW) 31st Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament will begin at 8 a.m. with a four-person scramble shotgun start at Arlington Greens Golf Course, 200 Alington Drive, Granite City, Ill. First and second prize awarded in each of three flights will win prizes. Hole sponsorships are $150. Tournament sponsorships are $250. Entry fee of $100 per player includes golf cart, dinner and refreshments. Dinner prepared by USW Local 9198. Dinner and awards presentation immediately following golf. For more information call 618-452-1130.

of main board and one tee sign; $600 for the silver level, which includes two golfers, signage on main board and one tee sign, or the bronze level, which includes signage on main board and one tee sign. To RSVP, visit https://shorturl.at/dKfoQ

Sunset Hills. Check in is at 10 a.m., lunch is at 11 a.m. and a shotgun start at 11:30 a.m. The $1,000 entry fee per foursome includes greens fee, cart, lunch, goodie bag, open bar, appetizers and a barbecue after the event. The cost for nongolfing guests is $50 and includes an open bar, appetizers and barbecue. To register, send a check to Shan Herwig, c/o Dave Mungenast Honda, 5939 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, Mo. 63123 or contact Herwig at shanherwig@davemungenast. com or at 314-306-7266.

June 6 – Laborers FourPerson Scramble Members’ Golf Tournament, sponsored by the Missouri-Kansas Laborers District Council, begins with a 7 a.m. tee time at Warrenton Golf Course at Coming to Your Area

May 16 – IBEW Local 1439’s Tom Kraus 30th Annual Memorial Charity Golf Tournament, benefitting the Super Sam Foundation – Fighting Childhood Cancer, begins with a 7:30 a.m. shotgun start at Forest Park Golf Course at 6141 Lagoon Drive in St. Louis. Entry fees for the fourperson scramble are $120 per person or $500 for a team and include cart, green fees, skins, mulligans, donuts, drinks and lunch afterward. To register, mail a check payable to IBEW Local 1439 to IBEW Local 1439, 2121 59th St. St. Louis, Mo. 63110. For more information, call the union office at 314-644-6111.

May 16 – 6th Annual Jack Martorelli Memorial Golf Tournament will be held at Tapawingo National Golf Course at 13001 Gary Player Drive in

May 22 – 20th Annual Customer/Contractor Appreciation Four-Person Golf Scramble, hosted by the Southeast Missouri Central Labor Council, will begin with a 7:15 a.m. registration and 8 a.m. shotgun start at Cape Jaycee Municipal Golf Course at 3280 Perryville Road in Cape Girardeau. The fee is $300 for a four-person team. Hole sponsorships are $150 each. Trophies/prizes will be awarded for the Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin and Lowest Team Score. A $20 voluntary donation at registration will buy two mulligans, two red tees and five 50/50 tickets. Skins game to be run separately for those who choose to participate. To register, send payment to SEMO CLC, P.O. Box 1242, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702. For additional information, contact Jeanne Dietrich at jeaneclc@att.net or at 573-579-2910.

May 27 – Scholarship Golf Tournament, sponsored by the St. Louis chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction will tee off at 8 a.m. at Tapawingo National Golf Course at 13001 Gary Player Drive in Sunset Hills. The entry fee is $700 per foursome for $175 for an individual player. Skins are available for $20 per team and mulligans are $15 each. Sponsorships are $1,200 for the gold level, which includes four golfers, signage

Madison County

clipped a power line and crashed into a barge on the Mississippi River. Curry was a graduate of Carlyle High School and was survived by a son.

Curry’s name will not be added to the memorial, as Local 702 is not affiliated with the Madison County Federation. However, Federation President B. Dean Webb said Curry’s aunt gave him $100 toward the brick plaza scheduled to be added to the memorial site, which will allow families of deceased workers to memorialize their loved ones even if they weren’t Federation members.

“I told her we’re not quite ready (to sell bricks) yet, but she insisted,” Webb said. The project to add the brick plaza has been underway for some time, and Webb said they are

June 4 – Southwestern Illinois Building and Construction Traces Council 31st Annual PAC Golf Scramble will be held at Belk Park Golf Course, 800 Belk Park Road in Wood River, Ill. Registration begins at 8 a.m., followed by a 9 a.m. shotgun start. Lunch and refreshments will be provided on the course. Heavy appetizers and awards ceremony will be held after the tournament competition. The tournament will be divided into three flights and is limited to 36 teams. Registration is $100 per player or $400 for a foursome. Sponsorships range from $150 to $500. For more information, call the Building Trades Council at 618-344-6050, or email council@ swilbuildingtrades.com

From page 1

“getting real close” to being able to officially begin selling bricks.

SPEAKERS AND GUESTS

Other speakers included Dustin Miller from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, and Marc Parker, a senior Labor commissioner from the Workman’s Compensation Board. Mother Jones re-enactor Loretta Williams also attended the event.

Webb also read a statement from U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, and the Alton Fire Department loaned its fire bell to be rung during the reading of every name on the memorial, as is tradition. The honor guard was provided by the Collinsville VFW.

Webb said he was pleased the event could take place despite the weather, which managed to clear up in time to hold the memorial outside.

