I am very proud to be the Business Manager of IBEW Local 98 as we celebrate the 114 th anniversary of the founding of our union. I know that the seventeen electrical workers who were members of Local 98 on January 5, 1900 when our local was chartered, would be astonished at the progress that we have made. We owe our success to the dedication of these founding fathers of our union and to the thousands of hard working Local 98 members who believed in skilled craftsmanship and union solidarity.
The history of Local 98 is made up of the stories of legions of journeymen who labored each day to build our city and our union. The members of Local 98 worked collectively on job sites, in our union hall, and in legislative chambers to demand a role in determining their destiny. Unionized electrical workers leave behind them a century of accomplishments and, as we enter a new millennium, they are connecting Philadelphia to the future.
I want to thank each member of our union for their continued support and for their unflinching loyalty of Local 98. We have worked together effectively to strengthen our union and to demand a fair share of the wealth of our nation. If we remain diligent and united we can continue to grow and prosper. I know that I can count on you to work with me and all the members of our union to ensure that Local 98 will continue to be a positive force in our industry, in the labor movement, and in our community for the next 100 years.
John J. Dougherty – Local 98 Business Manager