History of Local 101
Local 101 became a local union under the
United Electrical Workers (U.E.) and was chartered
to represent the production and maintenance workers at
Philco Corporation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1937.
After the company and union had bargained for a first
labor agreement, and failed ,the union went on strike.
The strike was successful in making the union and company
reach a first labor agreement in early 1938.
From 1937 to 1941 employment grew at the Philadelphia,
Pa, Philco Corporation, to 20,000. The union represented
about two thirds of those employees. The company manufactured
radios, freezers, refrigerators, small appliances, and
television was on the horizon. On December 7, 1941 the
Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and the world changed forever.
The company like many companies at the that time switched
it's production to feed the war machine. Philco and Local
101 produced military communications equipment and wiring for
tanks trucks, planes and ships along with various electrical and
electronic products for the Armed Forces. During World War
II employment grew to 37,000 employees. The Union represented
27,000 members. Philco and Local 101 received the President's
Citation of Outstanding Merit after the war for their efforts
in supplying military materials to the war effort.
After the war, employment and membership at Philco and Local
101 began to drop, but leveled off at 25,000 of which 20,000
were represented by the Union.
In 1949 a crises developed in the International Union (U.E.)
in which a senate committee on the investigation of
communism in America, headed by Wisconsin Senator, Robert
McCarty, accused the leadership of the United Electrical
Workers (I.U.) of being influenced by the Communist Party.
The membership at the union convention demanded the leadership
of the U.E., go to Washington, DC and dispel this charge. When
they refused, the president of U.E., Local 101, Jim Carey,
withdrew the Local union and formed a new International
Union of Electrical Radio and Machine Workers (IUE-AFL-CIO).
Local 101 Secretary Treasurer, Harry Block, became the
first president of District #1 and president of Local 101
IUE-AFL-CIO. Local 101 president, Jim Carey was elected
to be the first president of the International Union.
In just over 4 years the IUE membership grew to 300,000
members. Most followed Jim Carey out of the U.E. into
the IUE.
Local 101 members working at Philco started to mass produce
a new wonder product called TELEVISION. Employment
stayed relatively strong.
Jim Carey was International President of the IUE-AFL-CIO
from 1949 to 1964. He was succeeded by Paul Jennings.
Local 101 continued through the fifties and sixties,
representing it's membership , who were producing televisions
and various other home entertainment products and big and
small appliances.
In 1962, Philco was purchased by the automobile maker
Ford Motor Company. Ford wanted to enter the space race.
The president at that time, John F. Kennedy campaigned on
the promise to place a man on the moon. Ford shifted a
third of the business to aerospace. Local 101 became part
of the space work. When President John F. Kennedy was
assassinated in Dallas Texas, the space program fell out
of favor and the government switched their priorities to
domestic issues.
Local 101 again became part of another war effort. This In 1981, Ford Motor Company announced the closing of their Local 101 number was retired by then International The company Osram Sylvania, did not accept the Through the long struggle to survive the three year, three month International President, Ed Fire stood by Local 101 and authorized A tentative agreement was reached on
time in Vietnam. Some military products were produced
for the armed forces.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania plant. The company said it was
moving it's television and appliances to be manufactured
in Brazil. The space work was almost eliminated and moved
to the mid west. 10,000 people lost their jobs. The
Northeast area of Philadelphia, especially the
Kingston area , where every fifth household had someone
employed at ford, were devastated.
President, Dave Fitzmaurice and remained in retirement
until International President Bill Bywater assigned it
to the St. Marys, Pennsylvania, Osram Sylvania workers.
In a sign of confidence president Bywater chartered Local
101 to the maintenance and production workers on Sunday,
June 23, 1996, four days prior to the election at the plant.
On Thursday, June 27, 1996, the employees did not let
the International Union down, and voted be represented
by the International Union of Electronic, Salaried
Machine and Furniture Workers AFL-CIO.
Union victory. They appealed the decision of the membership
of Local 101 to the National Labor Relations Board and lost
three times. Then they appealed again to the Third Federal
Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania only
to loose again. On September 12, 1999 the Federal Court certified
Local 101 just as the NLRB had done on May, 14, 1998. The company
finally gave up their pursuit to overturn the union election victory
on September 24, 1999, when they recognized the union.
wait to be recognized by the company, International Specialist
Representative Frank Rothweiler led the organizational effort of
Local 101. Through Frank Rothweilers' zeal and expertise as a
devoted Trade-Unionist, Local 101 was continually strengthened
and morale kept up. He labored selflessly to help this Local when
it didn't have the strength to help itself. Frank Rothweiler helped
build and maintain an officer and steward structure. He remained
with the Local as a part of the original negotiating team in the
formations of the first contract. Frank Rothweiler was the first
Service Representative for Local 101. He was replaced by Service
Representative Ken Ream.
every payment of bills to keep the Local in business. The amount
of money spent on Local 101 is staggering, but it overcame the
company's ability to hold out their recognition of Local 101.
March 3, 2000.
Ratification by the membership took place
on Sunday , March 5, 2000.
THE NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE
Original Officers
Picture taken on June 13, 1998
IUE-CWA Local 101 office
67 Erie Avenue,
(From right to left)
Debbie Johnson-Recording Secretary
Tom Morelli-Financial Secretary/Treasurer
Tom Schatz-President
Joe McClain-Chief Steward
Garry Hardman-Vice President
Frank Rothweiler-International Representative
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