Brothers and Sisters,
I’m proud to share that thanks to the leadership of the union building trades and our strong contracting partners in Greater Boston, we will work on recognizing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a union holiday.
This is a big step forward that many of us in the union building trades have supported for a long time. We worked closely with our partners at John Moriarty and Associates, Suffolk, and Turner Construction to formalize that the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday will be included in all upcoming contracts and project labor agreements.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a staunch advocate of labor unions, labor organizing, and collective bargaining rights. With this new agreement, we honor Dr. King’s legacy
while underscoring our commitment to advancing diversity, inclusion, and equity within the construction industry.
My statement, which was featured in the East Boston Times-Free Press, is below. Read the full article.
“We share the belief of Martin Luther King, Jr. with regard to opportunity and equity. We share his belief in the importance of the labor movement making sure that equity is reflected not just in the law, but that it is furthered and contractually guaranteed for working people through the labor movement and the realization that workers’ rights are civil rights.”
In Solidarity,
Bill McLaughlin
Business Manager
Operating Engineers Local 4