Tributes honor departed members, veterans
THE CONVENTION TOOK time Monday to honor members who have passed on. A special tribute was given to the late International President Emeritus Charles W. Jones. “C. W.,” as he was fondly called by many, served the union in many capacities for over a half century – including 20 years as International President. C.W.’s son Charles A. Jones, who serves as Director of the Brotherhood History Preservation Department, presented a slide presentation summarizing C.W.’s life-long commitment to the Boilermakers union. Noting C.W.’s impressive knowledge of and experience with the Brotherhood, Charles stated, “When my father died, it was like a whole library had burned down.”
In another emotional moment, Local 154 Business Manager Ray Ventrone, who had presented C.W. with a retiree's ring from his lodge during the 31st Consolidated Convention, passed the ring on to C.W.’s son Newton B. Jones, who assumed the International presidency in 2003 upon C.W.’s retirement. Ventrone described C.W. as “the greatest labor leader of our lifetime.”
,p>A tribute was also offered to military veterans of Canada and the United States. International Vice President Joe Stinger, a Vietnam vet, led the delegates in an expression of appreciation and also discussed the efforts of Boilermakers to bring veterans into the Brotherhood through the Helmets to Hardhats program.
