WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Pictured above, Mother and Daughter Sharon Scime (on the right) and Rebecca Aldrow (on the left), who are both Members of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1133 in Buffalo, spearheaded an effort to help make the Holidays a bit brighter for some of the 1,200 United Steelworkers (USW) Members who recently lost their jobs at the Sumitomo Tire Plant in Tonawanda, which announced its closing just weeks ago.  As a result, Organized Labor here in Western New York has donated an array of toys and cash to help some of those unemployed Union Members and their families this Christmas.  (WNYLaborToday.com Photos)

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – The Christmas Holidays always seem to bring out the best in people.  And it’s no different for Labor Unions and their Members, who raise a countless amount of money for worthy causes and make personal donations to those in need not only during the Holiday Season, but throughout the year.  But on Tuesday (December 10th) evening, a donation drive was held to help some of their Brother and Sister Union Members who once worked at the local Sumitomo Tire Plant in Tonawanda, whose closing was just recently announced.

One by one those attending the monthly Buffalo AFL-CIO Central Labor Council’s meeting that was held at 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Headquarters came carrying a gift or two or three that will be wrapped and provided to those Members of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 135L who find themselves on the unemployment line this Christmas.

Dolls and Superheroes and trucks and games and sleds piled up on a table as an array of Union Members acted on a call for donations that will go to those who most need them.

The idea was the brainchild of Mother and Daughter Sharon Scime and Rebecca Aldrow, who are both Members of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1133 in Buffalo.

Aldrow - who told WNYLaborToday.com that her husband, Scott - a USW Member who worked at Sumitomo for 10 years and whom she just married in September, got a call from a friend - Teresa Shaffer, an Organizer with CWA District One, who wanted to do something for the Workers and their families.

“She said, ‘We’ve got to do something.’  How about toys for Christmas?,” Aldrow said.  “So we made a flier and contacted Denise (Abbott, President of the Buffalo Labor Council) and ‘asked her for help.’  ‘I’ve never done this before, so I asked my Mom for help too.’”

And before you could say Merry Christmas, CWA Local 1133 donated $1,000 to the toy drive and the Local’s Community Service Committee wrote a check for another $500.

And more money started coming in as the word got out - $2,000 and growing, as well as another $600 in donated toys.

“‘It made me cry, I had tears in my eyes,’” Aldrow said.

“This is ‘so great, Unions always stick together,’” Scime said.  “‘That’s what it is all about.’”

Tom O’Shei, who served as President as USW Local 135L, was also at the gathering and told WNYLaborToday.com: “This is ‘very touching, it’s incredible - but not surprising.’  ‘They reached out and right away and asked how they could help’ (our Members who worked at Sumitomo).  ‘While we can’t help all (1,200 who were impacted), we can identify those with the most need.’  ‘This is going to be great’ (for the families who will receive the donations).  ‘It will be bigger for the parents than for the kids, really.’  ‘These are people who really care, my Brothers and Sisters’ (in the Labor Movement).  ‘It restores my faith in human beings.’”

Buffalo AFL-CIO Labor Council President Denise Abbott told Your On-Line Labor Media Outlet: “‘I just put the word out to not forget people at this time of year - to make sure they have the best Christmas under the circumstances.’  ‘I feel so proud’ (of what all have contributed).”

WNYLaborToday.Com Editor’s Note: For Anyone Wishing To Make A Donation, Contact Rebecca Aldrow At CWA Local 1133’s Office At 716-828-1133.

And For More On The Sumitomo Plant Closing, Go To: United Steelworkers, Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation ‘Slam’ Japanese-Owned Sumitomo’s Decision To Close Tonawanda Tire Plant - WNY Labor Today: Your On-Line Labor Newspaper, Bringing You Labor News From Across The Nation, New York State & Western New York