On December 5th, Local 150 President-Business Manager James M. Sweeney was awarded the George Meany Award by the Boy Scouts of America Pathway to Adventure Council. The celebration dinner raised more than $50,000 for Scouting programs that attract local youth interest in the American labor movement and skilled construction trades.
The George Meany Award recognizes union leaders who have made a significant contribution to the youth of their communities by volunteering in the programs of the Boy Scouts of America. IUOE Local 150’s training center has hosted the Scouts for many events and participated in Welding and American Labor Merit Badge programs.
“It is a tremendous honor to receive this award,” said Sweeney. “The Boy Scouts offer Merit Badges for technical skill development that will help local youth qualify for union apprenticeship programs. With the absence of technical programs in so many public schools, this training is an important pathway to good paying jobs.”
“The American Labor Merit Badge program teaches young people about all the good work that unions do and how we benefit the lives of workers. There could not be a more important time to get that message out, so we are proud to be a part of all the good work that the Boy Scouts are doing.”
The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150 is a labor union representing 23,000 working men and women in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. Local 150 represents workers in various industries, including construction, construction material production, public works, concrete pumping, steel mill service, slag processing and others.