WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and SportsNew twist added to local Labor Day celebration

New twist added to local Labor Day celebration

Eau Claire (WQOW) – A western Wisconsin organization looks to get more people involved in an annual Labor Day celebration. 

On Monday, The Greater West Central Area Labor Council held its annual Labor Day celebration at Phoenix Park.  This year, the organization expanded the event to include all workers not just union employees.  The event was kicked off with a solidarity walk. 

Hundreds of workers hit the street Monday morning. 

"I'm meeting a lot of people and just to see many people come together and to see people honking and waving at us as we were walking was great," says Bruce Neeb, an Eau Claire resident. 

Not for a Labor Day parade, but a solidarity walk. 

"It was going to be from one location, then the more we talked about it, we said let's do it from a couple of locations, let's have people come together at one site in a show of unity," says Jack Connell, president of The Greater West Central Area Labor Council. 

Connell says Labor Day has taken on new life for him this year because of changes made by governor walker to collective bargaining. 

"This is a good time for all workers, all working families to stand up and say, 'Hey, we're not done, we're going to fight back,'" says Connell.  "You can take away our rights, but we're still standing tall and proud." 

However, that's not what Connell and others are focusing on as they celebrate Labor Day. 

"Just to get people to realize we're all in this together, we have different unions, different groups of people walking together with a common cause, to come to Labor Day," says Connell. 

"This is one of the best Labor Day's I've been too, this is what Labor Day should be, unfortunately its in a divisive situation, but I think we need to remind people of the ability to speak for yourself as laborer's and families," says Neeb. 

Besides the solidarity walk, there was a rally with speakers and a picnic.  The event also served as a fundraiser for Feed My People Food Bank.