Donald V. Lucas Jr. will be honored with the 2012 George Ritzer memorial award, presented by the Jamestown Area Labor Council AFL-CIO, during a ceremony in Bergman Park at 4 p.m. Sunday.
The award was named after George Ritzer, a local labor leader, who served as president of the Jamestown Area Labor Council for more than 20 years. He organized and served as president of the food and commercial workers Local 1.
In 1984, the late Ben Spitale wanted to give recognition to a labor leader who was affiliated with the Jamestown Area Labor Council AFL-CIO. The committee felt that Labor Day would be the most appropriate time for this recognition. The committee consisted of the late Ben Spitale, the late Anthony C. Raffa, Pete Thorenson, Doug Card, George Spitale and Michael Piazza.
Article Photos
Donald V. Lucas Jr.
The award is given to an individual who volunteers and contributes toward the labor movement and volunteers time to community organizations.
Lucas will be presented with a plaque and medallion from the Jamestown Area Labor council AFL-CIO.
Lucas is a member of the United Steelworkers Local Union 9367. He was instrumental in organizing his union in 1994 at Keywell LLC VacAir Alloys in Frewsburg. Starting with only 75 members, it has now grown to 125. Lucas was the financial secretary for the local union from 1994 until his retirement in 2012. He was an employee for VacAir for 48 years.
During his time as financial secretary, Lucas was responsible for federal and state taxes each year and required audits, labor management reports to the labor board, signing members into the union, in charge of setting all union meetings and was responsible for organizing his locals second social activities. He helped form the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees where he is secretary/treasurer, works on issues facing retired members and their spouses and is a delegate of the Jamestown Area Labor Council AFL-CIO. Lucas has been an active member of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church since 1972 and head of the ushers for many years. He is a member of the church audit committee and is past president of the church council.
Lucas and his wife, Laurel, live in Jamestown. They have a daughter, Donnelle, a son, Michael, and two grandchildren.