The Massachusetts AFL-CIO celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Scholarship Program on Sunday, May 4th with a banquet at Boston’s Park Plaza Hotel in honor of this year’s scholarship winners. More than 600 people attended the scholarship banquet dinner, supporting the 210 high school students who were awarded 228 scholarships this year which included Local 369 students and members. Aside from being the 50th anniversary of the program, this year was especially momentous because it was the first year to give away more than $1 million in scholarships.

College tuition costs are at an all-time high and higher education is one of the key components to attaining a good job and good quality of life. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO, understanding this fundamental need for higher education, and with the help of Local 369 has continued to grow the scholarship program so that we help more students with more necessary funds for them to be able to afford college.

Massachusetts AFL-CIO President, Robert Haynes, and State Representative and friend of labor, Martin Walsh both addressed the crowd, applauding the students for their hard work and encouraging them to go on with their education with the same enthusiasm and determination.

President Haynes spoke with pride about the Scholarship Program as one of the many ways that organized labor gives back to the community, saying “The Scholarship Program has been building for a half-century, helping countless young people not only learn
about the Labor Movement but access the higher education that allows them to attain the good jobs with good wages and working
conditions that have been the very hallmark for our great Labor Movement. We pause to commemorate and celebrate this great
moment, and pledge to keep it going another fifty years.”

The Live Wire congratulates all our Scholarships recipients and all the members of Local 369 for their successful scholarship program.

LOCAL 369 2008 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Congratulations!