Bulletin

We are putting out this special edition of the UE NEWS Bulletin to highlight the efforts of UE Local 728 in Kentucky to assist five members who lost their homes to a tornado on Friday, May 16.

Local 728 Members Lean on One Another in Aftermath of Tornado

London, Kentucky

Several Local 728 members lost their houses and all of their belongings in a devastating tornado on Friday, May 16. The local has come together in the aftermath to help their fellow union members by collecting donations and organizing a cleanup effort for Saturday, May 24.

Paul Davis, a member of Local 728, recalled the emergency situation: “I thought it would die out but it came towards us and I got my family up and we went downstairs. Our eardrums were popping from the pressure. Even though I have a basement, it blew all our windows out and blew everything around and destroyed things. It was shocking how much damage it caused in that small amount of time.”

Local 728 member Caroline Gambrel said several members lost everything that night. She said, “It is already hard to find housing in this area. It will take a while for the members to rebuild their lives.” Gambrel has helped to collect donations for the members that lost everything, some of whom live paycheck to paycheck.

“The local is collecting money to help our members be able to start rebuilding their lives,” said First Shift Chief Steward Christina Brookman. “They lost everything, from household items to even small things like a coffee maker. Things we essentially take for granted daily these folks have lost. We also are helping clean up their property, help sort their belongings that are salvageable, and just being a listening ear.”

The local sprang into action immediately once they heard of the devastation. The executive board planned the fundraisers and wrote a letter to the employer to ask for time off work without repercussions for those who had lost their homes. The local was successful in winning extra unpaid time off that would not affect members’ vacation days so they could spend time cleaning up houses that were leveled by the tornado.

“I’ve had multiple members of the union reach out to help,” said Davis. “We had friends and family come to move out the stuff that we could. [The members] have been reaching out and doing a fundraiser. They’ve been asking if I need anything and they are also collecting food and clothes for those that lost more — the other members that had their houses completely leveled and lost everything.”

The cleanup efforts have been tough and are expected to take weeks. Davis recalled the moments after the disaster, “The aftermath was wild. It was dark but there was so much thunder and lightning after with debris everywhere. Our middle son was carrying people into the house that had been thrown in the open. It was wild seeing how much damage happened.” In the wake of the devastation, the members are determined to help their friends and union siblings. Brookman said, “Our members have always had giving hearts and want to help in any way they can.

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