May Day Observance In Duluth
DULUTH, Minn. – In the United States and Canada, workers celebrate Labor Day. While around the world people celebrate May 1st as the day to honor workers.
Union members in the United States also observe May Day. They take time out to look back and look forward to what’s been accomplished and what remains to be done.
At the Duluth Labor Temple, Saturday the May Day celebration had dozens of union members and their supporters gathering to have lunch together and hear from politicians and leaders.
Jen McEwen the Minnesota State Senator from District 8 and Chair of the Senate’s Labor committee, spoke to those gathered about the need for workers to keep moving forward. “It’s a time to celebrate workers to try to come together to talk about where we are at in the struggle for more dignity for workers,” said McEwen. “Organizing of workers coming together to bargain with their employers for the terms of their employment and the dignity that they deserve in life.”
One person in attendance was the Laborer Union’s 1091 Business Manager, Dan Olson. He was optimistic about the impact unions and union members are having on improving all workers lives. “It seems the country is coming around and realizing it’s not a bad thing to raise up America, raise up workers, safety requirements in place, good wage, benefits, pensions, and dignity to retire.”
Despite the rainy and cold weather outside the union hall, the people inside were receptive to the messages and the need to keep up their organizing and bargaining efforts.
