Metro East Sun

Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti and Joe Beyer, acting director of the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL), toured Venice's Becker Iron & Metal recently and cheered its workers in recognition of Labor Day, according to a press release.

“Today we celebrate the hard-working men and women who contribute so much to the success of industry within our state,” Beyer said in the release. “It is with great pride that Illinois is home to an employer like Becker Iron & Metal.”

Becker Iron & Metal has been in business for more than 100 years and is now in its fourth generation of family ownership. It has a strong record on employee welfare and workplace safety, becoming the first Illinois scrap metal business to earn an award through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Safety & Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), according to the release.

Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti | www.illinois.gov

Sanguinetti and Beyer toured the facility and spoke with the company’s employees, commending them for their accomplishments.

“One of Illinois’ best assets is its workforce,” Sanguinetti said. “Our administration has made it a priority to attract and retain high-paying, high-quality jobs in Illinois. I am hopeful other employers will follow Becker’s lead in putting employees first.”