Governor, Mayor, Local and National Union Leaders Salute Their Sacrifices and Skills in Restoring Major Traffic and Commerce Route

Philadelphia (July 20, 2023) – Labor leaders joined with elected leaders to offer a salute and remarks of praise Wednesday to the union workers who in 12 days restored I-95 in Northeast Philadelphia following a bridge collapse in June. The job was expected to take months to complete, severely strangling traffic and commerce on the major transportation artery.

“Thank you for what you did," said LIUNA General President Brent Booker. “I can’t overstate what it feels like for me to have that orange union card in my pocket and that card allows us to go to work, it allows us to show the city of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the United States of America and the world what it is to be a highly-skilled, trained laborer.”

 

“We showed the nation how we could work together,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro told the workers. “I’m proud we came together around the union way of life.”

 

The bridge repair became a source of pride as residents throughout the region watched a 24-hour livestream of the repairs in their homes, in restaurants and bars, and even at Philadelphia Phillies baseball games. Workers recounted their 12-hour shifts and the sacrifices they made, including lost time with their families, in order to get the job done.

 

“It’s been a whirlwind. We worked 24 hours a day, watching each other constantly to make sure a second wasn’t wasted and everything was done perfectly. It almost felt like being in a symphony. It made me proud to be able to put on for our community like that,” said Marloy Gonzalez of LIUNA Local 57.

 

The event was held at the Laborers District Council Training Center in Philadelphia, a 60,000-square-foot facility where union laborers receive training in a variety of skills, including general building, highway construction, environmental abatement, utility work and future technologies.

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The half-million members of LIUNA – the Laborers’ International Union of North America – are on the forefront of the construction industry, a powerhouse of workers who are proud to build the United States and Canada.