Arnold M. Dubin Labor Educatiuon Center Annual Awards Banquet

Welcome to our Awards Banquet page. Not only is our banquet our major fundraising event of the year, it also brings together our friends and our supporters. So please relax, enjoy the food, meet your friends. Thank you for helping bring our programs to life for another year.

The Labor Education Center is an outreach program of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. It was founded in 1975 by leaders in the labor movement, the community and the university. The Center’s Advisory Board and Steering Committee represent a wide constituency in developing the programs that meet the needs- and enrich the lives- of workers and union leaders in Southeastern Massachusetts.

In addition to our popular classes held in the Fall and the Spring, we provide one-day conferences and workshops on many topics. Credit courses in Labor Studies are also offered through day and evening sessions. We will also design programs- held at UMass Dartmouth or at other locations- to meet the specific needs of workers, local unions or labor councils. In addition, the Center offers extensive Workplace Education classes- covering English for Speakers of Other Languages, high school equivalency preparation, and Adult Basic Skills instruction- at the worksite, at the 800 Purchase Street UMD campus, and other convenient meeting halls.

The Labor Education Center is available to all the unions, labor councils and community organizations in our region. It includes training for officers, members, and stewards, and a statewide Labor Extension Program. The Massachusetts labor movement now has resources in UMass Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell to meet its training needs in new workplace technology, diversity, organizing (internal and external), and steward’s training, etc.

If you would like to know more about the Labor Education Center or have a specialized program set up to address your specific needs, please call us at 508 999-8007, 8796 or 8781.


Education that Workers can put to Work!

The Arnold M. Dubin Memorial Award

Arnold M. Dubin shared his passion for social justice with everyone he encountered. As a leader of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union and as a leader of the Southeastern Massachusetts community he loved, he was an inspiration to union members and the labor movement as a whole. The Dubin MemorialAward bears witness to his spirited leadership, as it honors each year’s recipient.

Past Recipients of the Arnold M. Dubin Memorial Award

Gary Studds, US Congressman, Tenth District
Nicholas Roussos, Manager, So. New England District Council, ILGWU
Diana Nunes, New England Regional Joint Board, ACTWU
Donald Walker, President, Southeastern Massachusetts University
Dr. Everett Radovsky & Dr. Ana Radovsky, ILGWU Union Health Center
George Ripley, Commissioner of Labor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Arthur R. Osborn, President, Massachusetts AFL-CIO
Michael S. Dukakis, Governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Robert J. Haynes, Secretary-Treasurer, Massachusetts AFL-CIO
Leo J. Purcell, President, Massachusetts Building Trades Council, AFL-CIO
John Kerry, US Senator, Massachusetts
Edward M. Kennedy, US Senator, Massachusetts
James S. Braude, Tax Equity Alliance for Massachusetts
Barney Frank, US Congressman, Fourth District
Joseph Faherty, President, Massachusetts AFL-CIO
Founders of the Labor Education Center
Teresa Heinz, Chairperson, Heinz Family Philanthropies
Jim McGovern, US Congressman, Third District
Kathleen Casavant, Secretary-Treasurer, Massachusetts AFL-CIO
William Delahunt, US Congressman
Senator Joan Menard
State Senator Marc Pacheco
State Senator Mark Montigny
Ed Clark, UNITE Executive Vice President
Stephen Lynch, US Congressman, Ninth District
John J. Sweeney, President, AFL-CIO

Mayor Edward M. Lambert Jr

The Harry Dunham Memorial Award

Harry Dunham inspired a generation of trade unionists with his devotion to solidarity, political action, and worker education in his role as an International Representative for the United Auto Workers. He never lost touch with the rank-and-file, and his concern and patience helped move many workers into leadership positions in their own workplaces and their own unions. The Dunham Memorial Award honors rank-and-file unionists who have inspired others to continue struggling for justice.

Past Recipients of The Harry Dunham Memorial Award

Tina Ponte, Local 899, United Auto Workers
Dora Bastarache, Local 361, ILGWU
Edward DeMoura, Local 284 United Electrical Workers
Rod Poineau, Local 277, United Electrical Workers
Roger LaVoie, Local 899, United Auto Workers
Frank Costa, Local 876, Laborers Union
Ida Cabral, Local 178, ILGWU
Len Rose, UAW Local 899
Pam Crowell, Taunton Educator’s Association
Ida Crowinshield, AFSCME
Evelyn Moniz, Local 178, ILGWU
Julie Ouellette, Local 767, Hospital Workers, SEIU
Margaret Lynch, Mary DeCruz, Alviar Araujo, IBT Local 59
Lee Medeirosa, Maria Perreira, Charlotte Sousa, UNITE
Dottie Griffin, Local 767, SEIU
Mary Mahoney, OPEIU Local 6
UE Local 284
JC Rhodes, UNITE Cliftex Strike Committee,
UNITE Bias Committee Members
Wilfred Desnoyers, Local 168, UAW
Doug Simmons, Local 791, UFCW
Steve Seymour, Barnstable Municipal Employees Assoc.
Robert P. Edwards, Local 791, UFCW
Wilma Erchull, Local 791, UFCW
Kathy Medeiros, Local 328, UFCW
Darlene Pimental, Local 178, UNITE
Fernando Garcia, UE Local 223
Burt Barao, Local 177, Unite Here

Alicia Gaudiello, 1199 SEIU Healthcare Workers East- PCA Campaign

The Richard M. Fontera Award

As Dean of Faculty at SMU, Richard Fontera was more than a gifted educator and leader. He was also a persistent advocate for civil liberties and for democracy in education. He envisioned the university as both a community in itself and as part of the larger community and it was that vision that helped bring the labor education center to life. The Fontera Memorial Award honors individuals who have made a commitment to education and the ideals of democracy and social justice.

