LEWISTON — The Western Maine Labor Council, AFL-CIO, will host its 12th annual Workers Memorial Day/May Day dinner to honor Maine workers Sunday, April 29.

The event will take place from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Franco American Heritage Center, 46 Cedar St., with the program likely starting around 6 p.m.

The dinner pays tribute to workers who were injured or died on the job last year, renews the commitment to protect workers’ health and safety and celebrates the accomplishments and movements of working people and labor unions. 

Three awards will be given to champions of workers’ rights and workplace safety:

• The Bruce Roy Award will be given to Don Bilodeau of Leeds, retired member of Machinists Local S6 at BIW and president of the Maine State Council of Machinists; and

• The Workers’ Solidarity Award will be given to the Lewiston Firefighters, IAFF Local 785, and the Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association, UAW Local 3999.

Nancy Lessin, senior staff for Strategic Initiatives at the Tony Mazzocchi Center for Health, Safety and Environmental Education will give a talk. Lessin has been a national leader in the labor and workplace health and safety movements for 30 years.

The program will also feature artwork from Maine artist Rob Shetterly’s “Americans Who Tell the Truth” series highlighting organizers who have struggled to improve worker health and safety.

The program will conclude with a reading of the names of the 17 Maine workers who died on the job in 2017.  

The closing ceremony will include a Lewiston Fire Department honor guard.

The event is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $20. All proceeds from the dinner benefit the Western Maine Labor Council.

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