A New York State Assemblywoman who has championed the work of teachers is to be honored at the seventh annual Irish Labor Awards in New York on 8 September.

Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan from Queens will join nine other honorees and Irish Labor Leader of the Year John Samuelsen at the Irish Echo gala celebration.

First elected to the Assembly in 1984, Nolan is chair of the Education Committee where she has earned a sterling reputation as a champion of the state’s three million schoolchildren. She has spearheaded efforts to reduce class sizes and improve high school graduation rates. The senior Democrat is also a former chair of the Labor Committee in the Assembly and in that role held crucial hearings on the minimum wage and workers’ compensation.

Joining the previously named five labor stalwarts named in the Irish Echo last week and Assemblywoman Nolan will be:

Robert Sheehan, President of IBEW 103 in Boston:

Bill Lacey of the New York City District Council of Carpenters;

Ward Morrow, Assistant General Counsel for the American Federation of Government Employees in DC;

Thomas Farrell, Legislative Chairman of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association at the New York City Department of Correction;

The five will join Irish Labor Leader of the Year 2017 John Samuelsen, national president of the TWU and a trailblazer in the proud tradition of Irish-born labor champion Mike Quill who organized the subway workers of New York. Chief guests will be Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams T.D.  and LiUNA President Terry O’Sullivan.

The gala event is being sponsored by LiUNA and the Californian Building and Construction Trades Council whose President, Irish-born Robbie Hunter will fly in for the event.

Tickets are priced at $375 are available online here.

Additionally, for tickets, you can call Tracey Quilligan on 212-482-4818 or email tquilligan@irishecho.com.

To see full details of the awards or go to IrishEcho.com.

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