Will Attig

Veterans from all generations are processing the news of what is currently unfolding in Afghanistan and could be experiencing a wide range of emotions and feelings right now. From union presidents to first-year apprentices, many of these veterans are our brothers and sisters in the labor movement, and we want to support them during this time of concern.

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Today is Memorial Day. There are more than 1 million working union veterans in the labor movement—found within every affiliated union of the AFL-CIO. For many of those veterans and their families, today is a day of reflection and remembrance. It’s up to all of us to honor the memories of those we celebrate today and to be there for our sisters and brothers who might be having a tough day.

The working men and women of the AFL-CIO join the Union Veterans Council to wish all to have a safe Memorial Day weekend. This is a time to respect and remember those who gave their lives for the bedrock freedoms of our nation.

In October, in a 50-50 tie vote broken by Vice President Mike Pence, Congress passed a resolution that stripped service members and veterans of their right to band together in court when companies violate the law and harm thousands or millions of people. Congress has a chance to right that wrong this week.