Solidarity Sunday: Are We Our Brothers' Keeper?
My favorite moments during our union meetings is when we make each other aware of any accidents or sickness among our fellow brothers and sisters…When we stand together to pray over one of our own….When someone makes a motion on the floor to donate the box to a member who's family is in need. It speaks to the mission of solidarity and it's the best part of who we are as a union.
Recently one of our brothers here at my local was injured on the job and found himself fighting for his life in the hospital. Some of you may know who I'm talking about since the story rapidly circulated on social media. The stress that a situation like that puts on a family is immeasurable, especially during the holidays. Not only for the guy who is injured, but for his wife and family and community. In this specific situation, another brother gave his time and stayed with his injured brother overnight in the hospital just so that his union brother's wife could get a break and spend a few hours with their children on Thanksgiving.
That kind of dedication to this local is so inspiring. It speaks to the spirit of Christmas….of giving without any expectation of return…of taking care of one another….of sacrificing one's own time and resources to take care of someone who has a greater need.
There are stories like that all in local unions all over the country. If you have one, we'd love to share it, (and make a video about it if possible). Email your story to info@unionup.net.
We at Union Up wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!