Annual Labor Resource Dinner Honors AFL-CIO President John Sweeney

More than 300 members of union and labor coalitions gathered on May 8 at the Boston Teachers Union Hall for the 23rd annual awards and scholarship dinner of UMass Boston's Labor Resource Center (LRC) to celebrate the achievements of their peers and community partners. The critical importance of publicly funded education and coalition building were prominent topics of discussion at the event, themed "Together We Can Move Mountains. A Celebration of Labor and Community Alliances for Justice."

"It was a significant opportunity for organized labor to establish common ground and build bridges with community allies," said Pat Reeve, LRC director, of the only annual event for these coalitions. The program not only included addresses by prominent leaders such as AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, Sandy Felder, national field representative for AFL-CIO New England Region, and Pete Capano, executive board member of IUW/CWA Local 201, but also featured music by the Chorus of Workman's Circle, a presentation of Labor Studies Program Scholarships, and awards for labor representatives and their community partners.

Considered by many to have dramatically altered the trajectory of the U.S. labor movement with his leadership, AFL-CIO's John Sweeney received the Chancellor's medal at the event and gave a "call to action" speech to the crowd. Reeve said, 'sweeney emphasized the necessity of engaging productively and over time with community allies and of strengthening the education and organization of the U.S. workforce."

Sweeney pointed out how recent economic developments have further eroded the long-term security and financial status of the American family. Chancellor Jo Ann Gora presented Sweeney with the award, commending his address and echoing her own belief in the importance of advocacy for public higher education and sustainable economic development.

Reeve noted that this year's event was an opportunity for the Labor Resource Center to recognize the achievements of labor studies students who achieved academic excellence and labor bodies that forged enduring and reciprocal relationships with community partners during the previous years.

Labor award recipients included the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades DC 35, Massachusetts Jobs with Justice, SEIU Local 254's Justice for Janitors Campaign, and the United Food and Commercial's Worker's Voice@Work campaign.

Community partners included the Boston Student Labor Action Project, Brazilian Immigrant Center, Brockton Immigrant Center, Essex County Community Organizations, Gay and Lesbian Labor Activists Network/Pride at Work, Irish Immigration Center, Jewish Labor Committee, La Coalicion Latina, and the National Organization of Women, Boston.

UMass Boston's Tom Goodkind, Diane Dujon, and Wendy Gordon also were recognized for their work to build union solidarity and support public higher education.

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