Dear Sisters and Brothers:
This time of year, we recognize one of America’s oldest traditions, the Thanksgiving holiday. History tells us the newly arrived Pilgrims and members of the Wampanoag Tribe gathered at Plymouth in November of 1621 for an autumn harvest feast. This event is regarded as the first “Thanksgiving,” and while times and traditions have changed, more than 400 years later we still look forward every year to spending time with family and friends and pausing to reflect on the blessings in our lives.
As union members, we have much to be thankful for. Weekends off work, paid vacation, sick leave, overtime pay, the 8-hour workday, minimum wage, pensions, child labor laws, workplace safety standards, health insurance, the Civil Rights Act, fair and equitable compensation, regular raises, Military Leave, the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are some of the many things unions made possible. The collective bargaining agreements which we work under guarantee us these benefits and make it possible to enjoy a work/life balance which many of our fellow Americans are not fortunate enough to enjoy.
As we move into the holiday season and the close of another year, all of us at IAM District Lodge 142 are thankful for you. You are the reason we do what we do every day. We will continue to devote every day to serving you, our members, and we thank you for putting your trust in us and supporting us as we work to continually bring you the best contracts in the industry. With best wishes we remain
Sincerely and fraternally,
John M. Coveny, Jr.
President-Directing General Chair
