Giving thanks for all we have!

Brothers and sisters, Turkey Day is just hours away. The food, the family, football, the brisk fall air and a day when we get together with those we love and give thanks for all we have. I personally am thankful for many things; my health, my family and this great country in which we live in. I am also grateful and thankful for all of you - my union brothers and sisters. We work so hard, and we care about our jobs, our homes, our communities. We are all different - individuals with different personalities and traits. But when push comes to shove, we identify with each other and act as one unified union. There are so many out there who do not have a union, who live week to week, hand to mouth. Many of our neighbors have to beg for a raise and can't afford health benefits for their kids. Many non-union workers risk their lives working in unsafe conditions and vote every November against their own interest. Food pantries and soup kitchens will be filled with working people on Thursday, and those donated food items come from the generous and altruistic Middle Class - a class of Americans we as a union have fought, over the years, to create. Here on Long Island, some unfortunate child is going to get his belly full of delicious food because you gave a couple of bucks to John Duffy. Duffy and a few members purchased thousands of dollars of food items to donate to local soup kitchens  in the name of all union members. On Thursday at my home with my family, I am going to say a prayer and give thanks for all of you. I hope that you join hands with your family and pray for your co-workers and those less fortunate as well. May God bless you and our union, the troops overseas and all the exploited workers who have to work on Thanksgiving.