About UA Local 178

Local 178 was chartered on November 11, 1905. The Local turned 100 years old on November 11, 2005. Local 178 has approximately 300 active members and 100 retiree members for a total membership of 400. (In June of 1998 Local 178 merged with Local 658 which was located in Joplin, MO).

Local 178 serves the Southwest Missouri area (counties served: Barry, Barton, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Hickory, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Ozark, Polk, Stone, Taney, Webster, Wright.)

List of Officers:

President: Ron McCracken
Vice-President: Randy Parsley
Recording Secretary: Dan Hayley
Business Manager/Financial Secretary-Treasurer: Mark R. McCarty
Executive Board: Clif Carnahan, Ralph Reed, Kevin Whitehead, Scott Berry
Business Agents/Organizers: Terry Brown, Kenny Shuler

Charity/Benevolent Involvement

Local 178 believes in being a productive and caring member of the community. And for that reason, the local has been involved through the years with a number of charitable based organizations, some of which we work with on a continuing basis:

• Some (30) members of local 178 volunteer each year to ring bells for the Salvation Army.
• Salvation Army Food Pantry, help with children’s X-Mas gifts, etc
• Various food drives in the area.
• United Way of the Ozarks
• Children’s Miracle Network (donated $5000 to assist in the remodel of the Cox Hospital Intensive Care Nursery.
• Just recently, one of our signatory employers (Richland Mechanical-Joplin, Mo) along with our members in the employment of Richland Mech worked on an “Extreme Make Over” project which was televised just a few weeks ago. This project was done at “Camp Barnabas”.
• (2002) Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield and SW Missouri (Donated $5000 to assist in the building of their new facility at Smith Park in Springfield)
• Family Violence Center
• Annual “Share Your X-Mas” (The local generally adopts (2) families and purchasing X-Mas gifts, etc).
• Springfield School Children Milk Money Fund
• Special Olympics of Missouri
• Muscular Dystrophy Association
• (September 2001) United Association World Trade Center/Pentagon Assistance Program.
• Caring Communities & Villages In Progress – “Bunches of Lunches ” Food Assistance Program.
• St Paul United Methodist Church – “Back To School Funfest”
• The Kitchen Inc – Food Pantry, Thanksgiving Meals, X-Mas needs, misc donations, etc.
• Family Violence Center
• Joplin Globe – “Newspapers In Education”
• Children’s Cancer Society
• Sporting Chance
• American Red Cross of Greater Springfield, MO
• United Association Emergency (Hurricane) Relief Fund
• The Lafayette House (Joplin, MO) Abused Women & Children shelter, etc)
• Habitat For Humanity (Apprentices are presently working on a remodel project).