A year off from the pandemic made for a bigger and better Labor Day Parade in Bloomington.
David’s sample
BLOOMINGTON – Even when entire industries came to a standstill and parts of the economy collapsed due to the coronavirus pandemic over the past 18 months, roads were still being serviced, garbage collection continued and education continued.
Behind the maintenance of these essential public services and others stood workers – and their health and safety amid flowing government mandates and action was secured through organized labor.
This relationship shaped the theme – “Work Stronger Than Ever” – of the Bloomington Labor Day 2021 parade, which saw more than a dozen unions in the area, hundreds of its members, heavy construction machinery, marching bands, nonprofits and local politicians marched through downtown Bloomington to Miller Park.
Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 197 are among more than a dozen unions that marched on Lee Street in downtown Bloomington on Monday during the Labor Day Parade. The annual parade resumed after being canceled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 quarantine.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
“With all the challenges every worker has faced over the past year, we’ve come back stronger,” said Renee Nestler, representative of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31. “We had to be creative; we had to be patient, we had to be flexible, we developed new skills and had to do things differently all year round. “
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Nestler
The pandemic moved into particular spotlight, where employers are lacking in areas of work safety and fair wages, Nestler said. And in these cases, unions stood up to stand up for workers.
“Worker safety was very important last year and will continue to do so,” said Nestler. “Wages have lagged … we want workers to be paid what they are worth, and they’ve definitely shown that last year.”
An Associate Firefighter from the Illinois Honor Guard, Bloomington Firefighters, and members of Local 49 Firefighters lead the Labor Day Parade in downtown Bloomington on Monday. Their presence was recognized as the nation remembers more than 340 firefighters who died in the attack on the World Trade Towers on September 11, 2001 in New York.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
AFSCME represents more than 90,000 active and retired employees, including 165 Bloomington City employees through Local 699.
Overall, according to Nestler, the organization has seen an increase in membership and engagement over the past 18 months, as the local chapters have served as sources of information for regulations and as negotiators in impact negotiations.
“We try to protect jobs and lives at work,” said Nestler.
Veterans of America’s wars will be recognized Monday as they drive a Rader Family Farms-sponsored cart during the Labor Day Parade on Lee Street in downtown Bloomington.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
This union’s main role spans more than a century, and Labor Day, which first became an official federal holiday in 1894, does.
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Monday’s parade also marked the 130th celebration of the event in the city – Bloomington’s first Labor Day Parade took place in 1891 after Illinois declared it a state holiday – and their return after the pandemic canceled March 2020.
Retired Bloomington Assistant Fire Chief Nick Isaacs is collecting a donation for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Cayson Boston, 5, Normal Monday.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
On Monday, John Penn, Vice President of the Midwest Region of Laborers International Union of North America, celebrated his 44th year as coordinator of the parade and 56th year in the job.
Pointing to the massive $ 2 trillion infrastructure plan put in place this year by President Joe Biden and Governor JB Pritzkers, the $ 45 billion capital program to rebuild Illinois signed in 2019, Penn said it was on both comeback and comeback also optimistic about the future of work.
“We have great growth ahead of us,” said Penn. “We’re going to have a lot of work and if you look around here, look at these young men (and women), we’re bringing in a lot of young apprentices – all professions are.”
Penn
Penn said that after four years under former Republican Governor Bruce Rauner and former President Donald Trump, building contractors “are now paving streets, pouring sidewalks and building buildings which we are supposed to do.”
And what the state does next to create jobs, finalize a clean energy plan and “to recover or not to recover from COVID” depends on workers and management coming together, State MP Dan Brady said, R-Bloomington.
“Work is very important in this entire movement,” said Brady.
Lee Street was crowded on Monday when members of Operating Engineers Local 3236 brought a large contingent of members with them during the Labor Day Parade in downtown Bloomington.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
A model of the ideal symbiosis between economic development and work can be seen in the Twin Cities, where new homes continue to emerge and key players like Rivian Automotive continue to expand through the hands of local workers, ordinary Mayor Chris Koos said.
Chris Koos
Working People in the Church – “They built this church, they built Bloomington Normal, and they have a long history of quality craftsmanship and dedication,” Koos said.
“An incredible amount of work is being done in this community right now, and I think Rivian is taking the lion’s share of the skilled workforce to get this facility completed,” said Koos. “I think we’ll see this type of activity for the next five to seven years.”
Photos: Bloomington Labor Day Parade continues after year of COVID-19
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Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 197 are among more than a dozen unions that marched on Lee Street in downtown Bloomington on Monday during the Labor Day Parade. The annual parade resumed after being canceled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 quarantine.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
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An Associate Firefighter from the Illinois Honor Guard, Bloomington Firefighters, and members of Local 49 Firefighters lead the Labor Day Parade in downtown Bloomington on Monday. Their presence was recognized as the nation remembers more than 340 firefighters who died in the attack on the World Trade Towers on September 11, 2001 in New York.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Veterans of America’s wars will be recognized Monday as they drive a Rader Family Farms-sponsored cart during the Labor Day Parade on Lee Street in downtown Bloomington.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Retired Bloomington Assistant Fire Chief Nick Isaacs is collecting a donation for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Cayson Boston, 5, Normal Monday.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Lee Street was crowded on Monday when members of Operating Engineers Local 3236 brought a large contingent of members with them during the Labor Day Parade in downtown Bloomington.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Illinois State University cheerleaders cheered as they marched on Lee Street in downtown Bloomington during the Labor Day Parade on Monday, September 6, 2021.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
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A member of Bloomington Firefighters Local 49 drove on Monday, June 6th.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Members of plasterers and concrete masons, Local 18, marched together during the Labor Day Parade on Lee Street in downtown Bloomington on Monday, September 6, 2021.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
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The family of Ronn Morehead, past president of Bloomington Unions and Unions for more than 40 years, was honored during the Labor Day Parade on Lee Street in downtown Bloomington on Monday September 6, 2021.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Normal’s David Haynes, a member of the Bloomington-Normal Rotary Club, marched with fellow Rotarians during the Labor Day Parade on Lee Street in downtown Bloomington on Monday, September 6, 2021.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Administrators and a member of the McLean County AFL-CIO led the Labor Day Parade on Lee Street in downtown Bloomington on Monday, September 6, 2021.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Members of Laborers Union International marched during the Labor Day Parade on Lee Street in downtown Bloomington on Monday, September 6, 2021.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Bloomington-Normal NAACP President Linda Foster led her contingent on Monday, September 6, 2021, during the Labor Day Parade on Lee Street in downtown Bloomington.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
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Children of members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 752 cast shadows on their sign as they marched on Lee Street in downtown Bloomington during the Labor Day Parade on Monday, September 6, 2021.
DAVID PROEBER, THE PANTAGRAPH
Contact Timothy Eggert at (309) 820-3276. Follow him on Twitter: @TimothyMEggert
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