A message from CWA President Claude Cummings Jr.

In the United States, the last Monday in May is dedicated to honoring the memories of those members of our military who made the ultimate sacrifice, giving up their lives for the freedoms we hold dear. And whether you observe the sacrifice in silence, by decorating gravesites, or by attending family and community gatherings, we must never forget the great debt we owe.

This holiday came from the observances of formerly enslaved people in Charleston, S.C., who chose May 1st, 1865, to honor 257 Union prisoners-of-war buried in a mass grave. Newly freed, the mourners exhumed the bodies and gave each a proper burial. Children decorated their fresh graves with flowers, leading to the earliest observances being called “Decoration Day.”

This Memorial Day, our country yet again finds itself at war. And despite our feelings on the origins of the conflict we all hope for a swift and merciful end, and that every one of those who stand now in harm’s way return safely to their loved ones.

Those who serve our nation are workers. Many of their jobs reflect those in the civilian world: cooks, maintenance staff, grounds crews, law enforcement, etc. The best way to honor them is, first and foremost, to avoid sending them into harm’s way. When conflict is unavoidable, we must respect their sacrifices by providing them with good benefits like healthcare, housing, and educational opportunity. When one of them is taken from us, we should make sure those loved ones left behind are provided for. This is what we ask for as union members and what we ultimately hope to achieve for all workers, in the private or public sector.

We must always honor the dead.

We must always fight for the living.

May you have a safe and joyful holiday.

In Unity,

Claude Cummings Jr.

President