CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Union officials with Chicago’s United Electrical Workers (UE) are vowing to save a unique, labor-themed mural from being destroyed within the coming months.
The “Solidarity” mural is inside the United Electrical Workers Union Hall on Ashland Avenue near Monroe Street. The building had to be sold, though, and the new owners can't keep it on the walls.
“Solidarity” was painted on the walls of the United Electrical Workers union hall in the early 1970s. It wraps around and up the walls of a stairwell, utilizing elements of the building. UE President Carl Rosen said it depicts the history of the union and the labor movement and its people.
“This is people passing out leaflets in front of factories,” he said. “This is people negotiating contracts and trying to get management to sign on the dotted line.”
The union is hoping a combination of engineering and technology can preserve the art in at least one form, if not more.
“We have an art conservatory, Parma Conservation, which is ready to do that work,” Rosen said. “We need to find an angel to fund it. The Chicago Public Art Group is, right now, in conversation with some major arts foundations to see if that can happen. We are hopeful, but we’ll have to know within the next couple of weeks because this will all have to happen within the next two months.”
One possible new home for the mural is the Chicago Teachers Union building.
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