WASHINGTON, D.C. — Top AFL-CIO officers will travel across America this Labor Day weekend to kick off the labor movement’s fall election campaign, call for corporate accountability, and honor America’s every day working heroes.
Under the banner of “No More Business as Usual,” the officers will join working families in demanding that workers’ needs trump corporate greed. They will point out that even as America celebrates working people as heroes – – the workers to whom the nation turned after September 11 – – workers are being left behind. Unemployment is up, wages are stagnant, and basic worker priorities are being ignored in Washington, DC.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and a former Arthur Andersen worker will be in Chicago for a major Labor Day event on Navy Pier. In St. Paul, Sweeney will be joined by a former Worldcom worker, as well as thousands of working men and women and Senator Paul Wellstone.
Working men and women nationwide will participate in an array of events – – parades, picnics, pancake breakfasts, town hall forums, horseshoe contests, and even the world’s largest Labor Day Celebration – – the AFL-CIO’s Online Labor Day Fest (www.aflcio.org).
There also will be hundreds of “Labor in the Pulpit” services nationwide in which union members and faith leaders will highlight the intersection between faith and workers’ rights.
Highlights include:
Friday, August 30
WASHINGTON, DC
10 a.m. – – AFL-CIO President Sweeney, DC Mayor Anthony Williams to inaugurate new one-stop career center at 6210 North Capitol Street, Washington DC
Noon – – Sweeney to join in collective bargaining “lesson” for high school students at Collective Bargaining Education Project at the George Meany Center where the students will learn about unions – – 10000 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD
Sunday, September 1
WASHINGTON, DC
11:00 a.m. – – -AFL-CIO President John Sweeney to attend Labor Day mass at Washington National Cathedral on Wisconsin Ave. where he will offer a prayer.
HOUSTON
9:30 a.m. – – AFL-CIO Executive Vice-President Linda Chavez-Thompson to speak at young people’s mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary, 7539 Avenue K, Houston.
Noon – – Chavez-Thompson to attend Unity 2002 Labor Day barbeque with hundreds of union members and their families at the Pasadena Convention Center (7902 Fairmont Parkway in Pasadena, TX). She will be joined by Tony Sanchez, a gubernatorialcandidate, John Sharp, a candidate for Lt. Governor, and Ron Kirk, a candidate for Senate.
Monday, September 2
CHICAGO
10:45 a.m. – – AFL-CIO President John Sweeney to join thousands of working families, Rod Blagojevich (candidate for Illinois governor), and a former Arthur Andersen worker on Navy Pier for Labor Day festivities. He will kick off the labor movement’s fall election campaign with a Labor Day address calling for more corporate accountability and for the nation to honor America’s everyday working heroes.
ST. PAUL
3:45 p.m. – – Pres. Sweeney will join Senator Paul Wellstone, a former Worldcom worker and thousands of working families for a major Labor Day event – – Harriet Island, St. Paul.
LOS ANGELES
Noon – – Sec.-Treas. Trumka will speak at march for ILWU members and port workers who are in a tough bargaining fight with port owners. The march is sponsored by the L.A. County Federation and will also feature a parade and picnic attended by nearly 8,000 working men and women.
QUAD CITIES
1:30 p.m. – – After leading the Labor Day parade in E. Moline, Exec. V-P Chavez-Thompson to speak at Labor Day picnic with Rod Blagojevich (candidate for Illinois governor) and Congressman Lane Evans. Picnic is at Illiniwek Park, Rt. 84, Hampton, IL.