IBEW Local 43 Takes ‘Giving Back To Your Community’ To A New Level - Since 2009 Central NY Union Has Donated Nearly $400,000 To Worthwhile Agencies & Groups

Local 43 Makes 2017 Donation Of $30,000 To Central New York United Way, $15,000 To Mohawk Valley UW & $10,000 To Oswego County UW - It Is Local 43’s Members Who Chose & Agreed To Support Number Of Beneficial United Way Programs

Published Wednesday, March 8, 2017 by WNYLaborToday.com Editor-Publisher Tom Campbell

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Pictured Above (from left to right), IBEW Local 43 Membership Development Coordinator Alan Marzullo, United Way of CNY/AFL-CIO Area Labor Liaison Helen Hudson, IBEW 43 Business Manager Don Morgan and United Way of CNY President Frank Lazarski at Local 43 presentation of $30,000 to the United Way agency.

(CLAY, NEW YORK) – Since 2009, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 43 and its nearly 1,200 Members have made a concerted effort to give back where their Members work, live and raise their families across Central New York - and as a result, a number of worthwhile agencies and organizations have been the recipients of nearly $400,000 to help fund an array of programs designed to aid Working People who need a hand up.

This week, Local 43 made check presentations of $30,000 to the United Way of Central New York, $15,000 to the United Way of the Valley & Greater Utica Area (Mohawk Valley) and another $10,000 to the United Way of Greater Oswego County - for a grand total of $50,000 for the year 2017.  However, those ceremonial checks brought the overall total to an amazing $381,500 in donations that Local 43’s Members have made across the Syracuse Region during the past nine years.

“These donations were all made ‘because’ of our Membership, who ‘wanted to share some of what they’ve earned’ with our local communities,” Local 43 Membership Development Coordinated Alan Marzullo - whose Union represents just under 1,200 Members across 11 Central New York Counties, including Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Otsego, Tompkins and Wayne, told WNYLaborToday.com.

“Over the years, since 2009, our Executive Board looks at the number of man hours our Members work.  A recommendation is made by our Executive Board as to whom we should donate money to and our Members vote on it,” explained Marzullo, who added Local 43 also donates to a number of other worthwhile groups and efforts, including local rescue missions and Habitat for Humanity. “Our Members are ‘very open’ to ‘giving back’ and the United Way is just a ‘snippet’ of what they do.  Our Members are ‘very gracious,” said Marzullo, who also serves as Chairman of Local 43’s Executive Board. “These programs (that Local 43 donates to) ‘go to help people in need,’ but we want to ‘make sure’ they aid programs that are administered ‘by those who pay a living wage and benefits,’ because our donations ‘would not be as large’ (without a working Union).  So, I say ‘Thank You’ to our Brothers and Sisters (who have donated to so many worthwhile causes this year and since 2009).”

United Way of Central New York President Frank Lazarski told WNYLaborToday.com that his chapter was “privileged” to have the “kind of relationship” it has with Local 43.  In addition, IBEW 43 Business Manager Don Morgan sits on the United Way’s Board of Directors.“(Local 43 and its Members) are ‘generous to us in a variety of ways’ and ‘we value that relationship,’” Lazarski, a Union Member himself as a New York State United Teacher (NYSUT)-represented Adjunct at Syracuse University. 

“They are ‘always asking to help those who are unemployed, because they have jobs.’  Their Members also perform a number of ‘pro-bono’ jobs, ‘especially when it comes to us helping renovate a house’ – ‘they are front and center,’” said Lazarski – who has served as President of the Central New York United Way for nearly 14 years now. 

IBEW Local 43’s donations were brought to the attention of WNYLaborToday.com after Your On-Line Labor Newspaper viewed the above photo on the Social Network Facebook. When asked by Your On-Line Labor Newspaper if the Union had received any local media coverage of its extremely generous donation this year – as well as in years past, Marzullo answered “no” - adding that despite the yearly donation announcements, the mainstream media in the Syracuse Region has failed to publish any mention of them. That’s why, he said, this year, Local 43 didn’t even take the time to craft a press release and send it out to the local media – which is surely a travesty in regards to making the general public aware of the generosity of the donations continually made by its IBEW-represented Members.

However, United Way of Central New York/AFL-CIO Area Labor Liaison Helen Hudson - a former United Auto Workers (UAW) Member who also serves as a Syracuse City Councilwoman, told Your On-Line Labor Newspaper that despite the fact the mainstream media has failed to publicize their involvements that benefit the community, “their work has placed them in the spotlight.” “People ‘know’ they are ‘generous,’” said Hudson, who has served as the United Way of Central New York’s AFL-CIO Area Labor Liaison for the past 12 years. “And they are ‘held at a high standard and continue to be there’ (when their communities need them).”