Electrical Welfare Club

The first meeting took place on Saturday, March 17, 1923.  We met at the Harlem Terrace Hall, located at 62 E. 106^th Street.  There were no records taken at this meeting other than to record attendance.  Minutes were taken at their next meeting held on Monday, March 26, 1923.  Those who met at that time agreed the purpose of the club was

“… to organize a club for the cooperation of the boys in the trade holding cards and in good standing in the IBEW, Local #3.  For the general welfare, mutual benefit and good fellowship.  Make better working conditions between the boys so there will be more harmony in the trade.  For educational purposes.”

There was no constitution or by-laws and Robert’s Rules of Order was not used.  But the following club leadership did emerge:  Chairman: Ed Schneider; Vice-President:  Sam Rosenthal; Recording Secretary: Nat Cohen; Treasurer: Sam Getter; By-Laws Committee: Sam Getter, Sam Rosenthal, Charles Witlin and Nat Cohen.  Dedication was strong and extended from leadership to membership.  Those were the years of heavy materials, few labor saving tools, nine and ten hour days and brutal job conditions.  Still, these men would meet after work at 8:30 pm and stay until 10:30 pm or 11 pm and sometimes past midnight.  Their April 28^th meeting ended shortly after midnight only because the proprietor demanded they leave.

Membership meetings were held twice a month, twelve months per year.  Officers met an additional twice per month.  During the club’s first six months changes would take place quickly as needed.  The April 16^th meeting Irving Jacobson was elected Sergeant-at-Arms.  At the May 7^th meeting the purpose of the organization was reworded and made the preamble to the club’s constitution:

“In order to strengthen our ties of brotherhood, enjoy the benefits of sociability, apply the principles of mutual help and study the philosophy and practice of unionism.  We members of the electrical craft have organized the Welfare Club.  In forming this, we are guided by the spirit of our individual and collective efforts to help eradicate intolerance, bigotry and race hatred, spreading the principles of Brotherhood, mutual aid and unionism.”

Many years later our membership is still dedicated to trade unionism, supportive of Jewish organizations and opposed to bigotry and Anti-Semitism in all its forms. In addition we are a sanctioned affiliated club of Local Union #3, I.B.E.W.

We usually meet the third Tuesday of each month (Except July & August) at the Balcony Lounge of the JIB Auditorium at 5PM. We hope to return to meeting together in person as soon as possible. We usually have a guest speaker & our club coordinator brings the membership up to speed on what is happening in our industry. Throughout the year we have many social activities, such as: Pre-Passover Seder, Fishing Trip, White Water Rafting Trip, Muscular Dystrophy Picnic, Critical Thinking Seminar at the L.I.E.C., Scholarship Breakfast and our Family Hanukah Party. We are a very active club and we are always looking for new members of Local #3 to join our Ranks.