Naomi Girson | opinions editor

Sharon Burke traveled about 70 miles from Cambria County to Pittsburgh on Monday for the Labor Day parade, carrying homemade posters. She wanted to stand with her union SEIU 668 as well as to protest alongside others about the current administration and all the cuts being made to union benefits across the country.

In August, 455,000 workers lost their union protections through the Trump administration’s executive orders calling for agencies to terminate contracts for almost 1 million employees.

“They have laid off or fired people and fought their unemployment compensation. It’s just been horrendous, and they’re trying to break the backs of the union,” Burke said.

Burke watched organizations marching the streets of Downtown for one of the largest Labor Day parades in the country, according to CBS News. There were a total of 190 different groups participating in the parade, according to Carmella Mullen, a member of the parade planning committee.

The day started with Mass at St. Benedict the Moor Church, led by newly appointed bishop Mark Eckman. The parade began at 10 a.m. and was preceded by a moment of silence for the two men that died in the Clairton Coke Works explosion in August.

Local and state officials came to show their support, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Rep. Summer Lee D-Swissvale, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Democratic nominee for the upcoming Pittsburgh mayoral election, Corey O’Connor.

Shapiro was busy in front of the United Steelworkers Building, where the end of the parade route was marked. He was shook hands and gave encouraging words to the union workers marching, but he took a moment to acknowledge the changes from the federal level that are affecting the workers in Pittsburgh.

“We are a proud union town here in Pittsburgh,” Shapiro said in response to a question from The Duke.

“Unfortunately, they have a government in the Trump administration who is working to eviscerate their rights every single day. Let me be very clear, I will stand up for our workers. If Donald Trump wants to screw with a worker here in Pennsylvania, he’s going to have to go through me.”

Lee called the day a celebration, but did not understate the impact of the changes at the federal level.

“It’s a reaffirmation that this is a union town. I mean, this is jovial, obviously, this is important here. But I think there’s an undercurrent, I think that there are people who realize that even as we’re marching to a surpass, we’re marching in light of [UPMC] Magee’s nurses winning at the same time, we’re watching the administration dismantle federal unions, public unions,” Lee told The Duke. “We’re holding both of those things at the same time.”

Along with the noted government officials, union workers bustled down the road, wearing matching t-shirts displaying their union numbers, cheering to the pedestrians on the sidewalks.

Among the groups such as the Pittsburgh Firefighters IAFF Local 1 and the Union Carpenter Local 432 were union member’s spouses, children, family and friends to marching alongside them in the parade.

Vice president of the Pittsburgh Firefighters, Tim Leech, said the day was important to them, especially now.

“It’s more relevant now than ever, with the union way under attack,” Leech said. “It’s really important to show our solidarity.”

He said the union granted his union members safer working conditions, better wages and good healthcare plans.

Leech said unions have been given a bad reputation in part because of perception around union dues, but as a paying member of a union, he said he believes they are worth the cost for the benefits.

“What could be wrong with a bunch of workers joining together and finding their resources to
improve their working conditions?” Leech said.

Naomi Girson can be reached at girsonn@duq.edu