Letter: Give civic leader 'Johnny Doc' his due

ISSUE | 'JOHNNY DOC'

Give this civic leader his due

Sunday's Inquirer contained another attack on the character of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98 leader John Dougherty (" 'Johnny Doc' gets an air force"). It is time to take notice of the enormous contribution Dougherty and the IBEW have made to the safety and economic health of our region.

Unskilled and untrained workers performing unlicensed electrical work present a serious public-safety issue. Ensuring that workers have a high skill level is critical to the protection of our community.

The union's apprenticeship programs prepare the next generation of licensed workers. With IBEW support, Pennsylvania building codes are updated to 21st-century standards, including requirements for demolition safety.

Dougherty worked to get the $2.3 billion state transportation plan passed in 2013, funding road projects, bridge repairs, and public transit and generating thousands of jobs. He also has pushed for an extension of SEPTA's Broad Street subway line to the Navy Yard.

Dougherty should be saluted.

|Martin J. Silverstein, Merion Station