HR1137 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1137 LRB099 21313 GRL 47052 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the members of the National Association of Letter Carriers Aurora Branch 219 on the occasion of the organization's 125th anniversary in 2016; and

WHEREAS, Benjamin Franklin was appointed to serve as the first Postmaster General in what is now the United States by the Continental Congress in 1775; since then, the history of the United States Postal Service has been interwoven with that of the country it serves; and

WHEREAS, Free city delivery of mail was established in the United States in 1863; in the years that followed, letter carriers found themselves working 10 to 12-hour days, seven days a week; the fight to achieve legal recognition of an eight-hour day, successfully concluded in 1888, clearly demonstrated what could be achieved when letter carriers banded together and reached out beyond their local area; and

WHEREAS, This idea was behind the official call, issued by Milwaukee letter carriers, to meet in August of 1889; for the event, 60 letter carriers showed up in Milwaukee on August 29, 1899 in the meeting room above Schaeffer's Saloon; the following day, these delegates passed a resolution officially establishing the National Association of Letter Carriers; the following year saw letter carriers in attendance from the north and the south, from small towns and big cities alike, united and ready to move forward; and

WHEREAS, Over the years, the National Association of Letter Carriers has raised money for several charities, collected for food pantries, and helped their communities on a daily basis; and

WHEREAS, Charters have been an essential part of maintaining the union's structure since its founding; Article 11, Section 3 of their first constitution refers to a charter "duly granted by the national association", which gives the local association or branch "all the power and privileges of a local association working under the jurisdiction of the National Association"; on May 6, 1891, letter carriers in Aurora were issued a charter for Branch 219 in order to represent the interests of the City's letter carriers; and

WHEREAS, The members of the National Association of Letter Carriers Aurora Branch 219 serve as models of hard work, integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the members of the National Association of Letter Carriers Aurora Branch 219 on the occasion of the organization's 125th anniversary and wish them continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the National Association of Letter Carriers Aurora Branch 219 as a symbol of our esteem and respect.