Remembering a Business Agent Who Made a Difference

Local 1 MI retiree Stephen A. Nemeth

Every member has a story to tell about a person who influenced their career choice or decision to join the Union. These individuals and experiences help shape career paths. Local 1 Michigan retiree Stephen A. Nemeth’s experience, shared with us in the following letter, shows how a dedicated Local officer can make all the difference in a member’s career and feelings about the Union.

My affiliation with the Bricklayers Union has a humorous start. At age 22, I started laying brick on houses. One Saturday I was working and got caught by my Business Agent [Fergie Johnson.] When he told me to get rid of the mortar from my board, I promptly scraped it off. It wound up bouncing off the ground and splattering all over his pants. I spent the next 30 minutes sitting in his car listening intently as he told me about the cause of labor and the purposes and benefits of belonging to the Union.

I spent the next 30 minutes listening as he told me about the cause of labor and the purposes and benefits of belonging to the Union.

That 30 minutes shaped the rest of my life. A few months later I was indentured to a large contractor. The Union continued to guide me through my apprenticeship and employment. Through th e years we had a lot of battles to improve our wages, working conditions, and standards of living. I am now 71 years old and enjoying these benefits.
Thank you Mr. Johnson (former Local 2 MI), for those 30 minutes.

Sincerely,

Stephen A. Nemeth
BAC Local 1 MI