24805 South State Highway 47 in Warrenton, Mo. The $55 per person/$220 per team fee includes golf, cart, beverages and lunch after the tournament. The event is open to all LIUNA members and their family/ guests. Prizes will be determined by the number of participants. Preregistration by May 27 is required. To register, make check payable to MKLDC Member Events and mail to 951 Corporate Parkway, Wentzville, Mo. 63385.

June 13 – Painters District Council 58 P.A.T.C.H (Painters and Allied Trades for Children’s Hope) Fund 11th Annual Page A. Lucks Memorial Charity Golf Scramble will begin with an 8 a.m. shotgun start at Florissant Golf Club, 50 Country Club Lane, Florissant, Mo. 63033. Entry fee is $600 per foursome. Packages range from $200 to $800. Make checks payable and mail to DC58 PATCH, 2501 59th Street, St. Louis, Mo. 63110 by Friday, May 15. Registration opens at 7 a.m., and 50-50 tickets and mulligans can be purchased at that time. For more information, call 314-647-3327.

June 19 – Wood River Township Democratic Precinct Committee’s 28th Annual Golf Scramble will be held at Belk Park

Golf Course, 880 Belk Park Road in Wood River, Ill. Entry for four-person teams is $100 per player and includes golf carts, lunch, dinner and refreshments. Registration is from 10:30 a.m. to noon, followed by a noon shotgun start. Dinner and an awards presentation will follow. Sponsorships range from $125 to $1,000. For more information, call Phil Little at 618-444-2383, Bill Robertson at 628-252-4600 or B. Dean Webb at 618-259-8558 or 618-604-0858.

June 20 – The 2026 Boilermaker Classic, hosted by Boilermakers Local 363, will begin with at 8 a.m. shotgun start at Tamarack Golf Course at 800 Tamarack Lane Shiloh, Ill. 62269. Entry fee of $100 per person or $400 per team includes skins, beer, soda and water provided on the course, prizes, brats on the turn and a buffet following the tournament. A team is not necessary. Individual players will be placed on a team. Teams are limited so send your entry and team members’ names by June 11. Sponsorships range from $150 to $1,000. For more information, contact Bradley English at 618-550-3941 or Derek Smith at 618-520-0553.

CURRY

ALTON AREA HEADQUARTERS

Machinists District 9’s Ben Ryan earns apprentice certificate

OFFICE CLOSURES

Machinists District 9 will be closed Monday, May 25 for the Memorial Day holiday. Friday, June 19 for the Juneteenth holiday. Friday, July 3 for the Independence Day holiday.

COME JOIN US! Upcoming GDA & TLC Events

Saturday, July 11th • District 9 Sporting Clay Shoot

Saturday, Sept. 20th • Local 313 & 777 Trap Shoot

Dear Brothers, Sisters and Friends,

DISTRICT 9 HUMAN RIGHTS IAM Local 313 - Garrett Gerdes 2727 N 89th St, Caseyville, IL 62232 Cell PH: (618)917-4078 garrettgerdes@iamlocal313.com

COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMITTEE

Join us for the opportunity to improve a child’s comfort by teaming up with Sleep in Heavenly Peace by building beds for local children, which may be the very first bed of their own. This event will take place on June 13, 2026 at 9AM to 12PM in Alton, Illinois.

We are accepting donations for brand new twin sized sheet sets, twin comforter/bed-in-a-bag and standard size pillows.

We will also have opportunity to deliver the newly built beds. There is a limited group size for deliveries. Please let us know if you’re interested in being part of the delivery team.

Please use the link to register.

The Golf Club of Florissant 50 Country Club Lane • Florissant, Mo.

Your donation entitles you to a fun-filled day which begins with registration at 7:00 a.m., food on the turn, refreshments on the course, a great day of golf, and a dinner upon completion of the golf tournament. All proceeds will go directly to the Guide Dogs of America and Tender Loving Canines who have provided Guide Dogs to more than 3,300 blind and visually impaired men and women since 1948 – free of charge and have expanded by providing service dogs for veterans, children with autism, and for institutional facilities.

Please visit www.guidedogsofamerica.org to find out more about this amazing organization. Donations are tax deductible. (EIN #95-1586088)

Organization Name: Address:

Contact Person: Phone:

Email Address:

Names of participating players:

For Rental Clubs, please reach out to The Golf Club of Florissant 314-741-7444 Signature Of Author Yes No

https://x.gldn.io/e/lrnh8MBOc1b

Check form of participation:

* TEAM WITH HOLE SPONSOR - $750 FOR 4 PLAYERS AND 1 HOLE SPONSOR * TEAM/PARTICIPANT - $600 FOR 4 PLAYERS

* HOLE SPONSOR - $225 PER HOLE

Make checks payable to: Chapter Nine, Guide Dogs of America

Tracy Gardner, Chairperson

G.D.A., Chapter Nine

12365 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton, MO 63044

Telephone: 314-739-6200

CONGRATS to Machinists District 9’s Ben Ryan (right), of Southside Machine, on earning his apprenticeship certificate. Presenting the certificate to Brother Ryan is Leroy Hamm. – Machinists District 9 photo