Pipefitters Union Holiday Charity Drive Provides Food and Toys for Boston Families

In light of surging COVID-19 rates, record-high food insecurity, Union’s donations bring joy to families facing economic and health impacts of the pandemic    

BOSTON, MA — Pipefitters Local 537, one of Boston’s largest unions, held a charitable drive Saturday at their Union Hall to collect donations to aid struggling community members this holiday season. The initiative comes at a time when thousands of families are facing food and financial insecurity with the impact of COVID-19. 

“This has been a challenging year for many working families, and it can be even harder during the holidays,” said Pipefitters Local 537 Business Manager/Financial Secretary-Treasurer Tom Kerr. “Giving a bag of groceries or a brand-new toy to a child this holiday season is the least we can do for our neighbors.” 

Local 537 collected an estimated $20,000 of brand-new toys for Marine Toys for Tots, including Lego sets, games, dolls, and sports equipment, in addition to hundreds of pounds of non-perishable food items for Catholic Charities Food Pantry in Dorchester. 

“I’m blown away by the donations and kindness shown by our fellow members this weekend,” said Local 537 Organizer and Toys for Tots Coordinator Chris Brennan, whose one son is an Air Force veteran and the other is currently serving in the U.S. Navy. “As parents, we always want our kids, and every kid, to have a great, fun holiday.” In the coming days, Brennan, Marine veteran and Local 537 Inside Guard Danny O’Brien, and a team of union members will work as Santa’s helpers, coordinating with Toys for Tots to distribute the toy donations. 

Dorchester, East Boston, and Hyde Park have some of the city’s highest rates of COVID-19. The severe economic impact of the pandemic has left many families without the income they depend on to pay daily living expenses. As food bank visits remain at an all-time high, Massachusetts has the highest percentage of residents facing hunger in the country, nearly one million people.

Throughout the pandemic, Local 537 has been working to help local communities. Its Charitable Foundation donated $20,000 to the Greater Boston Food Bank ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, which provided 60,000 nutritious meals to at-risk residents across the Commonwealth. The Union also donated much-needed PPE (gloves, goggles and face shields) to Quincy’s Manet Community Health Care Center.

About Pipefitters Local 537: 

Pipefitters Local 537 represents over 3,000 members across Massachusetts and is affiliated with the United Association. From medical campuses to area universities, we are proud to have worked on pipefitting, welding and HVAC-Refrigeration projects of all shapes and sizes throughout the region for over 100 years.

Two East Boston residents win a Pick Up each at STAR Awards

Local union members, Julia Cora and Oscar Mendoza each win new Pickup Truck as part of Safety Training and Recognition festivities.

BOSTON, MA (October 13, 2017)- Members of the Painters and Allied Trades District Council 35 celebrated safety recently with an afternoon full of fun and recreation. The annual "STAR" awards – short for Safety Training and Recognition -- were held to acknowledge workers who had completed key industry safety training. One example would be the PFT training (Pulmonary Function Testing) to ensure proper use of respirators on the job to keep workers safe and healthy.

The event hosted over 1,400 IUPADT DC 35 members and family. There were two winners of the grand prize, Julia Cora and Oscar Mendoza, both from East Boston and each one took a Pickup Truck home. Jose Acevedo of Lawrence won an Indian Motorcycle, while Salvatore Gutierrez of Nashua, New Hampshire, won a Boston Whaler.  Door prizes this year included a new pair of Red Wing Boots, T-shirts, YETI travel mugs and drink koozies.

The Union hosts this event every year as a way to bring together the members and their families and to celebrate the importance of safety and training.

“Community and safety are a big part of our values here at IUPADT DC35. We organize this event so that our hardworking members have a chance to let loose and have fun with their families while also underscoring the importance of safety training. We want to ensure that training is incentivized and adhered to so that our members can stay safe and healthy on the job – and come home every day to their families," said Jeff Sullivan, IUPAT DC 35 Business Manager.

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Source: 617MediaGroup

New England Regional Council of Carpenters Endorses Diana Hwang for State Senate

Source: Hwang Campaign

(Boston, MA 3/2/2016)– The New England Regional Council of Carpenters today endorsed Democrat Diana Hwang for State Senate.  Hwang, a local non-profit founder and former State House staffer, is a candidate to replace Anthony Petruccelli in the Democratic primary special election for Massachusetts’ First Suffolk and Middlesex State Senate District.

