http://www.liuna.org/blog/rss/feedsThe Build America union - half a million strong fighting for better wages and benefits, safer job sites and greater opportunity.Tue, 05 May 2026 23:21:15 -0700http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/labor-day-is-our-day-1http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/labor-day-is-our-day-1On this Labor Day, we lay claim to a holiday meant to recognize the sacrifice, struggle and sweat of working men and women who have built our nations. It is workers and their unions who are on the frontlines, carrying us through economic ups and downs, through wars, and through pandemics, and none have done so willingly as the strong, proud and united members of LIUNA across the U.S. and Canada.This Labor Day finds a new day dawning in the United States, with the promise of a transformational investment that will finally repair our crumbling infrastructure and create good, LIUNA jobs. In both the United States and Canada, we are working to build a stronger middle-class, strengthen union rights, and looking forward to the eventual end of a pandemic that has destabilized and taken too many lives.Yet still, all too often the hopes, dreams and aspirations of working people continue to be crushed by barbaric anti-union campaigns, by racism and bigotry, by inequality and by greed. As LIUNA members, we stand ready to fight, and we know that for all that ails our nations, there is no quicker nor more certain cure than a union card.On this holiday, let us reclaim the true meaning of Labor Day and be inspired by the words of the militant union warrior and martyr Joe Hill, who so eloquently spoke of the power of workers united in solidarity, “If the workers took a notion they could stop all speeding trains; every ship upon the ocean they can tie with mighty chains.”It is through our union's strength and resolve that our nations thrive. May every LIUNA member feel the power, be the power and use the power! On behalf of myself, General Secretary-Treasurer Armand E. Sabitoni and the entire LIUNA General Executive Board, I wish you and your family a safe, meaningful and well-deserved Labor Day.Fri, 03 Sep 2021 09:00:00 -0700http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/memorial-dayhttp://www.liuna.org/blog/post/memorial-dayThis Memorial Day we will reflect on the sacrifices of those who have made it possible for our freedom and democracy to endure.As we have all struggled over the past year with the health, economic and social impacts of a global pandemic, the brave men and women of our armed forces, including thousands of LIUNA members, have quietly and nobly continued to fulfill their promise to protect our nation.I ask you to join me in a solemn salute to those who serve and have served, some making the ultimate sacrifice. We owe these patriots and heroes a debt of gratitude that can never truly be fully repaid. But we must commemorate our veterans by building an ever stronger union and country so that when their service has ended they return to opportunities to prosper.On behalf of myself, LIUNA General Secretary-Treasurer Armand E. Sabitoni, and the entire General Executive Board, I wish each and every one of you a meaningful and enjoyable Memorial Day.Fri, 28 May 2021 06:45:00 -0700http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/honoring-the-legacy-of-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-3http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/honoring-the-legacy-of-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-3Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of an America, in which all people are measured only by their character and by their actions, is more urgent than ever.As we approach the national holiday honoring his legacy, the scourge of racism and extremism remains all too alive. We need only look to recent events in our nation’s Capitol to see confirmation of the deep chasm between our highest ideals and deepest flaws.I, however, continue to share Dr. King's conviction that the “arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." We must not stand idly by waiting for others to do the work for us though. It's up to each of us as strong, proud, and united trade unionists and defenders of the rights of working men and women to work harder and faster to bend that arc. We must make our unions bigger, more active and stronger so the uplifting and equalizing power of collective bargaining contracts are available to all. We must speak out clearly, loudly and unequivocally against bias, bigotry and racism whether it is in our community or in our halls of power, from statehouses to the Halls of Congress and the White House.We can make Dr. King’s dream real so that every American, regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender, wealth or the lack of it, has equal rights and equal opportunity. But we have to act to achieve his dream.On behalf of myself, General Secretary-Treasurer Armand E. Sabitoni, and the entire LIUNA General Executive Board, I ask you to join me in continuing to fight for the legacy of Dr. King and his vision of a better America.Mon, 18 Jan 2021 07:14:00 -0700http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/honoring-the-legacy-of-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-4http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/honoring-the-legacy-of-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-4Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of an America, in which all people are measured only by their character and by their actions, is more urgent than ever.As we approach the