Jefferson City – The Missouri AFL-CIO’s annual Barbecue in the Park April 29 offered union members and legislators from throughout the state a chance to meet, enjoy food and drinks and relax away from the turmoil inside the State Capitol.
There was a great turnout for this year’s event, with union leaders and legislators vowing to keep up the fight to protect workers’ right against legislative attacks from right-to-work (RTW)/Freedom to Work, paycheck deception, anti-prevailing wage and other anti-worker legislation.
This year’s session has been particularly tumultuous with House Speaker Tim Jones (R-Eureka) pushing his RTW/anti-worker agenda with the help of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), Grover Norquist and other outside interest groups.
Those outside interests were nowhere to be seen at the barbecue, however, and all had a good time.
Mo. AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Mike Louis (from left), Ironworkers Local 396 Business Representative Bill Trendley, Rep. Genise Montecillo (D-St. Louis), Rep. Mike Frame (D-Eureka), Mo. AFL-CIO President Hugh McVey (obscured) and St. Louis Building & Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer Jeff Aboussie.
United Steelworkers Lobbyist Richard Craighead (from left), UFCW Local 655 Director of Organizing and Political Affairs Merri Berry, and St. Louis Police Officers Association Business Manager and Rep. Jeff Roorda (D-Barnhart).
Rep. Denise Montecillo (D-St. Louis) (from left), Ironworkers Local 396 Business Representative Bill Trendley and Mo. AFL-CIO Campaign/Political Director Shannon Weber.
