Local 1 Newfoundland Celebrates 100th Anniversary

Fraternal pride, union service, and good will were very much in evidence on the evening of November 26th as members, officers, and BAC officials gathered to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the formation of Local 1 Newfoundland.

From left to right, Local 1 NL 50-year members Jim Sullivan, Clarence Sullivan, Harry Woodland, Joseph Clarke, and Business Manager John Leonard.	From left, BAC Canadian Affairs Director Joe Bognar, Canadian Congress Co-Chair and Local 8 NB Business Manager Fred Vautour, 40-year Local 1 NL members Nick St. Croix, Herb Sullivan, Ray Lee, and Business Manager John Leonard.

Local 1 Business Manager John Leonard presided at the celebration, offering a brief review of the Local’s rich history. After a failed attempt by bricklayers and plasterers to organize a union in 1896, provincial bricklayers, stonemasons, and cement masons succeeded at last in 1904 when they formed the Bricklayers and Masons Protective Association. In 1951, members voted to join the Inter-national Union, a milestone that could be personally verified by banquet attendee and retired Local 1 President Joseph Clark, who held office at the time of the Local’s historic affiliation. In 1966, plasterers once again joined ranks with bricklayers and became a part of Local 1, and in 1983, the Local began representing mason helpers. “Today,” says Leonard, “we’re proud that Local 1 represents all the trowel trades. This observance helped us reflect on our past accomplishments while staying focused on the future and keeping our Union strong.”