A Message from Business Manager Chris Erikson Jr.
Labor Day normally means a weekend of rest and relaxation, celebrating workers, and tens of thousands of union members marching up 5th Avenue the following Saturday. This year, however, the NYC Central Labor Council is doing things a little differently due to the timing of the 9/11 anniversary and Rosh Hashanah. On Tuesday, September 8th, after work, union members in NYC are going to take to the streets and proclaim loudly that our City is still a union town. We’ve built it, and we continue moving forward every day despite the attacks that Labor has endured for over 40 years. The work outlook remains strong, and Local 3 will keep organizing and growing our ranks to gain a stronger position in the electrical industry and in our City. Come out on September 8th, sisters and brothers, grab this year's Local 3 Labor Day hat, and let's stand shoulder to shoulder with the Labor Movement in NYC. It’s our chance to remind the Mayor, other elected officials, businesses, developers, and contractors that this is our City and working people have the power and ability to make positive change for ourselves through strong unions and collective bargaining.
An important piece of the rally and march on September 8th will be acknowledging the 25th anniversary of 9/11, as we honor the workers who died that day and those who helped with the rescue and recovery efforts and the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site. Our union has pledged that we will never forget the seventeen Local 3 members and four Local 1212 brothers who were murdered on 9/11 nor the 34 Local 3 brothers so far who have since perished from 9/11-related illnesses due to exposure to the toxic air at the site. At the General Membership meeting on September 10th, we will be unveiling a new plaque that Local 3 has commissioned to be placed on the Plaza near the existing 9/11 Memorial. This new plaque will include the names of the 21 IBEW members lost on 9/11 and the names of the brothers lost since, as many of our members continue to suffer from 9/11-related illnesses.
Several important events will commemorate the anniversary, including a Mass for Building and Construction Trades members with Fr. Brian Jordan at the Workers’ Chapel in midtown on September 11th, for all workers on September 12th, and a HEART 9/11 event at the World Trade Center site on September 15th honoring construction workers and first responders. Please find the time to participate and take a minute to reflect on that day, how far we have come since then, and the sacrifices made by so many to ensure we continue to build back up 25 years later.
