By BERRY CRAIG
AFT Local 1360
Tornado-ravaged Mayfield is on the way back, thanks to a big boost from a small army of volunteers who have converged on the Graves County seat.
Many of the volunteers pack union cards, especially in the building trades.
“I need more adjectives,” said Mayor Kathy O’Nan. “‘Overwhelmed’ and ‘heartwarming’ just do not seem adequate to express the gratitude all of us feel for the outpouring of help and love that continues to flow our way.
“The number of volunteers, both local and from across the nation, that have run to help in every way imaginable is staggering.”
Volunteers from regional building trades unions are at work not only in Mayfield, but also in Dawson Springs and other communities that were devastated by the deadly storm, said Kyle Henderson, president of the Paducah-based West Kentucky Building and Construction Trades Council.
One of those unions, IBEW Local 816 in Paducah, represents power and water crews at Mayfield Electric and Water and West Kentucky RECC line crews and associated classifications. They’re logging long hours helping restore electricity in Mayfield and Graves County where the twister tore down miles of wire, downed dozens of transformers and snapped off scores of utility poles.
“We’ve also had volunteers in there since about the time the wind stopped blowing,” said Jimmy Evans, Local 816 business manager. “Several IBEW locals throughout the country have reached out to us and sent items – truckloads and trailer loads -- down to us.”
Chad Mills, Kentucky State Building and Construction Trades Council director, isn’t surprised by the massive influx of union help into western Kentucky
“Union members are part of their communities like everybody else,” he said. “We care about the people in our communities just like they care about their families.”
He said that community spirit is reflected in the fundamental principle of organized labor: “Unions fight for everyone to be treated fairly, and we want everybody who works to be able to provide for their families and have a decent retirement.”
Mills added, “When someone loses everything, the union will be the first to step up and help them get back on their feet.”