I am sure by now many of you have heard the incredibly sad news that we lost one of our sisters last week. Lisa Martin, who has been part of LIUNA since 2007, passed away on Wednesday evening following a tragic accident.

 

Lisa was an incredible friend and mentor to many people in this office, and had long and meaningful relationships with our affiliates across the country. Lisa truly understood how important it was to lift the voices of working people so they were front and center in the story of who we are as a union and country, and she was passionate about doing that work. She was particularly passionate about standing up for our most vulnerable members, and making sure that we stayed connected to the needs of our members.

 

Lisa embodied two of the most important words in the LIUNA oath: active and commitment. They were  etched on her work in every way. It is a pledge to not just believe something but to act on it and she was steadfast in meeting that pledge. I have known Lisa throughout my time at LIUNA and the building trades, and she was incredibly kind to me and everyone she encountered, but it was not passive–she was actively working all the time to make us better, and to make lives better.

 

In this tragic moment we are holding her family close–her husband, mother, two children and two stepchildren, and extended family that she helped care for. We honor them and honor her commitment to her community, and to working people across the country.

 

Thank you Lisa. We miss you already.