Last month, NFFE President William Dougan and National Organizing Director Brittany Cardinal traveled to Ogden, UT to kick start the 95th year of Local 125. Many regional office employees, Local NFFE-IAM members, bargaining unit employees and members of management turned out to join the Local in its celebration.
Many other local federal government Union leaders from the Department of Defense, Department of Treasury and the Weber Basin Job Corps joined the celebration. Kathryn Conant, Acting Regional Forester, kicked off the ceremonies sharing Region Four Regional Forester Nora Rasure’s sentiments that the Union in Region Four effectively accomplishes the objectives of both the Forest Service and NFFE. NFFE and the Forest Service have worked together to establish a safe, positive, and professional work environment. Conant also mentioned that Region Four’s partnership councils, Payette National Forest and the regional council, had recently won the National Partnership Council awards from the agency.
NFFE President Dougan inspired attendees with a compelling presentation on the history of NFFE and how Local 125 was one of the first Locals within the union.
“The original 67 signatories of the NFFE charter included those from Local 125,” said President Dougan. “All of the benefits that we enjoy today were inherited from those that came before us. As working men and women and as union members, we truly stand on the shoulders of giants. We all owe a debt of gratitude to those original 61 members of Local 125 and the thousands of men and women who became members of the Local during the last 95 years. Though we may not know all of their names, we know of their accomplishments and of the sacrifices made that paved the way to a better life for all of us, members and non-members alike.”
This 95th anniversary celebration also kick starts a series of events that will occur over the next few years that will culminate in the celebration of NFFE’s 100th founding anniversary. Local 125 President Bill Lyons presented President Dougan with a special plaque commemorating the celebration. Local 125 President Lyons also presented a similar plaque to Brittany Cardinal acknowledging her dedication to recruiting and participation in the 95th anniversary celebration.