Madison County Federation of Labor will meet in-person Feb. 25 for elections, scholarship contest

East Alton, IL – The Greater Madison County Federation of Labor will resume in-person meetings – carefully – on Thursday, Feb. 25, just in time to take nominations for officers and begin working on the Federation’s annual scholarship essay competition.

“We’re going to mask up, and we’re going to try to stay apart,” said Federation President Dean Webb, noting that the Machinists’ hall at 161 North Shamrock, where the Federation meets, is large enough to allow spacing between the delegates.

At the 7 p.m. meeting, the Federation will take nominations for officers including president, secretary and treasurer; first, second, third, fourth and fifth vice presidents; three trustees, reading clerks and two sergeants-at-arms.

If any of the nominations result in a contest, the election will be held at 7 p.m., March 25 at the hall. Delegates with credentials on record may vote. Webb can provide information about the current officers and delegates, the affiliated organizations and their voting strength. Contact Webb at (618) 259-8558.

The nominations would have been made in November, but that meeting was canceled.

ESSAY CONTEST
The Federation is also beginning its 28th annual scholarship awards essay program, this year to include up to two $1,500 awards to be presented June 24.

The contest is open to any union member or eligible family members seeking to attend an approved union trade program or bachelor’s degree program at an accredited college or university.

The major eligibility requirement is that the applicant, or his or her parents, grandparents or legal guardian, must be a member of a local union affiliated with the Federation.

Applicants come to the hall each year write their essays. The topic is as follows: “With this being the 50th anniversary of OSHA, explain how and why OSHA was originated and how the current pandemic might require some changes to the current OSHA standards.”

The deadline to apply is Friday, March 21. To obtain the guidelines, application and certification forms, contact Paul Schaefer by calling (618) 692-6400, by fax at (618) 692-6407, by email at PaulSchaefer@Local881UFCW.org or by mail at 1 Sunset Hills Executive Park Drive, Suite 102, Edwardsville, IL 62025-9931.