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Eugene Edward Watts
In 1974, the Local 130 Union hall was rededicated as a memorial to Eugene E. Watts, President of our Local for 28 years and a member of the Westinghouse National Negotiating Committee since 1947 until his death in 1974. At that time, Gene had served as President of IUE Local 130 longer than any president of any IUE Local in the country. Gene Watts grew up and lived his entire life in the Baltimore area. Gene graduated from Polytechnic Institute and played semi-pro baseball. His Spring Grove Team out drew the Orioles in the 1944 Weltmer Bowl, where they played before 5,000 people. Gene also gave freely of his time for many community affairs and worked on many community projects. Gene started working at Westinghouse in 1941 as a janitor's helper. He moved to die cleaner and little by little worked himself up to a power brake operator. His interest in people and their needs stimulated his beginning in the labor movement. He was elected shop steward and held many offices and finally becoming President of IUE Local 130. Gene believed that if we stand united much could be accomplished. Gene's fondest dream for Local 130 was to have their own hall and encourage its members to contribute to a building fund. The 1955 strike all but wiped out that fund and through determination and sincere effort, the members of Local 130 further continued the building fund and the hall was purchased. Our Union Hall is a tribute to the members of Local 130 as well as a monument to the man in whose name it is memorialized and dedicated. Eugene Edward Watts was a rank and filer who gave unselfishly of his time and talents to better the lives of the members of Local 130, who were not only members, but his friends. This man made his mark in the Labor Movement's history. (Our Thanks to Marie Wright for helping compile this information) |
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