[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 104 (Thursday, June 21, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4337-S4338]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO JORGE RAMIREZ

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I want to take a few minutes to thank 
Jorge Ramirez for his extraordinary service to the city of Chicago. 
Earlier this year, Jorge announced that after 12 years at the Chicago 
Federation of Labor--8 as president--that he will be retiring at the 
end of the month.
  Jorge's story is the story of the American Dream. The son of Mexican 
immigrants, Jorge Ramirez attended high school in Texas and was a 4-
year letterman in football at the University of Texas El Paso, where he 
earned a double major in marketing and computer information systems. In 
2006, Jorge joined the Chicago Federation of Labor as its secretary-
treasurer and, four years later, became its first Latino president.
  Jorge Ramirez is a trailblazer, but anyone who knows his father, 
Ruben, a Chicagoland legend, wouldn't be surprised. Ruben was the 
Ramirez's family original Labor leader, spending four decades as a 
member, officer, and in 1993 becoming the first and only Latino 
president for United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 100A, 
Chicago's meatpacking union. You could say organized Labor is in 
Jorge's blood.
  Jorge watched his father closely and learned important values and 
principles that would serve him well throughout his career. As 
president, Ruben made sure the leadership of Local 100A mirrored the 
members they served by including women and men of all backgrounds on 
the Union's executive board. Inclusivity and respect for

[[Page S4338]]

all people became an ideal Ruben and his wife, Sarah, later instilled 
in their children. Just ask Jorge's fellow Labor leaders, the people 
who know him best: ``For Jorge, every day is a another chance for him 
to fight for dignity and respect for workers and nothing will ever stop 
him from doing what is right and just.'' That is a legacy I know Ruben 
and Sarah are proud of.
  Under Jorge Ramirez's leadership, the Chicago Federation of Labor 
helped the city avoid massive layoffs, pushed an $8.5 billion plan 
through, city council, expanding O'Hare Airport and creating 60,000 new 
jobs. He partnered with the mayor to guarantee O'Hare employees a 
living wage and paid sick leave. Jorge's efforts on behalf of Chicago's 
working women and men also resulted in raising the minimum wage to $13 
an hour by 2019.
  Last summer, Jorge led a labor investment group that bought the 
Chicago Sun-Times, breathing new life into the paper, returning it to 
its roots, and giving working families a voice. Jorge believes a paper 
for and by these families is fitting in Chicago, home of the American 
labor movement and the place that gave us the iconic Studs Terkel and 
Upton Sinclair's classic, ``The Jungle.'' Thank you, Jorge, for helping 
save the Sun-Times, one of Chicago's beloved institutions, and 
preserving one of the last two-newspaper cities in America.
  Last month, after announcing his intention to step down, one of 
Chicago's union leaders gave what Jorge called the ultimate compliment, 
telling him he had left the Chicago Federation of Labor ``in a 
condition that's better than what [he] found it in.'' Jorge Ramirez 
will be missed, but his fellow Labor leaders are right. He is leaving 
the Chicago Federation of Labor stronger than ever and in the capable 
hands of its secretary-treasurer, Robert Reiter.
  Fortunately for Chicago, Jorge isn't going far. He will remain as the 
Chicago Sun-Times board chairman and plans to stay for as long as they 
will have him. They would be wise to keep him at the helm for as long 
as he would like. Jorge Ramirez has earned it.
  I want to close by congratulating Jorge Ramirez on his distinguished 
career and thank him for all he has done and all he will continue to 
do, but for all his professional accomplishments, Jorge's biggest 
achievement is his family. A father of four young boys--Marino, John 
Paul, Antonio, and Santino--Jorge has sacrificed time with them to make 
things better for countless men, women, and less fortunate children 
across our dear city. Lastly, I need to thank his wonderful wife, 
Catrina, for sharing so much of Jorge's time with the city of Chicago. 
Chicago is grateful for all of their service and sacrifice. Now, as 
they enter the next chapter in their life, I want to wish my friend 
Jorge and his beautiful family all the best.

                          ____________________