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SoCal Trojan Battery workers vote yes to unionize After a hard-fought organizing campaign, workers at two Santa Fe Springs, California, Trojan Battery facilities voted Aug. 20 in favor of unionizing with the Boilermakers. Out of 306 workers in the facilities, 282 voted, with a final of 151 to 131 for unionization. The victory was the second to take place on the same day for Western States organizers, who also celebrated a favorable vote at Mountain Cement Company in Laramie, Wyoming. — Aug 29
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L-105 retirees volunteer at VA Cincinnati Retirees from Local 105 (Cincinnati, Ohio) spent a day volunteering at the VA Cincinnati Healthcare System to provide donuts and a little good cheer to veterans. Each month, the Cincinnati Building Trades seeks a craft to volunteer, and Boilermakers answered the call in August. “The same group of Boilermakers have been doing this for many years and are proud to be a part of it,” says L-105 retiree Steve Maupin. “Offering a cup of coffee, snack and quick conversation makes a veteran’s trip to the hospital less stressful.” — Aug 28
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Local 433 wins top MOST safety award Local 433 (Tampa, Florida) was presented with the 2024 Charles W. Jones Award during the 2025 MOST National Tripartite Alliance conference, Aug. 27 in Coronado Bay, California. The award honors the local lodge demonstrating the highest use of specified MOST Programs during the preceding year. “It was certainly a surprise,” said L-433 Business Manager Derin Hunt. “We push training as the number one item on our agenda. Without safety, we don’t have a product.” — Aug 27
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Data-center energy demands, recruitment top Ohio Valley agenda The energy demand driven by data centers’ power-supply grab continues to dominate conversations among Boilermakers, contractors and employers in Construction Sector Operations. It was a key topic at the Ohio Valley Tripartite in Lexington, Kentucky, July 16, as participants addressed construction growth and the need for reliable Boilermaker manpower. Attendance at the conference increased by about a third over the previous year. — Aug 27
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Boilermakers help win asbestos-safe working conditions For decades, asbestos was hailed as a miracle material. Cheap, durable and nearly fireproof, it became the go-to insulator for boilers, steam pipes, shipbuilding, cement and power plants. Boilermakers worked with it daily, their hands and lungs exposed to its fine dust, never realizing that the very substance that made their work possible was slowly killing them. They wouldn’t know because asbestos manufacturers hid the truth. — Aug 26