To the editor:

The recent passing of Joseph Smarrella is a great loss to the people he served as treasurer of United Steelworkers Local 1190 in the tri-cities of Steubenville, Weirton and Pittsburgh.

He was known as “Slugs” to the community of Steelworkers where he worked for 40 years. What people might not have known was that he was a regional coordinator of a national, nonpartisan coalition of unions in 30 states. The coalition represented unions that fabricated products made from the steel mills in the Tri-State Area.

The coalition included defense and aerospace workers, shipbuilders and railroad workers.

Despite having a high school education, Slugs mastered as much economic theory as one learns as a college graduate. As a regional coordinator of the National Industrial Base Workforce Coalition, he was frequently in Washington, D.C., meeting with Democratic and Republican legislators and White House officials in the Reagan, Bush and Clinton administrations.

As spokesman for the Industrial Base Workforce Coalition, he often was quoted on local television stations and a national news network. Slugs was a personable individual who was equally comfortable in the spotlight or behind the scenes. He was a true gentleman.

Smarrella was proud of his wife, Barbara, and the accomplishments of their children. He and each member of his family are examples of achieving the American dream.

His achievements were many. Slugs will be greatly missed by all who knew and worked with him.

Michael P. Balzano

Executive director

National Industrial Base

Workforce Coalition