Throughout National Native American Heritage Month, the AFL-CIO will be profiling leaders and activists to spotlight the diverse contributions Native Americans have made to the labor movement and toward expanding the rights of working people. Today's profile is Sunnie Patterson of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE).
“I have been a crane operator engineer apprentice for the past four years. I joined Operating Engineers Local 324 because I wanted to better my life, have benefits and gain valuable knowledge in the trades. My favorite part of being a member of IUOE is that I'm a part of something bigger than one can imagine, whether it's pile driving structural bridges or running heavy equipment. I come from a third-generation Six Nations (Haudenosaunee) Ironworker Local 25 family,” Patterson said.