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A Labor Day Message from President Edwin D. Hill

September 5, 2009

Last Labor Day, the North American labor movement stood at a decisive political crossroad demanding answers to fundamental questions.

Would public policy emanating from Washington, D.C. continue to be skewed in the direction of protecting the wealthiest and most powerful Americans? Or would a new president and a new Congress see their role as offering prosperity and opportunity to working families?

In November, those questions were answered by the hard work of thousands of our members and Americans from all walks of life. We were richly rewarded with the election of a dynamic new president who hit the ground running to address the severe economic circumstances facing so many working families.

The Obama Administration immediately reversed the prior administration's hostility to project labor agreements, strengthened workplace safety standards and toughened enforcement of other labor protections. A new Congress-including many new members elected through grassroots efforts-pushed through a stimulus package which still holds hope of putting tens of thousands of Americans back to work.

Despite these efforts, the economic crisis-that started under and was fueled by the policies of the past administration-has continued to result in high unemployment and significant pain to many of our own members and to working families across the nation.

It is understandable that on Labor Day 2009, many union members are discouraged and questioning whether their hopes for the future-the hopes they voted for in November-will ever be realized.

It might sound ironic, but the key to our future lies in the spirit of the past. It was not so long ago that being a member of a trade union meant much more than just a card you carried in your pocket or a place to call when you had a problem on the job. It was part of the very fabric of the lives of those who belonged. It was something that involved the family and the community. The union hall wasn't just a place where meetings were held and business was conducted. It was the center of a vibrant social life too. In short, it was a movement.

This tradition lives on in many locals, but as our society has become more fragmented and our lives have become increasingly hectic, that fabric shows signs of wear. When our society became more affluent-due in no small part to the efforts of organized labor-the right-wing philosophy of "me first" took root, even among those who labor for a living.

The current crisis has caused many Americans to reexamine those values. Families and communities once again have to pull together to deal with the pain of layoffs and foreclosures. And, despite the media's exaggerated reporting on town hall meetings on health care reform, there is a renewed sense among many North Americans that government is not the enemy, but needs to be part of a balanced solution.

We need to make the labor movement-and our union in particular-a vital force in our members' lives once again. It is time for new spirit of labor activism, not just among the dedicated few, but among the many. We need to foster a spirit where being a union member in 2009 is much like being a union member in 1909 - when your Brotherhood needs you, you are there. That's the only way to deal with powerful adversaries who want us to fail.

Confronting the future will not be easy, brothers and sisters. Many of us will have to leave our comfort zones. But a better future can be won if we are open to new ideas and new tactics to make our union a vital necessity to the next generation of American workers.

This Labor Day, let's renew our commitment to pulling together and carrying the IBEW to a new day of success and justice for our members and all working men and women.