[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 54 (Monday, April 16, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E531]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING PHILIP AMERIS AND CAROL COULTAS FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING WORK 
     ON BEHALF OF THE WORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARK S. CRITZ

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 16, 2012

  Mr. CRITZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize two dedicated champions 
of the American worker for receiving an award for outstanding labor 
leadership. Each year, the Allegheny County Labor Council confers its 
Labor's Man of the Year and Labor's Woman of the Year Awards on one 
male and one female who have worked passionately and effectively to 
advance the cause of organized labor in western Pennsylvania. This 
year's Labor's Man of the Year is Philip Ameris, President and Business 
Manager of the Laborers' District Council of Western Pennsylvania. 
Labor's Woman of the Year for 2012 is Carol Coultas, a longtime servant 
of western Pennsylvania's labor movement, who most recently served as 
Executive Vice President of Communication Workers of America (CWA) 
Local 13500. The enthusiasm with which these two individuals have 
worked to advance the material wellbeing and workplace safety of 
hardworking Americans over the years is a tribute to their integrity 
and selflessness.
  In 1994, Philip Ameris was appointed a Field Representative for 
Laborers International Union of North America Local 1058. Since then, 
he has risen through the ranks on account of his outstanding managerial 
and organizational skills. In his current post, he oversees the Labor 
District Council of Western Pennsylvania's efforts to provide fair 
working conditions and wages to the hardworking men and women who build 
and maintain western Pennsylvania's physical infrastructure.
  Mr. Ameris also holds leadership positions on several prominent labor 
boards. He serves as Chairman of the Western Pennsylvania Laborers' 
Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, Chairman of the Western 
Pennsylvania Laborers' Education and Training Trust Fund, Chairman of 
the Laborers' Combined Funds of Western Pennsylvania Pension and 
Welfare Funds and Chairman of the Western Pennsylvania Laborers' 
Political Action Fund.
  An 8th degree black belt, Mr. Ameris is the founder of several 
martial arts instruction programs for young children. He has served as 
a martial arts instructor to the children within his own programs for 
the last 30 years.
  Mr. Ameris has been married to his wife Jeanne for the last 30 years. 
He and Jeanne have two sons--Philip, Jr. and Jimmy--who are both proud 
members of the Laborers' International Union of America.
  Carol Coultas is a 30-year veteran of the Communications Workers of 
America. In addition to having served as Executive Vice President of 
CWA Local 13500, she has been the President of the CWA Local 13051 
Retired Members Council and Executive Vice President Emeritus of the 
CWA Local 13500. Ms. Coultas has also served as a board member of the 
Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans, a trustee and delegate to 
the Allegheny County Labor Council and a member of Jobs for Justice.
  Ms. Coultas began her career as a Long Distance Telephone Operator 
for the Bell Telephone Company in 1944. She first became a member of 
CWA when she went to work in Bell's Special Accounts Business Office. 
From that moment on, she has worked with the utmost passion to protect 
the rights and the livelihoods of working families and seniors.
  In addition to being a dedicated advocate for active and retired 
American workers, Ms. Coultas is also a devoted wife to her husband 
Ronald--a Vietnam veteran and retired National Guardsman--loving mother 
to her daughter Bernadette and proud grandmother to her grandchildren 
David and Emily.
  Mr. Speaker, all of us should strive to replicate the passion for 
serving others that Phil Ameris and Carol Coultas have exhibited 
throughout their distinguished careers as labor leaders. I want to 
congratulate them on receiving such a well-deserved honor.

                          ____________________