Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Blog

Celebrate Labor Day

This Labor Day, local labor councils, together with the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, and community partners will hold parades, picnics and celebrations around the state to honor the achievements of America’s working people. In the spirit of the holiday, events will honor the working people of Wisconsin who not only work hard to provide a better life for their families and keep our communities strong, but who fight to advance the rights of all who labor.

 

Labor Day is a time to come together to reflect and pay heed to the many ways in which workers keep our state running. Labor Day is a reminder of how much we all depend on each other and that the best way to improve the world in which we live, is to come together and collectively raise our voice for a better and brighter tomorrow.

 

Celebrate Labor Day in Wisconsin at one of the events listed below:

 

Events for Monday, September 7, 2015

 

Eau Claire: Phoenix Park, 330 Riverfront Terrace. Solidarity walk at 10:30 am, rally at 11:00 am, picnic and prizes from Noon to 3:00 pm. Open to all. Food provided by the Greater West Central Area Labor Council. Families are encouraged to bring a packaged food item to share and lawn chairs. Nonperishable food items will be collected for a local food pantry.

 

Fond Du Lac: 11:00 AM- 5:00 PMLakeside Park, 555 N Park Ave, Fond du Lac 54935. Parade starts 11:00 AM at Rees & Main Streets, picnic at Oven Island in Lakeside Park, live music 1:00-3:00 PM, face painting, refreshments sold---proceeds will be donated to local organizations & charities.

 

Green Bay: Bay Beach Amusement Park, Bay Beach Shelter #2. Monday, September 7, 11:00 AM – 4:30 PM. Ticket Price: $10 Adults, $5 Kids under 12 (includes: beverages and food coupons). 50/50 Raffle, face painting, book sale, bingo, speakers, live music.

 

Kenosha: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Saint Therese Church grounds, 91st St. & 22nd Ave. Kenosha, WI. The annual Kenosha Laborfest features booths from all labor organizations in the Kenosha area. Raffle prizes, beer tent and activities for the whole family. Rain or Shine!

 

La Crosse: Copeland Park, 1130 Copeland Park Drive. Our Labor Day celebration, sponsored by the Western Wisconsin Central Labor Council, starts at 10:00 a.m. with a ten-block family-friendly parade beginning at the intersection of Gillette Street and Kane Street. After the parade, festivities will move to Copeland Park with free kids games, face painting, and other activities. Soda, beer, brats, and snacks will be offered for sale. 

 

Madison: South Central Federation of Labor hosts LaborFest at the Madison Labor Temple at 1602 South Park St. The event is free and open to the public, and will run from 12:00 noon to 5:30 PM on Labor Day. Limited parking is available, with street parking nearby.

 

Milwaukee: Milwaukee Area Labor Council hosts Laborfest parade begins at 11:00 a.m. at the Wisconsin Workers Memorial in Zeidler Square Park (301 W. Michigan Street, Milwaukee) and ends at the Summerfest Grounds (200 N. Harbor Drive, Milwaukee). Celebration from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Henry Maier Festival Park. The event free and open to the public, sponsored by local unions and businesses.

 

Neenah/Fox Valley: Neenah Labor Temple, 157 S. Green Bay Road, Neenah WI 10:000 AM – 6:00 PM. 10:00 AM Parade through Menasha-Neenah, corn roast, live music, paddlewheel, white elephant sale, face painting, beverage & food tents, raffle drawing at 6:00 PM.

 

Oshkosh: South Park Shelter, W South Park Ave & Georgia Street, Oshkosh. 10:00-5:00 PM. Old car show, corn roast, refreshments, live music, book sale, silent auction.

 

Racine: 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Franksville Park, 9700 Northwestern Ave. Franksville, WI. Food, Beer, car show and a celebration of labor in Racine County!

 

Superior/Duluth: Start Labor Day the Superior Waywith coffee and doughnuts from 8:00 am to 10:00 a.m. at the ILA building at 5th and Tower in Superior.Then head to Duluth for more Labor Day festivitiesat Bayfront Festival Parkfrom 12:00 PM – 4 PM. The Duluth Central Labor Body’s 124th Labor Day Picnic includes food, drinks, and free parking thanks to the many sponsors who support the all-volunteer, all donation event.

