International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming
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Message from Eighth District International Vice President Ted C. Jensen
The following contains partial remarks given at Jon F. Walters retirement dinner in Washington D.C. on April 9, 2008...
Jon started his inside electrical apprenticeship in 1960 in Pocatello, Idaho. He work for various contractors, on a multitude of projects and traveled throughout the west. He became active in the local union and under the mentorship of BM Gerry Geddes was hired as an organizer early in his career. He held various offices in the local, served on numerous boards and committees and worked to make a difference for our members before being elected 8th District IVP in 1981. Here’s excerpts from a letter to the editor I sent to the local paper 28 years ago. We want to extend public congratulations to our friend and neighbor Jon Walters. He was elected International Vice President yesterday in Los Angeles. It shows democracy is alive and well in the Labor movement when a guy from Moreland Idaho can self finance a campaign and win. Now you can say you know one of those “big eastern labor bosses”, he lives just east of us in Moreland. Congratulations Jon on your victory. You’ve made us proud and we’ll all be winners in the long run.
I’ve known Jon for 39 years. In my family he’s known as Big Jon. I named my second son after him, we call him little Jon.
The words of Thompson penned in the 1800’s through prose ask of each of us
“Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need? Have I cheered up the sad? Made someone feel glad? If not, I have failed indeed. Has anyone’s burden been lighter today because I was willing to share? Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way? When they needed my help was I there?
I think that is an accurate question to ask of Jon’s service to our industry. He was instrumental in the creation of a state wide apprenticeship program and in hiring Idaho’s first training director, Don Ivory. Jon’ efforts resulted in the creation of the Site Stabilization Agreement, which continues to bless the lives of working men and women. He worked with others to create the first district wide health and pension plans. Jon has worked in the past few year’s as IST to cement our relationship with industry partners through his Code of Excellence program and recommit our membership to pride, excellence and customer service. I believe every member of the IBEW has had their health insurance costs limited as a result of his tireless effort’s to make the national health care dream- a functional reality. The final lines of Thomson’s poem- doing good is a pleasure a joy beyond measure, of honor of duty, of love. One person really can make a difference.
But those are just the things Jon has done, I’d like to take a minute and talk about who he is and the impact he has had on our lives. The word leader is thrown around a lot these days, but by definition it is someone who inspires others to follow. Jon has taken the time to touch each of our lives through sharing his time and by his words of encouragement.
Jon was the unique talent to make everyone feel special and treats everyone the same whether CEO or lst year apprentice, they are all special to Brother Jon. His joke telling is legendary in the IBEW.Anyone who has ever heard him recite the story of Petee the Snake (and I know most of you have) is forever changed. But I’m going to miss most of all “How you doing? And his familiar, I’m doing fine”. Jon is an example of what it takes to be a leader- everything you have. He’s also an example of what you get from being a labor leader, the same answer, everything you have.
The word Brother comes to my mind. We’ve laughed together, cried together, worked together and played together. I like many of you have been at the receiving end of one of Brother Walters’s practical jokes, incoming phone calls from him during remarks at the podium or fake letters from the Health Trust.
The word friend describes our Jon. No greater love hath a man than this that he lay down his life for his friends. A few years ago I calculated Jon had eaten over 280 lbs. of peanuts in his 3 million plus air miles in service to the IBEW. I was on the flight when he reached that 3 million mile status with Delta and he sat in the back of the plane by the restroom door. Such glamorous work! Anniversaries, Mother’s days, birthdays missed in service to our membership. Over the years his wife Theresa has spent hundreds of hours waiting in the car, in hotel rooms or at the table waiting for Jon to finish his work.
The license plate on the back of Jon’s jeep reads Happy Trails. I think that is also Jon and Theresa’s testament of their time spent riding horses, skiing down slopes, sitting around campfires with family and friends and spent in service to the members of the IBEW. That’s our collective hope for you and Theresa in this new chapter of your lives- many more happy trails. Jon has given up titles earned over his 48 years of service like President, BM, IVP and IST to concentrate his time and efforts to some titles that are infinitely more important- Honey, Dad and PAPA.
In the railroad industry in the 19th and 20th centuries, the most important piece of equipment was the watch. Lives were on the line each day because schedules and watches were synchronized each morning to ensure safety and order. Gold is the symbol of quality and so our gift, this gold watch to remind you of the time you spent in dedicated service to the members of the IBEW and their families. The inscription reads: Jon F. Walters IST, IBEW 1960-2008
Leader, Brother, Friend, Love your IBEW family.
It was a great evening spent with good friends and a fitting tribute to our Friend and Brother Jon F. Walters, from the 8th District. See ya Brother!
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