FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10/26/10
I.U.O.E. Local 150 Honors Mautino, Saviano, Marketti as 2010 Statesmen of the Year
Countryside, Illinois- Tonight, the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150 held the Statesman of the Year award ceremony at the Local 150 union hall in Countryside. The award program, founded in 1987, honors friends of organized labor and the construction industry.
The event honored Illinois Representative Frank Mautino, Illinois Representative Angelo “Skip” Saviano, and Grundy County Sheriff Terry Marketti with awards and contributions from the Statesman of the Year Political Action Committee.
Marketti was the recipient of the William E. Dugan Statesman of the Year award, named for the union’s former President-Business Manager, who served from 1986 to 2007. “Sheriff Marketti understands picketing laws, which are so important to labor organizations who are trying to protect the rights of working people,” said Local 150 President-Business Manager James M. Sweeney.
Mautino received the Northern Illinois Contractors Award for his help in bringing legislators together to pass the $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program last year, which has returned many thousands of Illinois construction tradesmen and women to work during a period of extended unemployment in the industry. “We went ten years without a major jobs program in Illinois, and because of Frank Mautino and the House leadership, we have the largest capital program in country, and because of their support for secure funding, jobs will constinue to be created for 4 more years.”
Saviano was presented the Local 150 Award for building support for jobs-creating legislation among Republicans in the Illinois House. “Gridlock does not have to occur between the two parties,” said Sweeney. “In Illinois, we are lucky enough to have elected officials who are willing to work together for the best interests of our citizens.”
Former recipients of these awards include Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, House Speaker Michael Madigan, U.S. Congressman William O. Lipinski, former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, former Illinois State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson, and others in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa.
The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150 is a labor union representing more than 23,000 working people in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. Local 150 represents workers in various industries, including construction, construction material production, concrete pumping, steel mill service, slag production, landscaping, public works and others.