Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) hosted a ceremony to rededicate The Pennsylvania Worker, a bronze sculpture honoring generations of Pennsylvanians whose skill, grit, and perseverance have built and continue to sustain the Commonwealth.
Created by sculptor William F. Duffy and commissioned by the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO in 1992, The Pennsylvania Worker depicts a laborer straining to lift a steel beam serving as a tribute to the laborers, tradespeople, and industrial workers whose efforts have shaped the state’s identity and economy; it is a permanent symbol of labor’s central role in Pennsylvania’s success.
The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO and labor leaders joined L&I for the rededication outside the Department of Labor & Industry Building in Harrisburg.
“I have the privilege of being inspired by this truly impressive monument every single day as I walk into this building,” said Labor & Industry Secretary Nancy A. Walker. “His shoulders are tight with effort, his eyes fixed forward, lifting a weight that looks almost too much to bear. In him, I see the people he represents, the women and men of Pennsylvania who have given their strength, their skill, and their determination so their families and communities can thrive. The Pennsylvania Worker does not stand for one job, one industry, or one moment in time, he stands for all of Pennsylvania’s workers. And every day, he reminds us why we do this work: to fight for workplace fairness, opportunity, and dignity for every Pennsylvanian.”
Weighing approximately 9,000 pounds, the bronze sculpture was first dedicated on Labor Day 1992 by Governor Robert P. Casey, who called it “the most heroic monument in the capital city,” and a reminder of the working people whose labor built Pennsylvania and continues to move it forward. Governor Casey described it as a tribute to ‘the 10,000 faces we haven’t seen and the thousands of stories we haven’t heard and the stories of the working men and women who helped make Pennsylvania great.’
That legacy continues today through the Shapiro Administration’s ongoing commitment to Pennsylvania’s workers and to the next generation who will carry their legacy forward. Across his first two budgets, Governor Shapiro has increased funding for vocational, career and technical education (CTE), and apprenticeship programs by nearly $65 million - a 50 percent increase since taking office.
His 2025-26 budget proposal features additional investments in initiatives that strengthen the Commonwealth’s workforce, including:
- $3.5 million for the Schools-to-Work Program, helping students transition into high-demand careers;
- $5 million to create the Nurse Shortage Assistance Program to recruit, train, and retain the next generation of nursing professionals; and
- $10 million to expand apprenticeship programs, offering more earn-as-you-learn opportunities to build a skilled workforce.
For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, please visit the website or follow L&I on Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.
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