[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 12 (Friday, January 16, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E47]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING CYNTHIA ANN RODRIGUES

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM R. KEATING

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 16, 2026

  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the life of 
Cynthia Ann Rodrigues of Westport, Massachusetts.
  Born to parents, Joseph and Laurine Botelho, Cynthia was raised in 
Fall River, Massachusetts, where she gained a passion for protecting 
workers' rights from a young age. At 16, Cynthia began working in the 
garment industry as a machine operator and became an active organizer 
with her union, the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, 
which eventually became UNITE-HERE, AFL-CIO.
  Cynthia's people skills and competence helped her to efficiently 
resolve disagreements on the shop floor, which quickly gained her 
recognition among her colleagues. Over the years, she continued to move 
through the ranks of the union, starting as a steward and eventually 
becoming a business agent, notably one of the first female business 
agents on the New England Joint Board. Throughout her decades with 
UNITE-HERE, AFL-CIO, Cynthia established English classes in union shops 
across New England and was responsible for managing and overseeing the 
collective bargaining agreements of over 1,500 members across the New 
England region. After working as a business agent for 22 years, Cynthia 
retired from UNITE-HERE, AFL-CIO in 2005, but she never fully retired 
from her work as a labor activist and organizer.
  For 30 years, Cynthia served as the President of the Greater 
Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council and was elected Secretary-
Treasurer of the New Bedford/Cape Cod Labor Council prior to her role 
as president. Additionally, she was Vice President of the Massachusetts 
AFL-CIO, representing Southeastern Massachusetts until 2017, and served 
on the Steering Committee and Advisory Board of the University of 
Massachusetts Dartmouth Labor Education Center.
  Sadly, we lost Cynthia too soon at the age of 81 on January 1, 2026. 
In addition to her impactful work as a union organizer, Cynthia enjoyed 
spending time with her friends and loved ones, camping, playing Bingo, 
and supporting the Wish Come True organization and was the beloved wife 
of the late John Rodrigues.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Cynthia Rodrigues, and I ask that my 
colleagues join me in recognizing her commitment to supporting and 
advancing workers' rights and bettering the lives of those around her.

                          ____________________