Dennis Martire has chosen a demanding kind of work. Fighting for the rights of others is not simple, few people bravely take it on, and it is often a thankless role. Yet for nearly three decades, he has put his heart and soul into standing up for workers across the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
The commitment is personal. Martire humbly belonged to his local union chapter, #1058 in Pittsburgh, before joining the Laborers’ International Union of North America as an employee. In 1990, he started as an international representative. From there, a series of triumphs for union workers, including starting new unions and helping to raise wages, carried him into the elected role of vice president and regional manager for the mid-Atlantic region.
That election came in 2002 and reflected the successes he had already earned in defending workers and their rights within a union. He has held the position ever since, and he continues to pour everything into winning the best working environments and benefits for each member.
His dedication shows up in tangible ways. He has strengthened the rights of union workers, helped lift pay to a fair wage in some areas, and introduced unions across his region. He has represented workers on boards and committees, and he has shared his expertise through training programs that help members grow.
The philosophy behind it all is not complicated. Martire sees himself as serving his fellow man, and in particular his fellow union working man. To an outside observer, it might be just a job. To Dennis L. Martire, it is far more than that.
Workers rarely see the hours of negotiation, committee work, and planning that go into protecting their interests. They simply feel the results: fairer pay, safer conditions, and a union that listens.
That is the real measure of a career spent in service of working people.