 

Wausau: LT Club/Wausau Labor Temple, 318 S. 3^rd Ave., Wausau, Monday, 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Parade is at 4:00PM and the parade line-up is at 3:00PM. Kid’s events include petting zoo from 3:00-7:00pm. KT Country will be playing 5:30PM-8:30PM. Food and drinks will be available.

 

On Sunday, September 6, there will be a Fundraising Pancake Breakfast at the LT Club/Wausau LaborTemple, 318 S. 3^rd Ave. from 9 AM – 12:00 PM, 1 PM – 5 PM.

 

Wisconsin Rapid: Robinson Park, 1150 17th N St., Wisconsin Rapids, 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM. There will be food, music, kids’ rides, raffles, and Bingo. Hosted by Wood County Labor Council.

 

Tell Chris Abele to Negotiate or Arbitrate Now

The 750 bus drivers and mechanics of the Milwaukee County Transit System continue to fight for a fair contract. The members of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 998 consistently work long hours day and night to provide safe, quality transportation in Milwaukee. They have waited long enough for a fair contract.

Click here to tell Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele to negotiate or arbitrate in good faith now.

Bus drivers are coming together to stop the conversion of family-supporting full-time jobs to part-time positions. This dangerous race to the bottom for wages and benefits is the wrong direction for Wisconsin and bus drivers are taking a stand for all of us. County Executive Chris Abele should put the best interest of all of Milwaukee County first and settle the contract without delay.

Tell Chris Abele to negotiate or arbitrate now.

We are proud to join in solidarity with transit workers who are standing up forfamily-supporting full-time jobs, good benefits, and decent working conditions in order to deliver high-quality bus services to Milwaukee County residents.

ATU Local 998 went on a three-day work stoppage in early July after talks on a new contract broke down. Hiring more part-time workers instead of full-time, pensions and adequate bathroom breaks are among the concerns. Bus drivers require unique training and experience in order to calmly manage and deal with a variety of unique and difficult situations that may arise en route. Bus drivers and mechanics are coming together to stand up for quality family-support jobs and a strong middle class.

Send an email to Chris Abele urging him to negotiate and arbitrate without delay. 

What Walker Didn't Say During the #GOPDebate

How did Scott Walker’s attacks on workers and their unions turn out for Wisconsin?  Teacher shortagescausing problems for local district. Prison guard shortages forcing the state to incur mileage and hotel costs. Lagging our Midwest neighbors in job growth and a middle class that is shrinking faster than any other state in the nation.

 

These are the facts that Scott Walker hid in tonight’s debate. Make no mistake, Wisconsin’s economy is in the dump and people here are hurting. Attacking workers, skirting democracy and making decisions with campaign checks, not hard-working Wisconsinites, in mind is a recipe for disaster.

 

Scott Walker’s glossy packaged talking points may woo David Koch, but real working Americans can put two and two together -- they don’t want to see what’s happened to Wisconsin happen to America.Scott Walker is for the rich and powerful and his policies help the special interest 1% at the expense of the rest of us.

 

As working people, we must continue to sound the alarm and educate the nation on Scott Walker’s terrible record in Wisconsin.

Rose Tattoo folksinging group to be revived in Milwaukee

A revival of the Rose Tattoo – a folksinging group that featured the now deceased Utah Phillips and Milwaukee’s own Larry Penn – is scheduled for a special Milwaukee performance to be held:

 

7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015

Historic Puddlers’ Hall

2461 S. St. Clair Av. Milwaukee

 

Utah Phillips (1935-2008) was the Grand Master of a near-mythological fraternity of tramps, hoboes and rare do-wells known as the Rose Tattoo.

The Rose Tattoo minus Utah and Penn (who died in 2014), will be hooking up to perform in the concert which is part of a nationwide tour.  Performers will include various members of the Rose Tattoo: Mark Ross, Kuddie, Bob and Diana Suckiel, Rik Palieri, and perhaps a special guest.
  

The concert will consist of an informal round-robin song and story swap between the participants. All are finely honed singers, musicians and yarn-spinners.

These concerts will offer a window on a vanishing way of life where a busker (tramp entertainer) could sing his way from coast to coast with only a guitar, a bindle and overpowering desire to be somewhere else. Highly recommended for families especially young adults who think they know everything.

 

Admission: $10.  Advance ticket sales online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rose-tattoo-folksinging-group-revival-concert-tickets-17784797809

 

Sponsored by the Wisconsin Labor History Society.