Press "Enter" to skip to content

Hummel, Zerr, honored by St. Louis Labor

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — St. Louis Democrat and Minority leader Jake Hummel and St. Charles Republican Anne Zerr received a leadership award from the St. Louis Building and Construction Trade Council this weekend, highlighting their support of the labor movement.81 Hummel

At the Council’s annual dinner, Hummel and Zerr both received an award for supporting their labor partners in St. Louis. Jeff Aboussie, Executive Secretary Treasurer of the Council, cited Zerr’s work on the Boeing incentive package and Hummel’s longtime membership of IBEW Local 1 as a factor in the award.

“Well with Jake we have someone who is not only a member of IBEW but also someone who has vocally supported his allies in his work,” Aboussie said. “And Anne’s work on the Boeing deal — despite not winning the contract — she did amazing work on that deal and has always been willing to come to the table with labor to work out a deal.”

Zerr, who chairs the Economic Development Committee in the House, said she doesn’t always agree with labor leaders on every issue, but she sees the value “equality” between labor and management.

“When labor and business negotiate in good faith with both sides having something to offer, that’s the best way to do business,” Zerr said. “But if you have an imbalance on either side, then you are going to get a worse deal, one that doesn’t really work for the people.”

Hummel said while Right-to-Work legislation wasn’t a senate priority, he would still focus on killing the legislation in the House.65 Zerr

“Obviously it’s an issue I’m always going to focus on, and while I trust the governor to veto, I think it’s important to focus on stopping it before that point,” Hummel said. “Anne has always been a supporter for labor and she’s shown that her own party can be flexible on that issue.”

Hummel said he was “tremendously honored” to receive the award and said that selecting Zerr alongside himself was “a wonderful choice.”

“We’re both working with labor, and we’ve both seen the benefits of those relationships, and it helps us build better policy,” Hummel said.