From the Desk of the President: Honoring Those Who Labor
Friday, August 31, 2012(National President William R. Dougan)
We
celebrate the proud history of all workers
across the country this Labor Day. No
matter what your job is, the collective efforts
of us all make this nation strong and
safe.
On this
day, we acknowledge the contributions of the
men and women who came before us; who toiled
and sacrificed to build the great nation we
have inherited from them. When we
survey the legacy given to us, we stand on the
shoulders of giants.
Despite
our bountiful inheritance, millions of our
brothers and sisters remain on the unemployment
rolls. They struggle to find the basic dignity
and self-worth that comes from being employed
and knowing they are contributing to the
greater good. Their struggle is our struggle;
an injury to one is an injury to all.
The
labor movement has always played an important
role in protecting the inherent dignity of work
and the rights of those who labor. The election
this November is a call to action for each of
us as members of that movement.
We must
work to elect candidates who believe in and
support the issues that are important to
working men and women:
creating and sustaining an economy that
provides jobs for all who need work; providing
for the ability to earn a living wage and
benefits that help protect our family and
provide for a retirement when we reach the end
of our working career; and the belief that
working men and women in this country and
around the world are worthy of respect for
their accomplishments.
This Labor Day, let us commit to translating our hope for a better, more just nation, into action.
William
R. Dougan
National
President