Steelworkers Mourn Loss of Senator Byrd

Contact: Wayne Ranick 412-562-2444

Pittsburgh – United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard issued the following statement today concerning the death of U.S. Senator Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.)

“Members of our union and workers across the country are grieving the loss of Senator Robert Byrd, a giant among his fellow legislators and one of the greatest friends that working families have ever had.”

“From his humble beginning as the son of a miner who had to scratch out a living for his family during the Great Depression, he never forgot where he came from and the people he represented.  Senator Byrd understood the role of government in the lives of everyday citizens and he worked tirelessly during his remarkable career to help those who needed help and to provide opportunity to all who sought it.

“Senator Byrd’s record setting longevity stands as a tribute from West Virginians who looked to him as one of their family.”

The Steelworkers union demonstrated the high regard it held for Sen. Byrd, when in 2004 it presented him with the Paul Wellstone Award, the highest honor bestowed by the union on a political figure for his lifetime of dedication to the pursuit of the well-being of working people and the defense of our democratic institutions.

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