IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 186
Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Laborers’ Inter-
national Union of North America and congratulating the members and 
officers of the Laborers’ International Union of North America for the 
Union’s many achievements. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 9, 2003
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California (for himself and Mr. LOBIONDO) sub-
mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce 
APRIL 9, 2003
Committee on Education and the Workforce discharged; considered and 
agreed to 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the founding of the 
Laborers’ International Union of North America and 
congratulating the members and officers of the Laborers’ 
International Union of North America for the Union’s 
many achievements.
Whereas Samuel Gompers, the first president of the Amer-
ican Federation of Labor, challenged laborers across the 
country to coordinate their activities into one cohesive 
unit, and in response 25 delegates from 17 cities—rep-
resenting more than 8,000 laborers—met in Washington, 
D.C. on April 13, 1903;
•HRES 186 ATH 
Whereas after four days of meetings these representatives 
formed the ‘‘International Hod Carriers’ and Building 
Laborers’ Union of America’’ (Laborers’ Union); 
Whereas the Laborers’ Union was started and built by immi-
grants and minorities, and today immigrants and minori-
ties continue to be the fastest growing segment of the 
Union’s membership; 
Whereas, in 1920, the Laborers’ Union backed efforts by Af-
rican-Americans to win equal treatment in other United 
States labor unions; 
Whereas by the late 1920s a boom in construction caused the 
Laborers’ Union membership rolls to approach 100,000, 
and during this period the merger and addition of three 
other unions—the International Compressed Air and 
Foundation Workers Union; the Tunnel and Subway 
Constructors International Union; and the International 
Union of Pavers, Rammermen, Flag Layers, Bridge and 
Curb Setters and Sheet Asphalt Pavers—further added 
to the Laborers’ Union’s size; 
Whereas the members of the Laborers’ Union provided cru-
cial support to the National defense effort during World 
War II, and during the post-World War II industrial 
boom the Laborers’ Union began organizing nonconstruc-
tion workers in the labor force; 
Whereas, in 1950, the Laborers’ Union built their own train-
ing center in Kansas City, opening an era of high-quality 
training to help workers advance in their jobs and careers 
by providing more opportunities for them and their fami-
lies; 
Whereas, in 1955, the Laborers’ Union affiliated itself with 
the AFL–CIO Industrial Union Department in order to
•HRES 186 ATH 
effectively represent the 60,000 laborers working under 
the jurisdiction of the Industrial Union Department; 
Whereas, in 1965, the Laborers’ Union officially changed its 
name to the ‘‘Laborers’ International Union of North 
America’’ (LIUNA) to better reflect the continual expan-
sion of the union beyond the construction field; 
Whereas, during the 1960s, LIUNA successfully organized 
municipal, State, and university employees, and in 1968 
added the 20,000 Mail Handlers Union to their ranks; 
Whereas, in 1970, intensive lobbying by LIUNA and other 
unions resulted in the creation of the Occupational Safety 
and Health Administration; 
Whereas more than 3,000 LIUNA members worked round-
the-clock to clean up the site of the September 11, 2001, 
terrorist attacks on New York City, completing the clean-
up three months ahead of schedule and under budget; 
Whereas LIUNA currently consists of approximately 800,000 
members in more than 650 locals; 
Whereas LIUNA has long played a vital role in building the 
United States by constructing highways, bridges, tunnels, 
subways, dams, power plants, factories, office buildings, 
schools, churches, hospitals, and apartment buildings and 
houses; 
Whereas LIUNA members work in a variety of fields such as 
local, State, and Federal government service, health care, 
mail handling, custodial services, shipbuilding, food serv-
ice, and hazardous waste removal; 
Whereas LIUNA is one of the most innovative unions in the 
labor movement, with 69 state-of-the-art training centers 
across North America, and is among the most successful 
unions at organizing within the labor movement;
•HRES 186 ATH 
Whereas LIUNA is an extraordinary union whose leadership 
works hard to protect its members’ health and safety, to 
provide laborers a strong voice in the workplace and ex-
tensive skill training designed to empower members to 
reach their full potential, and perhaps most important, to 
ensure the dignity, respect, and security of laborers in 
the workplace; and 
Whereas LIUNA’s efforts are deserving of our attention and 
admiration: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) recognizes the 100th anniversary of the 
founding of the Laborers’ International Union of 
North America and acknowledges the tremendous 
contributions LIUNA has made to the structural de-
velopment and building of the United States and to 
the well-being of countless laborers; 
(2) congratulates the members and officers of 
the Laborers’ International Union of North America 
for LIUNA’s many achievements and the strength of 
its membership; and 
(3) looks forward to the continuation of 
LIUNA’s efforts and believes that LIUNA will have 
an even greater impact in the 21st century and be-
yond, enhancing the standard of the living and work 
environments for future laborers.
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