Illinois AFL-CIO Honors IDOL Director, Two General Assembly Members At “Labor Salutes” Award Ceremony
Springfield – Tonight, the Illinois AFL-CIO honored three Illinois leaders for their outstanding contributions to the state’s labor movement at its annual “Labor Salutes” awards ceremony.
“The Illinois labor movement is proud to stand behind these three leaders who have spent their entire careers relentlessly fighting for working families,” stated Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea. “As the Trump administration continues its assault on workers’ rights, these leaders show us that Illinois refuses to stand by. Now, more than ever, we must recognize and support the leaders here in Illinois who are pushing back on this anti-worker agenda and fighting tooth and nail to protect working people and defend their path to the middle-class.”
This year, the Illinois AFL-CIO recognized three powerful champions for organized labor in Illinois:
- Illinois Department of Labor Director Jane Flanagan, recipient of the Margaret Blackshere, Women in Leadership Award
- State Senator Doris Turner, recipient of the Zeke Giorgi Award
- Retired State Representative and IBEW 134 member Marty Moylan, recipient of the Reuben Soderstrom Award
“This year’s Labor Salutes is an opportunity to bring our elected leaders and organized labor together to showcase the strength and unity of our labor movement,” stated Illinois AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Pat Devaney. “At a time when chaos dominates Washington, these leaders are standing firm and proving why Illinois remains the home of the American labor movement. They are committed to bettering the lives of working families and know what it takes to build an economy that works for all Illinoisans — not just the wealthy.”
Award recipients are selected by the Illinois AFL-CIO Executive Board, which evaluates public officials based on their commitment to organized labor and their record on supporting issues important to union members and working families in Illinois.
The Labor Salutes tradition began in 1994 when then-Illinois AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Blackshere presented the Zeke Giorgi award to State Representative Jim McPike at the Illinois AFL-CIO’s 30th Constitutional Convention. Today, the Illinois AFL-CIO represents over 1,500 affiliated unions and nearly 900,000 union members across the state.