[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 25, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E569]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 25, 2003

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I know that all Members 
of the House of Representatives will want to join me in saluting the 
Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) on the 100th 
anniversary of its founding. LIUNA, through its millions of members 
over the years, has long played a vital role in building America 
through the construction of highways, bridges, dams and power plants, 
factories, office buildings, schools, churches, hospitals, apartments, 
and houses throughout the country.
  The first president of the AFL-CIO, Samuel Gompers, convened the 
meeting in April, 1903, that resulted in the creation of the 
International Hod Carriers' and Building Laborers' Union of America. 
That union represented just 8,000 workers. In 1965, the name was 
changed to the Laborers' International Union of North America to 
reflect the expansion of the union beyond the construction field.
  Today, LIUNA consists of approximately 800,000 members in more than 
650 locals throughout the country. LIUNA members work in a wide variety 
of fields including local, state and federal governments, health care, 
shipbuilding and hazardous waste removal.
  LIUNA is one of the most innovative unions in the labor movement, 
with state of the art training centers across North America. LIUNA has 
repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to protecting the rights of 
laborers and is among the most successful unions at organizing within 
the labor federation today.
  LIUNA's success is predicated on the protection and promotion of its 
members--goals that are achieved through the dedication and hard work 
of union officers and their representatives working at all levels of 
government. The efforts of these men and women to protect and enhance 
the welfare of LIUNA's members serves to better the lives of all 
workers throughout the United States.
  LIUNA's efforts to raise the standard of living for laborers are 
deserving of our attention and admiration. This is an extraordinary 
union whose leadership works hard every day to protect members' health 
and safety, provide laborers a strong voice in the workplace, provide 
extensive skill training to empower members to reach their full 
potential, and perhaps most importantly, to ensure dignity, respect and 
security for laborers in the workplace.
  Mr. Speaker, I join LIUNA's officers and members in celebrating their 
100th Anniversary, and I salute the work of the Laborers International 
Union of North America. I encourage my colleagues to similarly respect 
the positive impacts LIUNA has had within their home districts and 
states, and I encourage them to express their support of this historic 
anniversary.

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