Labor celebrates its day; 16 Labor Day events to focus on job creation

Across Illinois, union members of the Illinois AFL-CIO will celebrate Labor Day with a message for elected officials; keep moving forward with job creation programs. 

“Unemployment is still too high across America,” said Michael T. Carrigan, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO. “Here in Illinois we have seen some manufacturing jobs return in the auto industry and the beginning of construction projects through the Illinois Capital Building Program and federal stimulus dollars. But we need to do more. We are depending on our elected officials in Washington and Springfield to continue to pass legislation that creates jobs and encourages business to expand and hire in America. We cannot afford to go back to the failed economic policies of the Bush era or elect a governor who cares more about the rights of big business than those of hard working, middle-class citizens.”

Labor Day is also the unofficial kick off of Labor’s 2010 Election Day efforts. Working men and women across the state will hit the pavement and worksites to talk to their fellow union members about the upcoming election and the importance of electing candidates who support Labor’s core issues; job creation, keeping it Made In America, workers’ rights to organize, safety in the workplace, strong pension plans and health care for all workers.

“The Illinois AFL-CIO is focused on November 2 with our all-out, grass-roots campaign efforts,” said Carrigan. “We have one million union members in Illinois. We plan to call, visit and mail all of those union members and their families over the next two months to talk about which candidates best represent working families. This election gives our members clear choices – keep moving forward to bring Illinois and the nation out of this recession, or go back to pandering to Wall Street and corporations. We choose to go forward.”

A complete listing of Labor-sponsored Labor Day events follows. For more information on individual community events please call the numbers listed.

Labor Day 2010

Labor-Sponsored Events

ALTON

Aug. 25-27 – James Stanley Memorial Charity Softball Tournament

Aug. 28 – Labor Parade followed by picnic with children’s games

Locations: Tournament and picnic – Gordon Moore Park, Rt. 140, Alton, IL

Parade – uptown Alton, starts at Alton Jr. High School

Time: Parade starts at 10 a.m.

Contact: 618-259-7011, ext. 2

BELLEVILLE

Sept. 2 – Southwestern Illinois Central Labor Council Awards Dinner

Location – Belle Air Bowl, Rts. 13 and 159 in Belleville

Time: 6:00 pm

Contact: Bill Thurston 618-758-3513

Sept. 6 – Labor Day Parade followed by a picnic at Hough Park (Labor Park)

Location: Downtown Belleville

Time: 10:00 am parade steps off, picnic follows until 3:00 pm

Contact: Bill Thurston 618-758-3513

 

BLOOMINGTON – NORMAL

Sept. 6 – Labor Day Parade with the theme of “A Working America is a Strong America,” followed by a chicken dinner in Miller Park for union members and their families.

Location: Downtown Bloomington – starting at Front and Center Streets

Time: Parade – 9 a.m. line up, 10 a.m. start

Lunch – 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., $3 per person

Contact: Gary Leake 309-828-7383 or go to www.bntrades.org

 

CHAMPAIGN – URBANA

Sept. 6 – Labor Day Parade followed by a Celebration of Labor picnic at Prairie Park with food, beverages, inflatable games for children, band and raffle.

Location: Downtown Urbana, corner of Illinois and Broadway.

Time: Parade begins at 10 a.m., picnic immediately follows

Contact: 217-333-1928

 

CHICAGO

Sept. 6 – Pullman Labor Day Event – On Labor Day, union members and their families in the Chicago area will honor and celebrate the historic Pullman railroad strike that began in Chicago in 1894 and the struggles of the African American Pullman porters against the railroad for decent wages and working conditions. The celebration will take place at the Pullman State Historic Site, 111th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue. Celebration will feature music, exhibits, food and entertainment.

Time: 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Contact: 773-370-3305 or go to http://laborday.pullmanevents.info/.

Sept. 6 – Labor Day at Millennium Park Celebration for union families with food, music, entertainment and attractions. Tickets are required.

