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Bindas Takes Reins at IUE-CWA
Michael J. Bindas was sworn in as the new president of IUE-CWA on Dec. 29 at the IUE-CWA District 7 headquarters in Dayton, Ohio. He will lead 80,000 manufacturing workers comprising CWA's Industrial Division.
The CWA Executive Board in November voted to name Bindas, then IUE-CWA District 7 president, to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Ed Fire on Dec. 28. Bindas will serve the remainder of Fire's term, which expires in 2005.
"I am honored to have the confidence of the top
leadership of our division and parent union at such a crucial time for American manufacturing workers," Bindas said. "I pledge to work to preserve well-paying, union jobs in this country and to win our members the job security, affordable health care, higher pensions and livable wages they deserve."
Commenting on Fire's retirement and the newly announced retirements of IUE-CWA District 3 President Sal Ingrassia and Bruce Van Ess, until recently IUE-CWA District 8 president, CWA President Morton Bahr said: "With the end of 2003, we saw three extraordinary union builders leave our ranks. They showed extraordinary leadership and courage in bringing their great union into ours.
"Working with the new leader of our manufacturing sector, we recommit ourselves to moving the merger forward in the best interest of our collective membership and the entire labor movement."
Bindas, an Ohio native, identified organizing and political action as his top two goals for 2004. "Unions must grow in order to stay strong," he said. "The current, anti-worker administration fights to weaken worker rights and protections at every opportunity. We must elect public officials who will work for our members and their communities instead of advancing the interests of big business."
Job preservation has long been a priority for Bindas, who established the first union-management cooperative efforts at Packard and the first jobs committee during his tenure at IUE Local 717, in Warren, Ohio, now IUE-CWA Local 84717. He pursued that goal on a larger scale when he became a district officer. Most recently, he helped win major job security victories during the 2003 national negotiations with Delphi Corp. and General Motors.
Bindas, who joined the union in 1956, began his career in Warren, working on the production line at Packard Electric. He quickly moved up the ranks in Local 717, IUE's largest local, ultimately serving as shop chairman for 14 years. In 1983 he was elected secretary-treasurer of District 7, a post he held until he became District 7 president in 1988.
Retirements
Numerous IUE-CWA officers and staff have retired over the last few months:
IUE-CWA District 3's Ingrassia began his union career on Long Island, N.Y., while working for Sperry Rand. An Army combat veteran of the Korean War, he became a member of IUE Local 470, now IUE-CWA Local 81470. He became president of the local and a member of the IUE-Sperry Conference Board, where he served as a member of the board's negotiating committee.
In 1963, he joined the IUE staff, assigned to District 3. In recognition of his hard work, dedication and ability, he was promoted to director of organization for the district. Later, he was elected to full-time officer positions in the district - treasurer, vice president and, in 1984, president.
Other District 3 retirements include Marlin Farnsworth, director of servicing, and IUE-CWA Representatives Matthew Cantiello, Frank Palermo, Robert Patti and Leni-anne Shuchter.
IUE-CWA District 8's Van Ess acquired his first union experience as a department steward for United Furniture Workers Local 800FW, while working at Bemis Manufacturing in Sheboygan, Wis. He became an executive board member in 1972 and later, a trustee, vice president and president.
His experience running an amalgamated local with 16 contracts and handling its finances led to his election as District 8 secretary-treasurer in 1992, and president in 1998.
Also retired in District 8 are IUE-CWA Representatives Robert Dunderman, Jimmie Lamb, Thomas Marunich, Ronnie Crider and Ron Powers.
Bill King, assistant to the IUE-CWA District 7 president, also retired, along with Frank Hiland, District 7 vice president; Jack Shea, assistant director of organization; Robert Wentroble, special assistant to the division president, and District 7 Represent-atives Barry Kennedy and Robert Sever.
IUE-CWA/GE Conference Board Chairman Art Smith and Secretary Norman Klein retired, as did IUE-CWA Organizing Coordinator Gary Wise.
The CWA Executive Board in November voted to name Bindas, then IUE-CWA District 7 president, to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Ed Fire on Dec. 28. Bindas will serve the remainder of Fire's term, which expires in 2005.
"I am honored to have the confidence of the top
leadership of our division and parent union at such a crucial time for American manufacturing workers," Bindas said. "I pledge to work to preserve well-paying, union jobs in this country and to win our members the job security, affordable health care, higher pensions and livable wages they deserve."
Commenting on Fire's retirement and the newly announced retirements of IUE-CWA District 3 President Sal Ingrassia and Bruce Van Ess, until recently IUE-CWA District 8 president, CWA President Morton Bahr said: "With the end of 2003, we saw three extraordinary union builders leave our ranks. They showed extraordinary leadership and courage in bringing their great union into ours.
"Working with the new leader of our manufacturing sector, we recommit ourselves to moving the merger forward in the best interest of our collective membership and the entire labor movement."
Bindas, an Ohio native, identified organizing and political action as his top two goals for 2004. "Unions must grow in order to stay strong," he said. "The current, anti-worker administration fights to weaken worker rights and protections at every opportunity. We must elect public officials who will work for our members and their communities instead of advancing the interests of big business."
Job preservation has long been a priority for Bindas, who established the first union-management cooperative efforts at Packard and the first jobs committee during his tenure at IUE Local 717, in Warren, Ohio, now IUE-CWA Local 84717. He pursued that goal on a larger scale when he became a district officer. Most recently, he helped win major job security victories during the 2003 national negotiations with Delphi Corp. and General Motors.
Bindas, who joined the union in 1956, began his career in Warren, working on the production line at Packard Electric. He quickly moved up the ranks in Local 717, IUE's largest local, ultimately serving as shop chairman for 14 years. In 1983 he was elected secretary-treasurer of District 7, a post he held until he became District 7 president in 1988.
Retirements
Numerous IUE-CWA officers and staff have retired over the last few months:
IUE-CWA District 3's Ingrassia began his union career on Long Island, N.Y., while working for Sperry Rand. An Army combat veteran of the Korean War, he became a member of IUE Local 470, now IUE-CWA Local 81470. He became president of the local and a member of the IUE-Sperry Conference Board, where he served as a member of the board's negotiating committee.
In 1963, he joined the IUE staff, assigned to District 3. In recognition of his hard work, dedication and ability, he was promoted to director of organization for the district. Later, he was elected to full-time officer positions in the district - treasurer, vice president and, in 1984, president.
Other District 3 retirements include Marlin Farnsworth, director of servicing, and IUE-CWA Representatives Matthew Cantiello, Frank Palermo, Robert Patti and Leni-anne Shuchter.
IUE-CWA District 8's Van Ess acquired his first union experience as a department steward for United Furniture Workers Local 800FW, while working at Bemis Manufacturing in Sheboygan, Wis. He became an executive board member in 1972 and later, a trustee, vice president and president.
His experience running an amalgamated local with 16 contracts and handling its finances led to his election as District 8 secretary-treasurer in 1992, and president in 1998.
Also retired in District 8 are IUE-CWA Representatives Robert Dunderman, Jimmie Lamb, Thomas Marunich, Ronnie Crider and Ron Powers.
Bill King, assistant to the IUE-CWA District 7 president, also retired, along with Frank Hiland, District 7 vice president; Jack Shea, assistant director of organization; Robert Wentroble, special assistant to the division president, and District 7 Represent-atives Barry Kennedy and Robert Sever.
IUE-CWA/GE Conference Board Chairman Art Smith and Secretary Norman Klein retired, as did IUE-CWA Organizing Coordinator Gary Wise.