IBEW Local 1245 retirees in the East Bay are continuing a long tradition of solidarity.
The Retirees Club was organized in the 1980s by retired Local 1245 members in the East Bay. Among those who got the club going were two of the union’s principal founders–Ron Weakley and Don Hardie. They’re reasoning was this: solidarity was the source of their strength when they were on the job, and they wanted to retain the power of unity in retirement.
At first the club had just one chapter, but over the years it has grown to a robust retiree organization with five California chapters and four more in Nevada.
The East Bay chapter remains a friendly place for Local 1245 retirees to gather. It is also a potent source of volunteer manpower should threats arise from employers or politicians.
The chapter suffered a setback in 2011 with the death of its long-time champion, Mike Silva, but it continues to thrive today under the leadership of Mel Hambrick and Larry Darbee.
The chapter meets on the second Thursday of the month at the headquarters of our sister local, IBEW 595, located at 6250 Village Parkway, in Dublin, CA. If you live in the East Bay and haven’t visited this vanguard chapter of the IBEW 1245 Retirees Club, maybe it’s time to give it a try.
East Bay Chapter of the Retirees Club: June meeting