Local One Ironworkers Retiree's Club
The Local One Retirees Club was chartered by the International Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Iron Workers on September 28, 1990.
Over these years, we have endeavored to represent the Retired
Local One Ironworker in many different areas. Always with the
respect and dignity which they deserve. Because honestly, Local One
would not be the union it is without the efforts of you, the
recently retired Ironworker and the Ironworkers who came before you.
To appreciate the value of the Retirees Club, one only has to
understand that for almost the first one hundred years of Local
One's existence, once you retired, you ceased to exist. There was no
organization to represent you, nor was there a way for you to
socialize and communicate with other Retirees until now.
For instance, If you retired before age 65, you have already
benefited from the actions. of the Retirees Club. Shortly after the
Club was formed in 1990, the Club provided information and lobbied
the Trustees of the Welfare Fund to increase the Major Medical
benefit for the Retirees and their spouses. The existing benefit of
$50,000.00 had been in place for many years. After diligent study,
the Trustees have responded with periodic increases that have
resulted in today's $1,000.000.00 coverage for both the Retiree and
spouse that allows Ironworkers to retire earlier with adequate
medical protection. In 2005, we presented facts and figures relating
to the financial plight of our oldest and most vulnerable Retirees.
The Pension Trustees responded and authorized an actuarial study
which resulted in an unprecedented raise of 5% to these needy Widows
and Retirees. While we deserve credit for bringing these issues
before the Trustees, it is a fact that without their efforts and the
support of Local One, nothing could have been done.
We are continually grateful for all their support. The Club is
funded entirely by its members through annual dues and two annual
raffles and is represented by a 100% non-paid volunteer group of
member/officers elected to two year terms and member/committee
chairmen. We currently receive no funding from Local One, although
initially we received monies for the first two years to get started
and for which we are thankful. Communication is maintained through
our bi-monthly newsletter which is sent to every member and
approximately 125 widows. The newsletter lists the recent deaths of
active Ironworkers and Retirees, photographs of recent social
events, up to-date information on prescription drugs, alternative
medications, health issues, Social Security, Medicare and other
issues that effect the Retiree such as the Local One Pension and
Welfare. We also include other articles that we feel might be of
interest to our members. Free social functions include a Christmas
party alternated between a North and South side location, a Summer
picnic and a Winter Reunion. We also host other reduced cost events
such as our golf outing, a summer event such as a Lake Michigan
Cruise or Race Track outing. We honor our deceased members with a
floral arrangement at their wakes and support annual scholarship
awards for children or grandchildren of our members.
We, your brothers who came before you, invite you to join the
Retirees Club. Simply send $25.00 annual dues to Retired
Ironworkers, P.O. Box 2457, Orland Park IL. 60462-2457.
SOCIAL HISTORY OF THE RETIREE’S CLUB
We have included in this web-site a portion of the social events that have taken place since the inception of the Club. Our first few years of the newsletter did not provide photo coverage of our social events. We present this coverage to honor our members who have passed away and those of us who have aged since.View Photos