Legends of Labor
Hall of Fame
Legends of Labor
Hall of Fame
Bio details
Mike Fera
Cement Masons’ Local 592
Business Manager
(1994-2010)
Mike Fera joined the Cement Masons’ Local 592 as an apprentice on September 23rd , 1971. He graduated his apprenticeship in 1974. Over the years he was a valuable asset to the reputation of Local 592, working on many projects in the Building and Heavy Highway Field. In 1982 he was elected Union Trustee until 1983 when he was elected onto the Executive Board. In 1989 he was appointed as the first Organizer in Local 592’s history. In this position, he built up a reputation as a fair but no nonsense Union Official. In 1993 he was elected Financial Secretary/Business Representative and in June of 1994 he ran unopposed as President and Business Manager and was re-elected unopposed through the end of his career. He was head trustee of Local 592’s Health & Welfare and Pension Funds, chairman of Cement Masons Local 592 PAC Fund and was chief negotiator for Union Contracts. He was Vice President of both the Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania building and Construction Trades Council. Mike has been instrumental in expanding Local 592 from the original Five County Philadelphia Area to encompass all of Eastern Pennsylvania, Central and Southern New Jersey, the State of Delaware and Northern Maryland.
He was responsible for building the Cement Masons Local 592 Apprentice Program into the prototype training facility for all cement masons apprentice programs throughout the United States and Canada. He served as Deputy International Representative, Secretary of the very important Constitution Committee of the Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association and sat on the Finance Committee. He was a partner with the
Philadelphia Police Force, The F.O.P. and attorney Jimmy Binns in memorializing police officers who died in the line of duty by placing plaques in the ground where the officer died. He sat on the Board of Directors of the Diversity Apprentice Program which opens the door for minority participation into various apprentice programs.
In 1999 he was named the “Fiends of Labor” Man of the Year, in 2000 he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, in 2001 he was awarded Philadelphia Chapter of Unico’s Man of the Year Medal and in 2003 received the March of Dimes Transportation Building and Construction award. He was Boystown of Italy Man of the Year in 2006 and in 2010 the Public Record Newspaper Man of the Year. In 2005 he was Man of the year for USA Boxing’s Middle Atlantic Association and was given the PA Golden Gloves Hall of Fame award in 2006. Mike Fera has been involved in the Delaware Valley Youth Association, the South Philadelphia Athletic Association, the Juniata Park Boys and Girls Clubs, Habitat for Humanity in Lehigh County, St. Monica’s CYO, the Bristol Township Lagoon Restoration Project, the Mount Moriah Temple Baptist Church Christian Youth League and St. Katherine’s Day School for children with special needs. Over the years he has supported UNICO, Senator Shirley Kitchen’s People Support Services, St. Francis’ Inn Shelter for the Homeless, the Philadelphia Special Olympics, the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Congreso De Latinos Unidos.
Through Local 592’s Apprentice Program Mike was able to donate concrete work to State Representative Bill Keller’s neighborhood Beautification Program, Ukrainian youth Club, Pyramid Temple, Yesha Ministries, St. Gabriel’s Church, St. Timothy School for Autistic Children, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Annunciation Church, Poter House and Negro Baseball League Memorial. Mike has also done many wheelchair ramps for handicapped people.
In 2010 Mike decided to retire after 39 years in the Union, 21 years as an agent with 16 of those years as President/Business Manager. He then went on to run the Joe Hand Boxing Gym, where he helped teach kids the sport of boxing where they learn self respect, respect for others along with self defense. He also enjoys spending time following his grandkids’ sports endeavors.
Mike has been happily married to his lovely wife Karen for 45 years. Together they have three children, Marissa, Michael and Stephanie. They are also blessed with eight grandchildren, Justin, Anthony, Brielle, Christian, Michael, Samantha, Avery and Dominic.