The History Corner Page 8
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FEBRUARY 22-28, 2018
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Looking by King and Queen at Back Ed Pany Bath Senior Center Cement Workers Union 1933
Natural Perspectives
Originally published in 2006
Many of my readers know I have devoted years researching the history and lore of the cement industry, an industry that attracted thousands of workers to Lehigh Valley communities providing employment and opportunity. At one time 60 plants dotted the area. The Bath 1937 Bicentennial book “looks back” to a time when unions were organized to improve wages and conditions. In September of 1933, a small group of cement workers met in Bath and conceived the idea to form a legitimate organization to negotiate with the management of cement companies.
They called a labor organizer from the American Federation of Labor. The employees of the Keystone Portland Cement Company were the first organized cement workers in the United States. After numerous meetings, workers embarked on a campaign to sign up workers for the union. The campaign was successful and local #18673 of the cement workers was organized in Bath. In 1937 the union had 800 members employed at the Penn Dixie Cement Corporation plants four, five and six located between Bath and Nazareth and Continued on page 2
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Andy’s Corner King Wayne German and Queen Pearl Eberts celebrated at Mid County Senior Center in Bath on Valentine’s Day. -Photo submitted by Diane Orlowsky, Director.
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East Allen Township Supervisors given Presentation on MS4 requirements By KERI LINDENMUTH The East Allen Township Board of Supervisors received a presentation from Hanover Engineering on MS4 requirements during their February 14 meeting. A new MS4 term will take effect in 2019, during which time the township must have a pollution reduction plan in place for its storm water systems. If not, it may face steep fines from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
MS4, or the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, is a township-wide cleanup of storm water systems. Oil, grease, pesticides, sediment, toxic chemicals, and more pollution travel into area wetlands from snow and rain. This causes increased flooding, sediment build-up, erosion, invasive species, and dirty drinking water for both humans and animals. MS4’s main goal is to reduce this pollution. “We can certainly do a much
better job than we have been doing,” said Jason Smith, Senior Scientist at Hanover Engineering.
----------------------We can certainly do a much better job than we have been doing. Jason Smith -----------------------
Every single stream in the township is subject to the required pollution reduction plan.
Siltation from the area’s many agricultural properties has impacted these streams. By the next MS4 term, which starts in 2019 and ends in 2024, siltation in these bodies of water must be reduced by 10 percent. Smith warned that this can be very costly, ranging anywhere from $500,000 to as much as $5 million. Solutions include adding more vegetation to stream Continued on page 2
Bath Bowling Page 6
77th Year, Issue No. 8 www.homenewspa.com
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