“We're proud to endorse Dianna because she understands and cares about the issues in our industry and in our members' day-to-day lives. The construction trades have traditionally provided career options with good pay and good benefits for those who aren't able or willing to follow the college path. Unfortunately, we've seen industry standards eroded as too many vulnerable workers have been the victims of contractors and an underground economy that thrives on wage theft, misclassification and dangerous worksites,” said Mark Erlich, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, New England Regional Council of Carpenters. “We're confident that Diana's knowledge and experience will help us in our fight to provide justice, safety, training and jobs with good wages and benefits for all of the workers in our industry, whether they belong to a union or not.”

“I’m a candidate for State Senate because I will be a voice for working families, which is why I’m proud to have the Carpenters by my side in this race,” Hwang remarked. “The Carpenters have been fighting for living wages, health care, quality jobs, safe working conditions and other critically important issues for many years. I have spent my career working within the system to change the system so that families like the ones represented by the Carpenters have a voice on Beacon Hill. If elected I will work as a full partner with the Carpenters on issues I know are important to both of us – and to the people of the First Suffolk & Middlesex District.”

The NERCC represents over 20,000 carpenters, pile drivers, shop & millmen, and floorcoverers working in the New England States, including all across Massachusetts. NERCC is part of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, one of North America’s largest building trades unions, with nearly a half-million members in the construction and wood-products industries.

The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, Diana Hwang is the founder of the Asian-American Women’s Political Initiative – the country’s first political leadership organization for young Asian-American women.  She previously served as a legislative aide in the State House and a Chief of Staff in the Boston City Council.  Diana serves as Board member of the UMass Center for Women in Politics, served as co-chair of the Boston Women’s Fund and is a founding member of Mayor Walsh’s Women’s Commission.  Diana currently lives in East Boston and previously lived in Revere.

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Revere Anti-Casino Groups Express Concerns About ‘Free And Fair’ Election On Feb. 25

(Revere, MA, February 20, 2014) – With less than one week to go until the casino referendum, Don’t Gamble on Revere and Friends of Revere express significant concern about what they describe as an “environment of fear and intimidation” that is being created in Revere surrounding the casino issue.

The casino opponents specifically point towards a Channel 5 investigative report regarding Revere City Councilor Ira Novoselsky approaching and intimidating immigrant business owners to replace anti-casino signs with pro-casino signs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D--kiwo2wz4), as well as Mayor Dan Rizzo sending multiple letters to Revere citizens on behalf of Mohegan Sun.

Joseph Catricala, spokesperson for Don’t Gamble on Revere, states, “Weekly letters paid for by Friends of Mohegan Sun are being sent out with Mayor Rizzo urging citizens to vote ‘Yes’ and claiming if citizens vote ‘No’ then they don’t support Revere.  “These actions,” Catricala explains, “are creating an environment of fear and intimidation for voters and business owners within the city to ‘toe the line’ when it comes to the vote, or face the consequences.”

The casino opponents claim that what is at stake in Tuesday’s election is much larger than the ill effects of a casino.  “If official intimidation is to stand as the status quo now, what will happen if Revere becomes a casino town?” asks Pastor Tim Bogertman of Revere’s First Congregational Church, a founding member of Friends of Revere.  “We have called the Attorney General’s office about these issues, and they have promised to look into the matter further.”

Multiple faith leaders from Revere – including Catholic priests, Protestant pastors, a Rabbi and an Imam – led a rally at Revere’ Immaculate Conception Parish this past Sunday to encourage residents that they can vote ‘No’ on Tuesday, and to assure them that clergy and others are standing with them in their opposition to the proposed casino.

The casino opponents are also sending open letters to William Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth, and to Martha Coakley, the Attorney General, regarding their concerns and they are requesting official monitoring of the polls on the day of the vote.

Source:  Joseph Catricala 781-727-6099 / dontgamblerevere@gmail.com
           Timothy Bogertman 617-895-7907 / tbogertman@firstcongrevere.org