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Dear Sisters and Brothers:
Independence Day, July 4th, falls on a Monday this year. Like many Americans, you are probably looking forward to a three day weekend filled with fun activities such as barbecues, pool parties, parades and getaways; punctuated with fireworks and the celebration of the day America declared its independence as a nation.
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that the signers of the Declaration of Independence were fully aware of the importance of that document and its impact on history and global politics for generations to come. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, announcing the colonies’ separation from Great Britain. Just one day before the declaration was signed, John Adams, one of five men who worked on the document, wrote in a letter to his wife Abigail:
“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”
In the 246 years since the declaration was written, America has come a long way, yet we have so much work to do. Unions are at the forefront of the ongoing fight to ensure that everyone in our nation has the same opportunity to enjoy the freedoms that the Declaration of Independence promised to America’s citizens in 1776. Unions continuously work to promote a safe workplace with justice on the job, a livable wage, a voice at the negotiating table, and unions have always and will always fight for equality and human rights.
District 142 Staff and Employees would like to wish all our members and their families a safe and happy holiday. We hope your weekend is full of family, friends, good food and the knowledge that your union is always working for you.
Happy Fourth of July!
Sincerely and fraternally,
John M. Coveny, Jr.
President-Directing General Chair
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