[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 10, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E342-E343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING AL SHUR: LABOR LEADER OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB FILNER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 10, 2010

  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, in his more than four decades of union 
activism, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 569 
Business Manager Al Shur has earned a well-deserved reputation as 
labor's ``greenest'' leader.
  Al, a member of IBEW since 1967, quickly distinguished himself 
through his political involvement as a rank-and-file member. His 
activism eventually led him to serve on Local 569's executive board 
until being elected business manager in 1995.
  As business manager, Al has supported development and construction 
that focuses on improving job quality, the community and the 
environment.
  Under Al's leadership, IBEW Local 569 has been an outspoken advocate 
for responsible, sustainable development, as well as serving as a model 
for using green technologies in the construction industry.
  IBEW Local 569's offices and training center proudly display a vast 
network of solar panels which allow the union to operate almost 
completely free of a traditional power grid.
  Al has also worked tirelessly to build relationships with San Diego's 
environmental leaders through his work with organizations such as the 
Apollo Alliance, the Environmental Health Coalition and San Diego 
Coastkeeper.

[[Page E343]]

  By working together, the partnership between the labor movement and 
the environmentalist has become a powerful force for change in San 
Diego and Imperial Counties.
  For his dedication to building alliances between labor and the 
environmental community, the Executive Board of the Labor Council has 
named Al Shur our 2009-2010 ``Labor Leader of the Year.''

                          ____________________