wpeF.jpg (12494 bytes)		 What was higher was unemployment. In 1975, 433,356 people were out of work in the state. Three people who did have work were three new Local 18 women apprentices – the first ever. Two were working in District 5 and one in District 2. They seemed to be realizing Susan B. Anthony’s charge of almost a century earlier – "Join the union, girls, and together say, "equal pay for equal work"." Business Manager Possehl, after four decades of service, announced his resignation as of January 31, 1977. Ironically, he died a year later, shortly before a testimonial dinner was to be held in his honor.

Named to replace Mr. Possehl as Business Manager was Local 18 President Earl Erwin. Erwin, a member of Local 18 since 1945, came from an engineering family. His father had joined Cincinnati’s Local 114 in 1929, and young Earl went out with his father on Saturdays to help him wash his steam equipment.

The 1978 off-year election changed neither the economic nor the unemployment situation dramatically. But a young gubernatorial candidate – Richard Celeste – who lost by only four votes per precinct gave a positive sign for the future.
1970's

Local 18 was experiencing the same problems as the rest of the nation.

Because President Nixon withheld money from the Highway Trust Fund, the 1970 construction season in Ohio was one of the worst ever. As a result of the Nixon Recession, Local 18’s unemployment ranged from 15-18% from June to October, the height of the construction season. By December unemployment reached to 25-30%.

The problem did not disappear overnight. "Funds are needed now to meet demands of increased traffic and a deteriorating primary and secondary system." Business Manager Possehl said in 1973. The state’s road expenditure for that year was only $207 million, the lowest in 10 years.
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