SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois AFL-CIO honored three Illinois General Assembly members for their outstanding contributions to working Illinoisans at the organization’s annual “Labor Salutes” awards ceremony.
“Tonight, we have the opportunity to recognize our leaders in the General Assembly who are tireless advocates for the working people of Illinois,” remarked Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea. “These individuals were chosen for their outstanding accomplishments to advance a pro-worker agenda in Illinois. Their partnership is invaluable as we work together to create meaningful change that supports all working people.”
This evening, the Illinois AFL-CIO recognized three powerful voices for organized labor in the Illinois General Assembly. State Representative Lance Yednock received the Zeke Giorgi Award; Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Hernández was honored with the Margaret Blackshere Woman In Leadership award, and the organization presented the Reuben Soderstrom award to Senate Labor Committee Chair Robert Peters. Giorgi, Blackshere, and Soderstrom were each historic forced in the Illinois labor movement and served as past leaders of the Illinois AFL-CIO.
“The past year has been pivotal for organized labor in Illinois with wins like the Worker’s Rights Amendment, Paid Leave for All and the Temp Worker Fairness and Safety Act,” stated Illinois AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Pat Devaney. “As neighboring states roll back worker protections, we are working day and night to keep Illinois a pro-labor bastion in the Midwest. We are honoring the accomplishments of these three outstanding legislators who are fighting alongside us every day to create a better future for the working people of Illinois.”
The Illinois AFL-CIO Executive Board is responsible for selecting public elected officials for these awards. The board evaluates the individual’s commitment to organized labor and their record on supporting issues important to union members and workers in Illinois.
Labor Salutes began in 1994 when the-then Illinois AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Blackshere presented the Zeke Giorgi award to State Representative Jim McPike from Alton, Illinois during the Illinois AFL-CIO 30th Constitutional Convention. Today, the Illinois AFL-CIO represents over 1500 affiliated unions and nearly 900,000 workers in Illinois from the Wisconsin to the Kentucky border.