Public Employee Press

Labor Day Parade:
Marching for union values

By GREGORY N. HEIRES

Almost 1,000 DC 37 members turned out Sept. 9 for the city’s annual Labor Day Parade with an election year message calling for a reversal of Bush’s anti-worker policies.

The DC 37 marchers joined their union sisters and brothers from public and private sector unions in a march up Fifth Avenue to voice their support for fairer tax policy, immigrant rights, improved funding for government programs and the right to organize.

Before marching, DC 37 gathered for a block party on East 46th Street, where members enjoyed box lunches, socializing, and music.

To kick off the parade, DC37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts headed the line of march with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Comptroller William C. Thompson and other top union leaders. Then with Assistant Associate Director Henry Garrido at her side, she greeted crowds along

Fifth Avenue from the union float. Dept. of Education Employees Local 372 also had a float, and participants from Civil Service Technical Guild Local 375 followed a pickup truck.

The marchers carried signs with messages like “City Workers Proud and Dedicated,” “Labor United Will Never be Defeated!” “New York City is a Union Town,” “Union Power” and “Union Proud, Labor Strong, Solidarity Forever.” About 15 DC 37 union locals organized groups of marchers for the annual parade sponsored by the New York City Central Labor Council.

“Our parade is not only a time to demonstrate the strength of labor, but also a chance to enjoy time together outside of work with our friends, fellow members and families,” said Roberts, who greeted the marchers on 46th Street before they headed up the parade route. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, accompanied by council member Robert Jackson, also mingled with DC 37 members.

Fighting for worker rights
Together with the leaders of other city unions, Roberts and other DC 37 elected officials ­attended the labor breakfast that preceded the parade. Among the politicians at the breakfast were U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, Mayor Bloomberg, Democratic Lt. Gov. candidateand State Sen. David Paterson and Democratic Attorney General candidate Andrew Cuomo.

Members expressed many reasons for attending.

“I’m here to support my union because we all need a union to help fight for our rights,” said Clerical Associate 3 Denise Hines, a Local 1549 member.

“This is my first parade,” said Local 1549 member Miriam Miura. “My children are now grown up, and I want to see what the union movement is all about.”

“I believe in a strong labor movement and using the union’s power to protect my co-workers,” said Assistant Mechanical Engineer Henry Tisor, president of Local 375’s chapter at the Dept. of Buildings.

Bush serves the wealthy
College Assistants Local 2054 member Lois McGuinness recently returned to the paid workforce after dedicating herself to her family since 1976. Her motive for attending the parade was clear from the hard-hitting message of her placard, which said: “In 1982, the ratio of the average CEO pay to average worker pay was 42:1. In 2006, the ratio is 431:1 — while Bush gives tax breaks to the wealthy!!”

“I don’t know where I would be today without the union,” said School Crossing Guard Ivy Reid. “It’s like a family to me.”

“This the first time I have come, and I wanted to show support for the union,” said Local 1407 member Neena Solanki, a Workers’ Compensation Examiner. “They really worked hard to get a good contract.”

Migdalia Zabala, an Office Associate 3 and member of Brooklyn Library Guild Local 1482, said she too appreciated the union’s fight to win raises and protect benefits. But she said she hopes to see greater activism in the future. “We need more people out because without the union this city will not run.”