national holiday honoring his legacy, the scourge of racism and extremism remains all too alive. We need only look to recent events in our nation’s Capitol to see confirmation of the deep chasm between our highest ideals and deepest flaws.I, however, continue to share Dr. King's conviction that the “arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." We must not stand idly by waiting for others to do the work for us though. It's up to each of us as strong, proud, and united trade unionists and defenders of the rights of working men and women to work harder and faster to bend that arc. We must make our unions bigger, more active and stronger so the uplifting and equalizing power of collective bargaining contracts are available to all. We must speak out clearly, loudly and unequivocally against bias, bigotry and racism whether it is in our community or in our halls of power, from statehouses to the Halls of Congress and the White House.We can make Dr. King’s dream real so that every American, regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender, wealth or the lack of it, has equal rights and equal opportunity. But we have to act to achieve his dream.On behalf of myself, General Secretary-Treasurer Armand E. Sabitoni, and the entire LIUNA General Executive Board, I ask you to join me in continuing to fight for the legacy of Dr. King and his vision of a better America.Mon, 18 Jan 2021 06:45:00 -0700http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/happy-thanksgiving-3http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/happy-thanksgiving-3The Thanksgiving Holiday season is upon us, a time filled with gratitude and hope for what is to come. While this year’s holiday will be different for many of us, we remain thankful for what sustains us: our families, our nation and our union. Many of us are struggling with loss and with the coronavirus’ threat to our safety, our economic well-being, and our ability to be with family and friends. How we live our lives has temporarily changed. And we are mindful of others struggling on this holiday – men, women and families who are serving in our Armed Forces far from home. We must keep them in our thoughts and prayers. We are hopeful because we know that we can face and overcome challenges as working people have always done. There is no doubt that the bond of family, country and union will see us through again. I personally am thankful and owe a debt of gratitude for the dedication, skills and hard work of every LIUNA member who continue to strengthen our union and our nation.On behalf of myself, General Secretary-Treasurer Armand E. Sabitoni and the entire General Executive Board, I wish each of our proud, strong and united LIUNA brothers and sisters a safe, meaningful and Happy Thanksgiving.Tue, 24 Nov 2020 07:00:00 -0700http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/honoring-the-legacy-of-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-2http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/honoring-the-legacy-of-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-2As we approach the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday, it is as important as ever that we reflect on his message and his mission anew.Dr. King literally gave his life struggling shoulder to shoulder with striking workers and their union. He denounced so-called “right to work” laws as false slogans designed to rob working people of civil rights and economic rights. And, he said, “It is a crime for people to live in this rich nation and receive starvation wages.”While our country and society have made great strides as Dr. King said, the “arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."We have more work to do to bending that arc so that every American, regardless ofreligion, ethnicity, gender, wealth or the lack of it, has equal rights. In a time of historic income inequality in our country, far too many working men and women must labor at two or more jobs, simply to try to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads.As Dr. King showed by his actions, uniting workers in unions is crucial to equality and economic justice. Dr. King was a legend in his day and remains a hero to this day. He was a man who dared to take on the injustices of his time but who in doing so paid with his life. He left us a legacy of courage that illustrates the best of of our nation. As a union and as a nation, we can honor him with our own efforts for social justice and let his dream guide our actions.On behalf of myself, General Secretary-Treasurer Armand E. Sabitoni, and the entire LIUNA General Executive Board, I hope you will join me in words and actions inspired by the incredible legacy of Dr. King.Fri, 17 Jan 2020 07:00:00 -0700http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/honoring-the-legacy-of-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-1http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/honoring-the-legacy-of-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-1Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was not only a leader who ushered in a movement for justice, peace and reconciliation, but a man who changed the course of history. As we approach his birthday, it is time to honor his legacy and rededicate ourselves to the movement he helped launch. To this day, the work Dr. King started, shapes our efforts and aspirations to build a more just and fair world and forge a nation where opportunity and prosperity are shared equally by all.While all Americans have much to be thankful to Dr. King for, we owe a special debt for the work he did to advance