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Letter from the President
Harry Laube was the ideal union representative
By CHRIS DUGOVICH
Chris Dugovich
Council 2 President/Executive Director
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HARRY LAUBE — a real friend, former local union president and long-time staff representative — passed away this past December.
I met Harry on my first day of employment with Council 2 back in April of 1982. Harry was formally retired, but he had been coaxed into returning to work to fill in and help the new kid along.
You couldn’t have asked for a better individual to learn about how to survive as a staff representative than Harry Laube.
Harry was hired by the Bellingham Water Department in the early fifties and over the years became increasingly active in Local 114. His first position was serving as treasurer in 1958, a position he occupied until he became president in 1966. He ushered in the new era of collective bargaining that began in 1967 and was subsequently hired by Council 2 as a staff representative in 1969.
Back in the seventies, with Council 2 membership consisting of 3,000 or 4,000 members, areas were strung across the state and he was everywhere at one time or another.
He knew everyone and everyone knew Harry who seemed to have the perfect characteristics to handle this profession. He enjoyed it and nothing ever seemed to remotely bother him.
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Harry retired in 1979, but continued to work for Council 2 on a temporary on-again-off-again status well into the nineties. Those part-time assignments were usually not the easiest or the most desirable, but Harry was someone you could count on to complete the job.
His patience and his good nature carried him through some of the most difficult assignments filled with difficult people.
Harry resided in Bellingham with his wife Mary Ann. He enjoyed meticulously caring for his yard and had a strong interest in flying and airplanes.On occasion you could catch Harry riding his bicycle through the streets of Bellingham. He exercised regularly before it was the thing to do!
Among the staff he certainly was a favorite. He was a friend who, with his expertise as a mechanic, helped me keep an old pick-up truck running to the next local union meeting. He was always around with great advice and all of it was helpful.
Harry suffered a severe stroke about a dozen years ago from which he never recovered. It’s been a while since all of us were able to enjoy his company. However, in all the years Harry was around there was never more of a gentleman who was liked, enjoyed and respected by all.
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