Memorial Day

Craig Romanovich, Executive Director of the Union Veterans Council (UVC), AFL-CIO, issued the following statement ahead of Memorial Day:

"Memorial Day is a sacred solemnity. It demands that we pause to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. As a proud U.S. Army veteran, I know that behind every name carved into a monument or marked by a flag in a cemetery is a story of profound love for country and community.

But our duty to the fallen does not end when the parades conclude. The most powerful way we can honor those who died protecting our democracy is by fiercely protecting the working-class people they left behind. So many of our fallen heroes came from working-class families—from our union halls, our construction sites, our utility plants, and our public services. They put their lives on the line for a promise that their sacrifice would ensure a better, freer world for their families.

True remembrance requires action. As we enter this Memorial Day Weekend, the Union Veterans Council recommits to fighting for the living—for the gold star families, the working veterans, and the civilian defense workers who carry the legacy of service every single day. We honor the dead by fighting like hell for the living, ensuring that the dignity, freedoms, and labor rights they died to defend are protected right here at home."