For Immediate Release
Monday, March 19, 2001
Illinois Native Among Honorees at National Awards Ceremony in Washington
Washington, DC —Illinois native and union activist Sylvia Twardowski, of Local 1555 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, will be honored for her outstanding contributions in the field of labor, on Wednesday, March 21, during the 4th Annual St. Joseph's Day Breakfast, sponsored by the Faith & Politics Institute. The ceremony will begin at 7:30 a.m. and will be held at the Phoenix Park Hotel, 520 North Capitol Street, NW.
Ms. Twardowski, the president of Local 1555 in LaSalle, Ill., represents the employees of Horizon House, a private not-for-profit-agency that provides residential and developmental training services to developmentally disabled adults. As an activist with Council 31, Sylvia was active with the organizing campaign at Horizon House, helping to secure a first contract, which increased the employees' wages and rights at work. She is also active in the Council's legislative efforts to significantly raise the wages of direct care workers in Illinois by educating and lobbying legislators.
She will join Sarah Palmer Amos, International Executive Vice President United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Robert F. Maguire, III, Managing Partner, Maguire Partners and John Suval, a staff writer for Houston Press in receiving honors during the day of St. Joseph - the patron saint of workers.
Media interested in covering the 4th Annual St. Joseph's Day Breakfast should contact Grace Cummings at the Faith & Politics Institute at 202-546-1299.
