Golden Announces Chris Wiers, IAM Local S6 President, as State of the Union Guest
Maine labor leader’s visit comes as House begins debate on the PRO Act, comprehensive legislation to empower unions and protect workers, this week.
WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) announced today that Chris Wiers, the president of Bath Iron Works' (BIW) Local S6 union, will join him for Tuesday's State of the Union address. Local S6, an affiliate of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), has more than 3,500 members. Wiers, a resident of Lewiston, was elected president in 2019.
"I'm honored to have Local S6's president and my constituent, Chris Wiers, as my guest at this year's State of the Union," said Congressman Golden. "Bath Iron Works shipbuilders are the best in the world and Local S6 makes sure BIW workers are treated with respect and earn wages that match the skills they've developed and the hard work they do. Local S6 is a great example of what unions do for Maine workers. Chris and I believe that strengthening unions is one of the most effective ways to help working Mainers get ahead and ensure they have dependable, good-paying jobs with solid benefits and a safe workplace."
"It's an honor to represent the members of Local S6 with Congressman Golden at the State of the Union," Mr. Wiers said. "I look forward to hearing what the President has to say. I'll be listening for some of the topics our members have told me they care about, such as what he's doing to help working people like us, whether he'll commit to protecting the rights of unions, and any plans to lower the costs of health care and insurance. Congressman Golden represents the voice that labor has been lacking in the great state of Maine and we will continue to work together to continue the proud legacy of Bath Iron Works, that ‘Bath built is best built.'"
Golden has been a leader in Congress on labor and workforce issues. He is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, the most significant legislation to expand worker protections and empower unions in decades. Last month, he led a group of 75 Members of Congress to call for a vote on the PRO Act, which House leaders had been refusing to take up for months. The Golden-led effort was successful, and the House is expected to vote on the legislation this week.
Last year, Congressman Golden invited Cynthia Phinney, president of the Maine AFL-CIO, to the State of the Union address.