Our Local established our affiliation with the ATU and was granted the Certicate Of Affilation on the 1st day of March in 1977, named and known under the title of Local 1578, Lowell Massachusetts.  R.C. Wallace was the International Finacial Secretary-Treasurer and Dan Mahoney was the International President .  

The locals first Officiers were Bruce S McLaughlin (President) Bobby O. Bishop (Vice President) Norris R. Chew (Financial Secretary-Treasurer) Bert F. Swislak (Recording Secretary). At the time of our affiliation into the ATU, the employees worked for  Frank Trombly who managed the employees to fulfill his contract with LRTA.  The workers earnings were minimal they had no benefits and working double split shifts.  Even after our unionization the company refused to recognize us as a union and our rights to negotiations. It took several more months of negotiation before we successfully got the company to sign that they recognized the members to be a union and that it was our right to negotiate our working conditions and benefits.

In 1978 the 1st  contract was negotiated the members were offered a 3 cent increase per hour only and no other benefits (no pention plan, no sick ,personal or vacation time and seniority was not recognized ), the members worked double split shifts.  Through negotiations Local 1578 was able to successfully change the working conditions of our members. The contract was negotiated with a pay increase of 20 cents per hour wage increase, 1 week paid vacation, seniority was now recognized and the  elimination of  double split shifts to single split shifts.

With out the support of a Union  the working conditions for these employees probably would not have changed.  Unity is strength and unions provide workers with job security and a powerful collective voice  to negotiate better terms and working condtions.