What July 4th Means to Workers in San Francisco and Nationwide
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Brothers, Sisters, and Friends,
As we gather with our families and friends this Fourth of July weekend, I want to wish each and every one of you a safe and happy Independence Day.
The Fourth of July is more than just a time for barbecues, parades, and fireworks. It's also a time to reflect on the values that define our country: freedom, opportunity, and the conviction that working people deserve a voice in shaping their future. These are ideals that have guided our nation since its founding.
The very same principles are at the heart of the labor movement.
Throughout our nation's history, unions have been the primary vehicle that has fought to ensure that the promise of America actually comes true for working families. Whether we're talking about reasonable work hours, safer job sites, fair wages, retirement security, or the right to collectively bargain, none of it happened by accident. These hard-won victories occurred thanks to the blood, sweat, and tears of generations of union members who stood together — often at their own peril — and demanded a better life for themselves, their children, and all of the workers who would come after them.
The story of America doesn't exist without the story of organized labor.
The men and women of the building trades have built the roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, transit systems, and public infrastructure that keep this country moving forward. Here in San Francisco, our members have literally shaped the skyline of this great city, and they continue to build the projects that future generations will depend upon.
And there's one fact that we've never apologized for and that we've never compromised on: Ours is union city to the core. That's something that we should all be tremendously proud of, and something that the rest of the country can look to for inspiration.
At a time when working people nationwide are being left behind, standing firm in the values that have sustained the labor movement for generations is more important now than ever. Solidarity, fairness, and looking out for one another aren't simply union principles — they are American principles.
So, as we celebrate our nation's independence, let's also celebrate the union members down through the generations who have built this country. And let's continue to fight every day to make this a stronger nation that lives up to its values.
Happy Fourth of July.
In Solidarity,
Larry Mazzola Jr.
President, SF Building & Construction Trades Council