Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Passing Of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the passing of AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

I rise today with some sad, some horrible news about the passing of a great friend, Rich Trumka, who left us this morning.

The working people of America have lost a fierce warrior at a time when we needed him most.

Just yesterday, Rich was lending his support to the striking miners in Alabama. Following in his father's footsteps, he worked in the mines. He went to Penn State and earned his law degree. Didn't practice, didn't go to some fancy place. Went right to work for the United Mine Workers, which he led for so many years, and then he became head, first secretary treasurer in the AFL-CIO.

He had in his veins, in every atom of his body, the heart, the thoughts, the needs of the working people of America.

He was them.

Rich Trumka was the working people of America. He never had any airs. He never put it on. And he cared about his fellow workers so. He was a great leader.

He knew that the labor movement and working people had to expand and be diverse. One of his passions as a labor leader was immigration reform, which I talked to him about repeatedly, because they were working people too. No matter where they came from or what they looked like.

It's just horrible news. I'll have more to say about it later, but I wanted to inform my colleagues that we have just lost a giant, and we need him so.

We will remember him forever, and his memory will – I know – importune all of us to do more, even more for the working people of America, who Rich Trumka so dearly and deeply loved.

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