As we enjoy the sights and sounds of the 2023 Chicago St. Patrick’s Day
Parade, the importance of Recognizing Workers’ Rights is something to be honored and
celebrated! Workers’ rights are so important for workers in all the neighborhoods of Chicago and the suburbs and across Illinois! Having a good paying job, benefits, and
safer workplaces is good for workers and also strengthens our communities and our state and local economy.
Business Manager James F. Coyne, the Parade Committee and Plumbers Local
130 are all proud of the “Recognizing Workers’ Rights” theme of the 2023 Chicago St.
Patrick’s Year’s Parade. During the pandemic, there were so many essential workers
who rose to the occasion. These workers included plumbers, carpenters, cement
masons, electricians, iron workers, sheet metal workers, and our 2022 St.
Patrick’s Day Queen Kelly Leyden, who is also a Chicago Police Officer and so
many more! They were, in fact, vital to the essential functions of economy and our
society. It was their work contributions that greatly contributed to us getting on the other
side of the pandemic. They unequivocally deserve to have their workers’ rights protected.
It has always been the American Dream to be able to put in a good day’s work
and to achieve a middle class life and, of course, take care of one’s family. We all want
to make sure that we lay the foundation for future generations have opportunities to
strive at their jobs.
We are proud that Unions have historically led the battle for living
wages, quality healthcare and retirement benefits. Illinois continues to be a national
leader in the labor movement. So, with this year’s theme, it is fitting that the Grand
Marshal for the 2023 St. Patrick’s Day Parade is Tim Drea, President of the
Illinois AFL-CIO.
As we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, we can all be proud that, this past
November, we witnessed a historic election for working labor in Illinois. We could not
have hoped for a better outcome with the passage of the Workers’ Rights Amendment
that will now become part of the Illinois Constitution. With the passage of WRA, workers
in Illinois will all be guaranteed the fundamental right to bargain collectively over wages,
hours and things like workplace safety. This new amendment also prohibits any new law
that interferes with negates, or diminishes the rights of employees to organize, bargain
collectively over wages, hours or other things like workplace safety.
“We salute and recognize all the workers of Illinois. We must all continue to work
together to guard worker’s rights,” said Business Manager James F. Coyne. “The work
that is being done to protect workers’ rights should be viewed as a win for Union Labor,
the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois. We all do better when workers’ rights are protected.
I have no doubt that together, we will succeed and thrive.”
Parade, the importance of Recognizing Workers’ Rights is something to be honored and
celebrated! Workers’ rights are so important for workers in all the neighborhoods of Chicago and the suburbs and across Illinois! Having a good paying job, benefits, and
safer workplaces is good for workers and also strengthens our communities and our state and local economy.
Business Manager James F. Coyne, the Parade Committee and Plumbers Local
130 are all proud of the “Recognizing Workers’ Rights” theme of the 2023 Chicago St.
Patrick’s Year’s Parade. During the pandemic, there were so many essential workers
who rose to the occasion. These workers included plumbers, carpenters, cement
masons, electricians, iron workers, sheet metal workers, and our 2022 St.
Patrick’s Day Queen Kelly Leyden, who is also a Chicago Police Officer and so
many more! They were, in fact, vital to the essential functions of economy and our
society. It was their work contributions that greatly contributed to us getting on the other
side of the pandemic. They unequivocally deserve to have their workers’ rights protected.
It has always been the American Dream to be able to put in a good day’s work
and to achieve a middle class life and, of course, take care of one’s family. We all want
to make sure that we lay the foundation for future generations have opportunities to
strive at their jobs.
We are proud that Unions have historically led the battle for living
wages, quality healthcare and retirement benefits. Illinois continues to be a national
leader in the labor movement. So, with this year’s theme, it is fitting that the Grand
Marshal for the 2023 St. Patrick’s Day Parade is Tim Drea, President of the
Illinois AFL-CIO.
As we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, we can all be proud that, this past
November, we witnessed a historic election for working labor in Illinois. We could not
have hoped for a better outcome with the passage of the Workers’ Rights Amendment
that will now become part of the Illinois Constitution. With the passage of WRA, workers
in Illinois will all be guaranteed the fundamental right to bargain collectively over wages,
hours and things like workplace safety. This new amendment also prohibits any new law
that interferes with negates, or diminishes the rights of employees to organize, bargain
collectively over wages, hours or other things like workplace safety.
“We salute and recognize all the workers of Illinois. We must all continue to work
together to guard worker’s rights,” said Business Manager James F. Coyne. “The work
that is being done to protect workers’ rights should be viewed as a win for Union Labor,
the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois. We all do better when workers’ rights are protected.
I have no doubt that together, we will succeed and thrive.”