IP Jones encourages USA membership

INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT Newton B. Jones encouraged all delegates and members to join the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance, an outdoors sporting organization dedicated to union members. The USA is sponsoring a booth in the vendor’s hall to sign up new members and register for a gun raffle. Roofers International President Kinsey Robinson, who is president of the USA, spoke on behalf of the alliance, also encouraging Boilermakers to participate. Boilermakers International Secretary-Treasurer William Creeden is the secretary-treasurer of the USA.

The USA was founded in 2007 as a hunting and fishing club for union members, retirees, and their families. It originally functioned as a program of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP). In 2010, the alliance became a stand-alone, non-profit organization.

The Boilermakers are one of nine charter unions that support the USA, and many of our members belong to it. For the past two years, the IBB has played a key role in hosting the USA’s Kansas City area sporting clays shoot to raise money for improved hunting and fishing access and habitat. Individual Boilermakers have enjoyed some great moments with the alliance. In 2007, Local 154 (Pittsburgh) member Todd Crawford won a bear hunt through the USA and the TRCP. He was featured in 2008 on the outdoor television program, “Escape to the Wild.” Last year, Local 13 (Philadelphia) member Tim Smith won a Triton TR-18 bass boat after joining the USA.