Locations: Pritzker Pavilion and Great Lawn at Millennium Park

Times: 10:30 am – 2:00 pm

Contact: 312-222-1000

 

DANVILLE

Sept. 6 – Labor Day Parade, Vermillion County Federation of Labor sponsors the “Largest

Downstate Parade in Illinois.” 2010 theme is “Good Jobs Now!”

Location: Line up corner of Davis and Vermillion Streets ending at Main and Vermillion Streets

Time: Parade lines up at 8:30 a.m., starts at 9:30 a.m.

Contact: Connie Ostrander 217-418-0944

 

DECATUR

Sept. 6 – Labor Day Parade

Location: Downtown Decatur, line up on South Franklin Street at Wood Street

Time: 9 a.m. lineup, 10 a.m. start

Contact: Bill Francisco 217-428-3013

 

GALESBURG

Sept. 6 – Labor Day Parade followed by a picnic at Lake Storey Park.

Location: Downtown Galesburg

Time: Parade lines up at 9 a.m., starts at 10 a.m.

Contact: Joel Hawkins 309-297-0866

 

GRANITE CITY

Sept. 6 – Labor Day Parade followed by a picnic in Wilson Park

Locations: Parade – Downtown Granite City to Wilson Park

Picnic – Wilson Park

Time: Parade starts at 9 a.m.

Contact: 618-259-7011, ext. 2

 

PEORIA

Sept. 6 – Labor Day Parade followed by the annual “Party on the Riverfront” with food, refreshments and live music.

Location: Parade – Downtown Peoria – Free Bus Rides Provided by ATU from the Riverfront to downtown Peoria for the parade.

Time: Parade lines up at 1 p.m., starts at 2 p.m.

Contact: Michael Everett 309-673-3691

 

QUAD CITIES

Sept. 6 – Labor Day Parade – 27th Annual

Location: East Moline – line up at John Deer Harvester Works – 1100 13th Ave.

Parade to move west to east along 15th Ave. from 13th to 3rd.

Time: Lineup at 8 a.m.; Parade starts at 11:00 a.m.

Contact: Tracy Kurowski 563-344-0342 or 563-324-9414 or go to www.quadcityfed.wordpress.com for information and parade entry forms

 

QUINCY

Sept. 6 – Labor Day Picnic – food, games, contests, rides, door prizes – free to all union members and their families

Location: Machinists Hall & Grounds, 2929 North 5th Street, Quincy

Time: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., dinner from 12 Noon – 1:30 p.m.

Contact: 217-222-0394

Special Request: Reservations needed by 8/25/10. Each family is asked to bring 1 or more nonperishable food items for charity when attending the picnic.

 

ROCKFORD

Sept. 6 – Labor Day Parade with the theme of “Organized Labor Gives Back to Our Community”

Time: 10:00 a.m., lineup at 9:00 a.m. in downtown Rockford

Contact: Trisha Welte 815-986-4822

Special Request: All participants and parade-goers are asked to bring non-perishable foods for local food pantries.

 

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

DuQuoin – Illinois State Fair – Aug. 27 – Sept. 6

Aug. 27 – Twilight Parade – featuring area Labor unions, 6 p.m. step off

Aug. 27 – Sept. 6 – Labor Pavilion Open each day on the Fair Grounds – sponsored by The Egyptian Building Trades

Sept. 6 – Labor Day Celebration at the Fair – free Barbeque picnic, music and fair rides for union members and their families. Starting at 11 a.m.

Location: DuQuoin State Fair Grounds – just off Route 51 south of DuQuoin

Contact: 618-932-2102

 

SPRINGFIELD

Sept. 6 – Labor Day Parade

Location: Downtown Springfield – lineup at Horace Mann parking lot, corner of

7th and Jefferson Streets

Time: 9 a.m. line-up, 10 a.m. start

Contact: Fritz Grant 217-306-0836

 

STREATOR

Sunday, Sept. 5 – Labor Day Parade

Location: Streator Train Station

Time: 12:30 p.m.

Contact: Dan Mercer 815-725-0402