Political Quotes

“Madam President, nearly one-quarter of Illinois' workforce will see the benefit of a $15 an our minimum wage by 2025. Also, the State of Illinois is about to embark on a massive $45 billion infrastructure modernization and construction plan. Simply put, these are life-changing achievements. And behind both is Michael Carrigan. Since 2010, Mike Carrigan has served as the president of the Illinois AFL-CIO, fighting for working families across the State. At the end of the year, Mike is retiring from his decades' long service to Illinois' labor unions and its nearly 900,000 members. In the fall of 2011, Mike was my guest for then-President Obama's joint session of Congress focusing on the economy. Mike had been an authority on creating jobs and putting people back to work for years so the invitation made perfect sense. And Mike was there to applaud a President he had worked hard to elect. Michael Carrigan was born in Kankakee, IL, and grew up in Kankakee County. After graduating from MacMurray College in Jacksonville and completing a 4-year apprenticeship in Decatur, he became a journeyman electrician. Mike installed wiring at construction sites for everything from nuclear powerplants to fast-food restaurants. Later, he became the business manager and financial secretary for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 146 in Decatur. In 1995, Mike ran for the city council in Decatur and won.…”