Residents will be able to purchase the first book on the Bermuda Industrial Union?s history next week.

Written by historian Ira Phillip and commissioned by the union, the 300-plus page hardcover book, ?The History of The Bermuda Industrial Union?, has been two-and-a-half years in the making.

BIU president Derrick Burgess said yesterday that the book marked a significant milestone for Bermuda.

?The history of any trade union movement in Bermuda has never been recorded ? particularly the history of the Bermuda Industrial Union,? Mr. Burgess said.

?As you know we had some turbulent times in the beginning and it continued for decades.?

He said too many people did not know the history and the stories of those who paved the way for many of the rights that are taken for granted today.

?They shed blood, sweat and tears and even did time in prison and went on trial in Supreme Court just to achieve a lot of the benefits that all of us take for granted today,? he continued.

?This union was the first to have equal pay regardless of gender.

?We fought for pensions and were able to achieve that ... We helped the senior citizens for decades because those senior citizens are the same ones that walked the pavements to get the benefits today.?

Mr. Burgess added ?even those who sit in high places and have great jobs in Bermuda ? a lot of them forget that their parents had to work two or three jobs for them to have what they have today ? and we must never forget that.?

Education ?was not part of the blueprint for us ? for people of African descent ? for those that ruled during those turbulent days. History will tell you and I that. But we were able to achieve that despite the blueprint.?

He pointed out that the book was locally produced with only the binding done overseas.

The union has an initial run of 3,000 copies of the book which will be launched on Monday and sold for $35 ? a price Mr. Burgess said was aimed at covering costs.

And it plans to present a copy to the Premier and the Board of Education, Mr. Burgess said.

?We would hope that the Board of Education would purchase some of these books to be put in schools. And this could be part of the curriculum in labour relations and history so our children would know.?