Union officials from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Post 1049 and Long Island politicians came together for a labor breakfast on Sept. 26.
The IBEW 1049 Inaugural Celebration of Labor Breakfast was intended to celebrate strides made in workers’ rights and the importance of unions as well as to celebrate the service of Thomas Dowling, the longtime recording secretary for IBEW 1049, which is based in Holtsville.
“Unions make life better for working people,” Ryan Stanton, executive director of the Long Island Federation of Labor, told the Press. “We’ve learned through data and evidence that a union workplace is not only safe but offers better wages, better working conditions and health and benefits, and gives working people the ability to retire with dignity. I love being a part of the labor movement. I love the people we are fortunate and privileged to represent. I would love for anyone that has a desire to have representation to take the steps necessary. Contact our local union and help grow our family.”
New York State Assemblyman Michael Durso, who represents New York’s 9th district, told the Press that labor is in his blood — and he has the pedigree to back up that claim. Durso grew up in Massapequa Park, and his father was union president of Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU) Local Union 338. Durso himself was a sanitation supervisor prior to being elected, and was a member of CSEA Local 881.
Durso emphasized the need for unions on Long Island due to the high costs of living.
“We need more of our youth to get into the trades and get into unionized labor,” Durso said. “Because what they’re going to do is make sure that money and jobs stay here on Long Island so that people can stay on Long Island, stay in their homes, raise a family and have good-paying jobs that are going to benefit them in the future.”
A cornerstone of the breakfast was the need for union workers to run for elected office, something Durso represents.
“In Congress, we have an ironworker, a painter, an electrician, and 214 lawyers,” Rep. Donald Norcross, from New Jersey, said during his remarks at the breakfast. “We need more balance.”
Assemblywoman Latoya Joyner is the chair of the Assembly’s Committee on Labor, and said that the pandemic is the reason there has been so much action in the labor movement recently.
“We have strikes all over the country, especially in New York,” Joyner said. “You have the writers’ strike, there’s UPS workers, nurses, they’re protesting, rallying during contract negotiations. This is the time of the worker and that’s why we’re here – to celebrate and acknowledge their voices and their contributions.”
Pat Guidice, the business manager for IBEW 1049, was proud that they were able to put on a bipartisan celebration of workers’ rights.
“We’re so happy to have labor coming together with the political community,” Guidice told the Press. “We want to make sure that not only our voices are heard, we want to inspire people to get more involved. We want to try to get our members into leadership and to run for office.
“We thank everybody for coming to the first annual breakfast. We’re looking forward to bringing labor and political officials together annually, and today we’ll be celebrating the life of Tom Dowling, who has really given everything for his union and the labor movement in general,” Guidice said.
