This type of sentiment was echoed up and down the avenue by
other participants in the September 10th Labor Day
Parade that sported colorful floats, marching bands, pipe and drum
corps, motorcycles contingents, huge trucks and construction
equipment – and, most essentially, tens of thousands of marchers
eager to express their enthusiasm for the union.
Leslie Crockett, an employee of the State Insurance Fund and
President of his Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) local
since 1992, said that he’s a strong union man because, "When they
mess with one person, they mess with a whole lot more. You’ve got
protection. And you get much more than people who aren’t
unionized."
Sheila Rabb, Council Representative for DC 37 who’s been
involved with the union movement for over 20 years, wants to see
all workers organized. "Union representation is something every
individual is entitled to," she stated.
Brenda Talbert, who works at the Roosevelt Hotel, had nothing
but praise for her union, the Hotel and Restaurant Employees of
Unite Here!, Local 6, headed by Peter Ward. "They fight for us and
are loving and caring," Talbert said. "Whatever we need, they are
100% there for us. Local 6 is one of the best unions in America."
G.L. Tyler, Political Director for AFSCME DC 1707, brought up
another aspect of why he believes unions are important: "Union
members vote more than anyone else. We've got to have unions to
bring out the vote."
Judging from the phenomenal amount of political posters and
candidates to be seen everywhere throughout the parade, Tyler
certainly got that right. Though it was just days before the
Democratic primary, not all the politicians were there looking for
support from the unions, however. Many were there to show their
support for the unions.
For example, Council Members Bill de Blasio and Robert Jackson
who were each uncontested, marched with the United Federation of
Teachers (UFT) to demonstrate their solidarity with the over
80,000 New York City schoolteachers who have been without a
contract for 2 ½ years. Stated Jackson, "The experts say that the
two most important things to a good educational system are
qualified teachers and small class sizes. These two issues are
focal points in this election."
Marching with Ed Ott, Director of Public Policy for the New
York City Central Labor Council, Council Member Yvette Clarke
stated that she was there to stand in solidarity with "these labor
leaders who have moved the labor movement to the next level."
Council Member John Liu said he wanted to "celebrate the
accomplishments, struggles and the ongoing quest for better lives
and livelihoods by the hard-working men and women that make New
York City great."
Every now and then people question the point of holding a Labor
Day Parade. Gerald Johnson, a grievance representative with DC 37
Local 1349, answers that during these times marked by the
anti-union sentiment, perpetuated, as he sees it, by the current
administration in Washington DC, "It's more important than ever
that we all come together in solidarity and show that we're still
going strong!"