Past Recipients of The Richard M. Fontera Award

Ralph Fasanella, Artist
Joseph A. Bronstad, President, Local 1895, MFT
James C. Toatley (posthumously), Artist
Linda White Toatley, Artist
The SMU Labor Studies Committee
Daniel Georgianna, Professor of Economics, SMU
Philip T. Silvia, Jr., Professor of History, Bridgewater State College
Clyde Barrow, Assoc. Professor of Political Science, UMD
UMOJA
Glenda Goldberg, BMC Durfee High School, Fall River
Spinner Publications, Inc.
Martha Leader and Tom Juravich, Labor Singers
Injured Workers United
Massachusetts Jobs with Justice
Women’s Institute for Leadership Development
Coalition for Social Justice
Dr. James Griffith, Medical Lab Science, UMD
Harneen Chernow, Massachusetts AFL-CIO, Education Dept.
Danny Devenny, Irish Mural Artist
Carly Simon
New Bedford CEDC
Jerry Fishbein, Local 2020, SEIU

Third EyE, Unlimited

The Dora Bastarache On the Line Award

Dora Bastarache was a true rank-and-file leader of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union in Southeastern Massachusetts. She believed that the labor movement inspired people to organize and fight for a better world. Dora believed that working together, united, was the only way to change things. She fought for quality child care, low cost health care, and accessible higher education. The Dora Bastarache On the Line Award honors individuals and groups that have put it all on the line in the struggle for economic
and social justice.

Past Recipients of The Dora Bastarache On the Line Award

UNITE Local 178 Negotiating Committee at Aberdeen, Fall River
International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 59 Strike Committee at UPS
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 791 Strike Committee at Shaws
Francoeur Family, Dartmouth, UPS Strike Site Supporters
Maria Chesky, SEIU Local 767
Eleonara Vieira, SEIU Local 509
Organizing Committee Crawford House, Fall River, Local 1199/
New England Health Care Employees Union, SEIU
Evelyn Moniz, Local 178, UNITE
Calvin Klein Workers, UNITE
CWA Local 1051
United Steelworkers of America, Local 1357

UE Local 204, Haskons

The President’s Award

2006 marks the 19th year that the Labor Councils in southeastern Massachusetts will present President’s Awards to union members who have contributed outstanding service to the labor movement. The Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council and the Plymouth-Bristol Labor Council have each chosen a member of their Council to be honored for his or her dedication and commitment to the work of the region’s labor movement.
Often the day-to-day-work of the members go unnoticed, but the labor movement is vital, active and effective because of the work of these unsung heroines and heroes. Those who attend the meetings, make the hard decisions, organize the events…they are the sisters and brothers who will get the recognition of their peers and their leaders through this award.

The honorees do not know yet, that they have been chosen for the President’s Awards.

Please join the Labor Education Center in congratulating them for their energy and their spirit.

2006 Program

Invocation: Father Ed Boyle, Labor Guild

Welcome: Dr. Jean McCormack,Chancellor
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Remarks:

José A. Soler, Director
Labor Education Center

Dr. Dan Georgianna, President
Faculty Federation Local 1895, Mass AFT

M.C. Juli Parker, Director UMD Women’s Resource Center
Executive Board, Faculty Federation Local 1895, Mass AFT

Dinner

Presentation of Awards

President’s Awards

Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council
presented by Cynthia Rodrigues, President

Plymouth-Bristol Central Labor Council
presented by Kathy Manson, President

Richard M. Fontera Memorial Award
Presented to Third EyE. Unlimited
Presented by Jerry Fishbein, Vice President, 1199SEIU

Harry Dunham Memorial Award
Presented by Peter Knowlton, President District 2 UE

Dora Batarache On the Line Award
Presented to UE Local 204, Haskons
Presented by Kim Wilson Labor Extension Program Coordinator

Labor Education Center
Arnold M. Dubin Memorial Award
Presented to Mayor Ed Lambert, Fall River
Presented by Cynthia Rodrigues, President Greater SE Massachusetts Labor Council
and
Tim Cayton, Business Manager IBEW Local 223

In memory of life long labor activists Chuck Schwartz Director of the RI Institute for Labor Studies and Research; Grace M. DuBreuil labor organizer, feminist and civil rights and anti-apartheid activist and George Ripley of the Bricklayers, a former Mass Secretary of Labor and a founder of the Labor Education Center.

Dubin Awards Banquet