Labor Leader of the Week: Darrin Kelly

Allegheny-Fayette County Central Labor Council President Darrin Kelly usually keeps busy. He’s neither a loser nor a “sucker," as Trump has referred to some who have served our country. Darrin Kelly has served our country well, first in the United States Navy, then serving the Steel City community as a Pittsburgh Fire Fighter. He is now wearing both hats, or helmets, as an active member of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1 and serving as President of the Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council since 2018, when he was elected to succeed his mentor and friend Jack Shea.

This weekend Darrin and the Allegheny-Fayette CLC were busier than ever with Labor’s Weekend of Service. The weekend included four full days of giving back to the community. Everything started off Friday, September 4th at 9 AM with the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank and the Pittsburgh Penguins where 10,000 meals were given to families in need.

“We knew there were a lot of people struggling,” Darrin said. “It was so important to join this partnership because we don’t look at it as just meals, but the first sign of hope for people to know there are people out here who care about them”

This was the 5th food distribution like this Allegheny -Fayette CLC has participated in, and the biggest yet, with over 200 union volunteers.

“This does not happen without the support of our great affiliates,” Darrin said, “and I am so proud of how they have stepped up. The Allegheny-Fayette Labor family are not just workers, we are part of our communities. When you are part of your community you care about your community.”

On Saturday the 5th, a group of volunteers cleaned up Renzie Park. On Sunday, a group of volunteers spent the morning taking care of the Veterans’ Memorial in Crafton Heights. This beautification project was important to Darrin, a Navy veteran, and organized to honor the memory of all service members in conjunction with the Union Veterans’ Council of Western Pennsylvania. Monday Mass at Saint Paul’s Cathedral closed out Labor’s Weekend of Service.

Many would say the Pittsburgh Labor Day parade, one of the biggest in the country, with over 100,000 people in attendance is one of the city’s most known and proudest traditions.  According to Darrin, “our biggest tradition will always be being part of our community and participating in community service.”

“After this weekend,” Darrin said, “nothing is more important than the Labor 2020 program put out by the state and worked on by all the local labor councils, educating our members, mobilizing our members, making sure they understand the importance of November, not just locally but nationally. All Local unions have to buy in to make sure we survive through our solidarity. Without our solidarity, we will not achieve the goal we need to have.”