Rodmen Mark 90th Anniversary

A packed house of more than 500 turned out for Saturday night’s celebration of Reinforcing Ironworkers Local 201’s 90th anniversary. Chartered in 1917, Local 201 was “probably the first integrated Local Union in our International,” with twelve black and eleven white members. Known as the “rodmen” because of their work with the reinforcing rods used in construction, the local’s members are proud of nearly a century of building Washington, from roads and bridges to many government buildings, including the Pentagon and more recent projects like the National Harbor Project and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. “We have gone from making 50 cents per hour to making $35.77 per hour,” writes Robert J. Migliaccio Sr in the Local’s commemorative program book. “We have gone from safety being an afterthought to safety being a number 1 concern. We have gone from wearing white shirts and 8-pointer hats, to shorts, bandanas and safety belts, to hard hats, safety glasses and full body harnesses. The one thing that hasn’t changed is the skill and hard work of our members.” Among the evening’s highlights was recognition of longtime members, including Donald Walker and Nathan Green, both of whom have been Local 201 members for 65 years. Local 201 workers building Woodrow Wilson bridge, photos by Kevin McVeigh and Bob Migilaccio