Labor Day: Local unions reflect on their mission

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Members of labor unions in Wichita gathered Saturday at the Machinists Hall, 3830 S. Meridian, to celebrate Labor Day.

“When we’re strong, the community is strong, and that raises the boat for everybody, not just the union people,” Tony Spicer, Kansas State AFL-CIO president, said. “It’s about working families, but unions are the ones that drive that forward.”

The Wichita Hutchinson Labor Federation says it is the voice of labor in south-central Kansas, representing working families. People within the community, along with labor and union members, enjoyed games, prizes and fellowship on Saturday.

While the holiday is intended to be a time for recuperation, many union and labor members use the time off in more of a reflective manner.

“Think about the people before us that stood on the picket lines for the issues that were created for an eight-hour day, overtime, pension, vacation pay,” John Nave, Kansas AFL-CIO executive vice president, said.

“Celebrate the day that this country is built on, (which) is the working class people of America, you know, doing what we got to do,” Jimmy Yeager, district coordinator, said. “Things would not function without labor.”

Labor Day weekend tends to be when many people go to the lake or hit the pool, but if those options are not available, the holiday break can be filled with other forms of entertainment.

“Barbecue, horseshoes, card games, and bingo,” Nave said. “That’s when it’s fun.”