HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry on Wednesday rededicated “The Pennsylvania Worker,” a 9,000-pound bronze sculpture that stands as a tribute to the state’s workforce and the generations of men and women who built its economy and communities.
Commissioned by the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO in 1992 and created by sculptor William F. Duffy, the statue depicts a laborer straining to lift a steel beam—a symbolic image of the physical and emotional strength that defines Pennsylvania’s working class. The monument, located outside the Department of Labor & Industry building in Harrisburg, was first dedicated by Governor Robert P. Casey more than three decades ago.
Labor & Industry Secretary Nancy A. Walker led Wednesday’s rededication ceremony, joined by union leaders and community representatives. “His shoulders are tight with effort, his eyes fixed forward, lifting a weight that looks almost too much to bear,” Walker said. “The Pennsylvania Worker does not stand for one job, one industry, or one moment in time—he stands for all of Pennsylvania’s workers.”
Governor Casey had originally called the sculpture “the most heroic monument in the capital city,” describing it as a tribute to “the 10,000 faces we haven’t seen and the thousands of stories we haven’t heard.”
The rededication also underscored the Shapiro Administration’s ongoing investment in Pennsylvania’s workforce. Since taking office, Governor Josh Shapiro has increased funding for vocational and technical education, apprenticeships, and workforce readiness programs by nearly $65 million—a 50% rise from previous levels. His 2025–26 budget proposal adds another $18.5 million for programs including the Schools-to-Work initiative, the Nurse Shortage Assistance Program, and expanded apprenticeships across key industries.
“The Pennsylvania Worker” remains a symbol not just of the state’s industrial legacy, but of its future—one rooted in skilled labor, opportunity, and pride.
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