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Labor Day Draws Thousands to Lakefront (Left) Approximately 400 members of Laborers' Local #113 and their families joined thousands of Milwaukee area Union members, family and friends for the annual Laborfest celebration at the Summerfest grounds. The day began with the traditional March from the Workers' Memorial at Zeidler Park, down Wisconsin Avenue to the lakefront. |
| (Below) Retired members of the Local received their traditional
ride along the route, with Local Business Rep John Schmitt at the wheel. Once in the Summerfest Grounds, members and families had a wide variety of food, entertainment and activities to choose from. This year's guest speaker was Richard Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer of the National AFL-CIO |
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Madison Labor Day Focuses on the Family |
According to event organizers, over one thousand people gathered at the Madison Labor Temple for a day of family fun featuring four bands, a juggling act and magic show between bands, and an auction to benefit the United Way. While there were no speeches, there was plenty of food, games and face-painting for the kids. The day also featured a traveling photo exhibit, Struggle for Justice, by photographer David Giffey. |
The exhibit, which is sponsored by the Wisconsin Labor History Society, documents the life of migrant farm workers and organizing efforts of the late 1960's in Wisconsin. In addition to the annual Labor holiday, local activists were also celebrating the fact that over half the County Board of Supervisors have signed on to a "Living Wage" ordinance for Dane County. The ordinance would require any business that contracts work from the County to pay their employees a "living wage" and provide health insurance to its workers. "Living Wage" campaigns are being waged by the AFL-CIO and affiliated unions in municipalities across the country. |
