Title
Honoring the life and legacy of Cathy Brady, a fearless, pioneering labor leader, whose organizing work serves as a model for leadership, tenacity, and revolutionary spirit, in recognition of May Day in the City of Philadelphia.
Body
WHEREAS, Cathy Brady was known to many as a "working-class hero." She was an inspirational leader within the labor movement whose spirit and support deeply impacted so many she worked with and marched alongside; and
WHEREAS, Brady has been cherished as a figurehead in Philadelphia's labor community for the past four decades. Described as "a union member through and through," Brady first worked as a cleaner. Later, when poor working conditions sparked Eastern Airlines employees to strike in 1989, Brady, a baggage handler, served as a strike captain during a two-year saga that led to the liquidation of the entire company in 1991; and
WHEREAS, While working as a process operator at the BP oil refinery in Delaware County, Brady served as a leader on the picket line with the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union, going above and beyond to help raise money for workers and their families during the nine-month lock out; and
WHEREAS, Brady spent most of her career with SEIU Healthcare, where she organized thousands of nursing home workers for two decades and helped grow the union to a force in the labor landscape. She eventually became the union's Vice President, directing statewide efforts to support long-term care workers in their fight for fairer pay and working conditions; and
WHEREAS, Brady was actively involved in the Philadelphia Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) and the Philadelphia Area Project on Occupational Safety and Health. In 2017, CLUW named her Union Woman of the Year. She finished her career serving as a federal mediator, helping workers and employers reach mutually beneficial agreements in the midst of difficult negotiations; and
WHEREAS, Brady was actively committed to affirming Philadel...
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