Members of Locals
506, 618 March
On King Holiday
ERIE, Pa.
Thankfully, the weather finally cooperated with the
participants in the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday March. Temperate
conditions replaced the frigid, snowy weather that marchers had to contend
with over the last several years and although far from balmy, the milder than
usual weather contributed to a record number of Erie and Erie area residents
involving themselves in the January 15, 2001 event.
The now familiar city garbage truck, symbolizing King’s
successful efforts to resolve the 1968 Memphis garbage workers’ strike,
again led the procession of marchers.
OBSERVING THE HOLIDAY
For the third year in a row, UE General Secretary-Treasurer Bob
Clark traveled to Erie to observe Martin Luther King’s Birthday with the
members of UE Locals 506 and 618. [Local 506 represents production and
maintenance workers at the General Electric plant here; Local 618 represents
salaried workers.]
During the 1997 negotiations, the National Officers were
highly supportive of the UE-GE Conference Board’s demand to make Martin
Luther King Day an additional paid holiday. With the holiday, many members
have taken advantage of their day off by marching and or attending special
lectures and religious ceremonies that celebrate Martin Luther King’s life
and the broader fight by many to secure civil rights for all Americans.
—from the Local 506 Union News
UE News - 03/01
