Memorial Day was a day of remembrance. A solemn opportunity to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. Their courage secured freedoms that many of us take for granted. As we reflect on their commitment, we are reminded that preserving those freedoms requires more than gratitude. It requires action.
For middle-class working people, that action is given shape through solidarity. It is no coincidence that the same values of service and courage we honored on Memorial Day were those that built the labor movement. Trade unions were founded on the belief that workers who stand together can accomplish extraordinary things. Union workers fought for the eight-hour workday, the weekend, safer workplaces, fair wages, pensions, healthcare and dignity on the job. They fought not just for their union brothers and sisters, but for all workers.
The American middle class was built by hardworking people who demanded fairness and won thanks to their grit and the power of collective action. When workers have a voice, wages rise, families buy homes and communities grow stronger. Generations that come after us have greater opportunities because of the promise that hard work can lead to a stable, affordable and dignified life. That promise is one of the most important freedoms we have to defend today.
Protecting the middle class means investing in its future. That is why recruiting and training the next generation of skilled tradespeople is one of the most important responsibilities we have as a trades union. The Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters (NMRCC) is committed to opening doors for young people and career changers to access good union jobs. This past weekend, we hosted a Carpenters Combine in partnership with the Detroit Tigers. More than 650 job seekers came to Comerica Park to take their swing at becoming union carpenters and millwrights.
Through hiring events like this, apprenticeship opportunities and outreach in our communities, we are building tomorrow’s workforce and ensuring that the opportunities previous generations fought to create remain available for generations to come.
Following Memorial Day, we remember that the freedoms our service members defend include the right to build better lives. Every apprentice trained, every safe job site and every family lifted into the middle class help strengthen the country they fought to protect.
Let us remember those who served not only with words, but through their deeds. Let us recommit ourselves to building an America worthy of their sacrifice. The men and women who gave their lives for our country call us to stand together, fight for fairness and continue the work of building a stronger nation for generations to come.
Tom Lutz is Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters.
Labor Voices
Labor Voices columns are written on a rotating basis by United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, Michigan Education Association President Chandra Madafferi, Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters Executive Secretary-Treasurer Tom Lutz and selected Service Employees International Union members.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Honoring those who served by investing in America’s workers | Labor Voices
Reporting by Tom Lutz / The Detroit News
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