Poster: AFL-CIO New York City Central Labor Council
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The AFL-CIO held its first Labor Parade since 2019. It’s always held on the Saturday after Labor Day. (Even union members want three-day weekends). This year’s theme was Workers Leading, Workers Rising.
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The Grand Marshall was US Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. He was joined in the front line by New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Senator Chuck Schumer.
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Both are running for re-election this year but only Sen Schumer appeared to campaign. They were the only candidates in the parade.
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The unions came in clusters.
The first group was those associated with the entertainment industry.
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The construction trades came next.
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Except for an occasional women’s committee, 95 percent of these marchers were men. Some brought their families.
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Indeed children appeared to outnumber women. Since all wore union t-shirts, it was sometimes hard to tell who was a union member.
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The pipers followed the plumbers.
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Essential workers were not forgotten.
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Not everyone walked.
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High school bands brought music to the march, but probably not any union dues.
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Heavily female unions made their appearance toward the end of the parade.
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Three hours after the parade began, the last local was still waiting to walk.
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Jo Freeman is a feminist scholar and author.
Copyright © 2022 Jo Freeman