Unions, developer sponsor airpower show

Long Island labor and management don't always agree, but they have come together, with their dollars, to support a Memorial Day exhibit at the American Airpower Museum on the grounds of Republic Airport in East Farmingdale.

Local 138 and Local 30 of the International Union of Operating Engineers have donated about $20,000 to acquire Vietnam-era howitzers that will be on display May 25-28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Garden City-based developer Vincent Polimeni came up with $25,000 to help cover the cost of the Memorial Day show. The airpower and armor exhibit will also feature a B-17 Flying Fortress and a Sherman tank.

"We can argue about work rules, hourly wages and a whole list of thorny issues," Polimeni said. "But there is no question there is a common bond between labor and management in honoring our veterans through these kinds of efforts. It puts everything else in perspective."