As LIUNA members, Labor Day means more than attending parades or firing up the grill. Labor Day commemorates the struggles and sacrifices of the American working class. It is a day to honor work, not to revel in the absence of it.

This past year has been a good one for LIUNA and the legions of hard-working men and women who keep our nation strong. We build as LIUNA members, and that’s exactly what we have the opportunity to do through the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that President Biden signed into law last November. Some of the first projects have begun, and we are going to see even more projects in the coming years in roads, railways, bridges, broadband internet and more, finally delivering on the promises made by politicians of both parties for far too long. We also achieved long-awaited pension protection and updates to Davis-Bacon prevailing wages that are critical for working families.

Of the many things that have returned since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a passive workforce is not one of them. The union approval rating is at the highest it's been in nearly 60 years. Workers across the country have petitioned for union elections at record rates over the past year, challenging some of the biggest companies and earning a seat at the negotiating table. We salute those workers and we stand by them.

Despite these major achievements, there are still people who make it their mission to undercut workers every chance they get. Over the past year, we have fought legislation aimed to restrict project labor agreements and prevailing wages, and we will keep fighting until every worker is guaranteed a living wage and fair benefits.

To all working families and especially the men and women of our LIUNA family who work so hard day in and day out, we wish you a Happy Labor Day.