Local 26 History

The first organizational meeting of Heat & Frost Insulators Local 26 took place on December 9, 1912. Asbestos Workers International President Joseph A. Mullaney was present to conduct the meeting. President Mullaney addressed those present on the advancement of Unionism through Organizing. Mullaney also assured those present that the Building Trades as well as the Central Labor Organization would be behind the new Insulator Local that was being formed in the city of Rochester. Little did those (7) seven men present that December evening so long ago realize what a legacy they were about to begin. Rochester was already considered an industrial giant with its many manufacturing plants and steam generation was used in every one of those plants to drive the machinery that helped make the city of Rochester the fledging industrial giant that it was steadily becoming. The names of those (7) men who would (1) one month later become the Charter members of Insulators Local 26 were:

The organizational meeting was adjourned and the first regular Union meeting of the new Insulators Local 26 Union was scheduled for (28) eight days later.

The first meeting took place on January 6, 1913 and an election of officers took place. Harry B. Coon was elected as the first President and F.M. Baetzel the first Business Agent of Local 26. The young Local was up and running and never looked back. Work was slow through the Great Depression of the 1930’s and the years during World War II were not kind to the Union Building Trades movement as a whole but somehow the Members of Insulators Local 26 found a way to keep their organization moving forward and growing along the way. The post War years saw the Western New York area take off with development as the Nation recovered from the devastating effect the War effort had on the economy and Local 26 not only survived but flourished during this time. The Local continued to grow and we formed our first Apprentice Training School in the 1960’s.

Today we continue to be a thriving Building Trades Union providing our members with work opportunities and Benefits second to none. Local 26 moved into its present headquarters in Rochester, N.Y. in April of 1995 and now we operate out of a state of the art facility as well as conduct our training program in our new on site ultra modern Training Center which insures our members that Local 26 will continue to thrive as we move forward into the 21st Century. Local 26 continues to advance our agenda through the principals of collective bargaining while ensuring our Member’s rights are never compromised. The bond the Brothers and Sisters of Heat & Frost Insulators Local 26 share with each other will always be based on the concept of a fair wage and a safe work environment with the intent of leaving this Trade better off for those that follow us in the future, never forgetting those that came before us who fought and worked so diligently to create what we have today!