‘Forty Gavels’ added to Labor & Industry Museum’s collection

Belleville, IL – The premier book about the history of the Labor Movement in Illinois is now available for perusal at the Belleville Labor & Industry Museum, 123 N. Church St. Forty Gavels: The Life of Reuben Soderstrom and the Illinois AFL-CIO is an illustrated, three-volume epic written and published in 2018 by Soderstrom’s family and admirers. He was president of the Illinois Federation of Labor and the Illinois AFL-CIO for 40 years – hence the title – from 1930 to 1970, during which time the organization grew and developed into a powerful voice for working people. Accepting the book on behalf of the museum are (from left to right) Bill Thurston, former longtime president of the Southwestern Illinois Central Labor Council, current Council President Scot Luchtefeld, Belleville Mayor Mark W. Eckert, and Council Vice President James Thompson. For those interested in owning a copy, it lists for $200 at the webpage fortygavels.com, minus a 25 percent discount for union members. It’s also selling for either $175 or $199 on amazon.com. – Labor Tribune photo