It is with gratefulness for our past and excitement for our union’s future that I wish the members for the Keystone + Mountain + Lakes Regional Council of Carpenters and their families a safe and happy Labor Day. This is a time to reflect on not only how far workers rights have come, but also to understand the work we have to do. 

Our members are the best trained, most skilled, and hardest working people in the construction industry. Each day they show up on job sites and pour their blood, sweat, and tears into days that begin before the sun comes up and end just in time to get home to family and friends. It is hard-working Americans like this that deserve to be treated fairly and provided the opportunity to make a good living. We understand this and continue to work to make this reality. 

125 years ago, Peter J. McGuire’ established a national holiday to celebrate the working men and women of America. Today, Labor Day is a time to think about how fortunate we are that the leaders of our past fought and organized for issues so important to us. Without them, we would not have an 8-hour day, 40-hour workweek, safety standards, and more. Sometimes it may seem the battle for workers’ rights is over. However, our vigilance has never been more necessary than today. 

Though the tactics are new, the campaign is still the same. Right-to-Work legislation, the dismantling of prevailing wage laws and Davis-Bacon protections, and tax fraud practices are all means to take jobs away from our hard-working members and reduce our fair wages. This battle will never end. However, we are ready to uphold the legacy of Peter J. McGuire by continuing to fight for our rights!