The fifty three year history of Local Union 1070 started early in the spring of 1946, when J & H Electric (out of Marquette) received a letter from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Postmarked Washington, D.C., it was a request for the organization of electrical workers in Marquette County, and once that letter from the Capital City got into the hands of Geno Beltrame, the swing was set in motion.
With the country on the heels of World War II, the zeal for organized labor was in full stride nationwide; labor had almost doubled its ranks from the previous year and had a toehold in this area, as well. The benefits were obvious. With this in mind, Geno and fellow electricians Matt Kiva, Lee Carter, Joe Dunham and “Wacky” Olson contacted the IBEW’s organizing Rep, confident and ready to form a Charter. However, when the Rep hit town to sign them up, he told the men they needed ten members to form a Charter, not five; if securing five more men wasn’t possible, their only other option would be to join up with Delta County’s union. He would be back in two weeks.
The push was on. In the next few weeks, each man would have to recruit just one more man to fulfill the obligation of the Charter, and with the relatively sparse population of electricians in Marquette County in 1946, this was a daunting task.
Fortunately, the commitment and tenacity of those five young men paid off. Thirteen men had signed on by the time the Rep came back, and the original Charter was signed into being by Lee Carter, Business Manager; Joe Dunham, President; “Wacky” Olson, Vice-President and Geno Beltrame as the Recording Secretary.
Since that time, Local Union 1070 has grown to include over 175 members residing in Marquette, Alger, Luce, Chippewa and Mackinac counties and is committed to improving the quality of life through dozens of charitable donations throughout the year. Hats off to the original five!