Following the news that AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka has passed away, the BlueGreen Alliance released a statement from Executive Director Jason Walsh:

“Today the world lost a powerful and passionate voice for workers. Richard Trumka began his career fighting for the rights of mineworkers and rose to lead the nation’s largest labor organization, where he helped lift up the voices of working people to ensure that their work was fairly compensated and their jobs were safe and healthy.

“His empathy, determination, and leadership will be greatly missed. Our sincere condolences to his family, the staff and family at the AFL-CIO, his many friends and colleagues in the labor movement and beyond, and the millions of Americans whose lives are better because of his work.”