CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Labor Day is here and it’s a time to celebrate the working men and women of America. Organized labor makes a big deal out of the weekend and considers it a time to show pride in a day’s work and what it means to everybody.
“This is the weekend we recognize and acknowledge what Labor has done to make this the greatest country on Earth,” said Josh Sword, President of the West Virginia AFL-CIO.
According to Sword, the effort to organize and exercise the right to have a voice in the workplace is a reason so many jobs offer good salaries, strong benefits, and a safe work place. Those extend even to a lot of non-union jobs, but Sword said the union can still be credited for setting those standards.
An annual survey put out by the National AFL-CIO along with other unions found this year 70 percent of respondents have a favorable view of unions.
“Union workers make 18 percent more than non-union workers when it comes to wages. We know benefit packages are better when you’re in the union and I’m talking about healthcare and retirement. We know jobs are safer and jobs are more secure and we believe that rising tide lifts all ships and everyone is better off because of it,” he explained.
Sword and union members will hold a number of celebrations today including the Marmet Labor Day Parade at 10 a.m. then the annual UMWA Labor Day Picnic at Racine in Boone County is set for 11 a.m. Traditionally the event draws a lot of candidates for office in an election year. The annual Labor Day Parade in Paden City is set for 1 p.m.
Celebrations were held Sunday in Mannington and at Go-Mart Ballpark in Charleston where the state AFL-CIO celebrated with a baseball double-header.