A Message from Business Manager Chris Erikson
On a light note, I want to wish all of you a healthy, happy, and joyous holiday season. Regardless of your personal beliefs or your religion, it is my hope that these holidays bring peace and love into your lives and your families as well. To those who are alone or struggling, I pray that you can find some comfort and know that there is an answer and help for whatever you’re facing. Help is there for you, like the Members Assistance Program through Local 3 and the Joint Industry Board. If you know someone who might be struggling, the holidays are a time to reach out and see if they need help.
Prayer is powerful, yet the human race seems more stressed today than ever. Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are humanitarian crises; poverty; disease; the evil of mass shootings; the scourge of addiction; and the pain of losing someone you love to an overdose, suicide, or cancer. All of these are overwhelming.
Did I say on a light note? Forgive me. Forgive me for being fearful of what’s happening, especially in our country. We are being torn apart at the seams, and what’s driving that is a movement that is pitted against everything that once made America the envy of the world — a place, an idea, a democracy. A country that was welcoming to those who sought a better life, a place where the values of liberty and justice really meant for all, inalienable rights for all. Is it over, was it all for nothing? All the work and the sacrifices to nurture it, to protect it so that it endures for generations to come. If we are divided, we are weak, and if we are weak, then we are vulnerable. God help the children and their children.
I know what I will be praying for this holiday season. For now we close a tough year for many of our members, and in 2024 we will turn the page. Our challenges are great, yet I am thankful for all that we have. I am thankful for the members of our great union, who support it and stand together in the face of adversity. I’m thankful for all of our members who volunteered hundreds of hours this holiday season, helping those less fortunate. I am thankful for the benefits we enjoy that help support us all, especially in tough times. I know that together, we will move forward, as long as we stay united and strong. Happy holidays, brothers and sisters. God bless Local 3!