the American Labor movement. Dr. King was firmly committed to the cause of working people and believed that the cause of labor was inextricably linked with racial justice and civil rights. From the first days of the Montgomery Bus Boycott that brought him to national attention, to that tragic night in Memphis nearly 13 years later, Dr. King worked hand-in-hand with local and national labor leaders. Indeed, it was a local leader of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, E.D. Nixon, who recruited a young Reverend Dr. King to lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott. In 1961, he denounced so-called “right-to-work” laws as “false slogans” designed “to rob us of our civil rights and job rights.”While great progress has been made in the decades since his death, there is still work to be done. In Dr. King’s own words to galvanize striking sanitation workers in Memphis, “We’ve got to give ourselves to this struggle until the end. Nothing would be more tragic than to stop at this point in Memphis. We’ve got to see it through.” Dr. King literally gave his life fighting shoulder to shoulder with the labor movement. It's up to each every one of us to build on his legacy, speak truth to power, fight for our livelihoods and ensure that workers’ rights and one's civil rights are respected.On behalf of myself, General Secretary-Treasurer Armand E. Sabitoni and the entire LIUNA General Executive Board, I wish you a happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend and hope that you join me in taking inspiration from his incredible legacy.Fri, 18 Jan 2019 11:01:00 -0700http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/happy-holidays-from-liuna-1http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/happy-holidays-from-liuna-1 As this year comes to an end, I want to take a moment on behalf of myself, General Secretary-Treasurer Armand E. Sabitoni and the entire LIUNA Executive Board to wish each and every member of our union family the best of the Holiday Season and a Happy New Year.This season is a time to reflect and to look ahead. It has been a landmark year for LIUNA, as our great International Union has continued to grow both in numbers and in strength, increasing our ability to fight for good jobs with the good pay and benefits necessary to sustain our families.Across the U.S. and Canada, the day-in and day-out dedication and commitment of our half-million strong membership and leadership has continued to place us among the most effective, respected, and powerful of labor organizations.As we take into account our accomplishments this year and move proudly on to the next, I am certain that our best days are ahead of us with even greater opportunities ahead.To each of you and your families, I wish you a safe, healthy and prosperous 2019. Thu, 20 Dec 2018 07:32:00 -0700http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/happy-thanksgiving-2http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/happy-thanksgiving-2There is much to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving Holiday, not the least of which is the strength of LIUNA, which allows us to care for ourselves and our families. Personally, I am thankful for the work, skills, and dedication of each and every one of our half-million members. You build and strengthen not only our union, but also make our country a better place through your efforts on the job and in your communities.As we give thanks and share time with our families and friends, let us also remember those who are not sharing our good holiday fortunes – those in the armed forces far from home, those struggling with personal loss or with other challenges. Let us always remember them and commit ourselves to salute those who keep us safe and to help those in need.On behalf of myself, General Secretary-Treasurer Armand E. Sabitoni and the entire LIUNA General Executive Board, I wish each and every one of you and your families a safe, meaningful and enjoyable holiday. Wed, 21 Nov 2018 05:13:00 -0700http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/in-remembrance-of-veterans-3http://www.liuna.org/blog/post/in-remembrance-of-veterans-3On behalf of the LIUNA General Executive Board and the 500,000 men and women of LIUNA, I would like to use this Veterans Day and Remembrance Day to salute the men and women who serve, and have served, in the armed forces across the United States and Canada.We recognize the incredible achievements and the sacrifices our service members and veterans have made for us all. We honor those who gave their lives to protect the freedom enjoyed by their fellow citizens, and we honor those who were wounded or taken prisoner. The courage of these men and women will never be forgotten.LIUNA is extremely proud of its brothers and sisters who are veterans. In the 113 years since its founding, our members have time and again answered the call to defend freedom and democracy, not just for the United States and Canada, but for people across the world. They have inspired generations of people, and for decades they have helped strengthen this International Union. Through Helmets to Hardhats and other means, we will continue to recruit veterans and do everything we possibly can to help them as they build rewarding careers.Let us thank the veterans in our lives and our LIUNA brothers and sisters who have served. Let’s tell them how much we honor and respect them, not only on this day, but every day. Let’s vow never to forget all those who have served our countries and sacrificed their lives to protect us. We are in their debt. Sun, 11 Nov 2018 07:02:00 -0700