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Labor Day 2025 Recap

Throughout the state of Illinois, Central Labor Councils held events to celebrate and honor Labor Day.

Labor Day is more than a holiday. It’s a reminder that generations of working people fought for every workplace protection, every step toward fair wages, and every safety standard we enjoy today. And it’s time to remember that those gains are never permanent unless we continue to defend them.

The current administration in Washington has made it clear that they do not stand with American workers. Donald Trump and his cronies are lining their pockets at the expense of working families. While they may try to lower the floor, Illinois is standing strong and building the ceiling higher.

Our democracy is better in a union. At a time when extremist politicians seem intent on dragging us backward, unions represent the best united front. We must protect and strengthen the progress we’ve made, including our previous victories on everything from workplace safety to civil rights.

Below are pictures from celebrations and rallies throughout the state. Thank you to those who put in the work to build the CLC events and thank you to everyone who participated. It’s better in a union!

Labor Day Photos & Media

Photos and media from Labor Day events throughout the state can be viewed here.

IDOL Labor Day Report

The Illinois Department of Labor highlights the hard work of the Department in implementing and enforcing many pro-worker and Labor supported initiatives. Their Labor Day Report can be viewed here.  

UNITE HERE Local 1; Locked Out on Labor Day

Hotel workers and broader labor communities rallied in front of the Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago-Downtown at 506 W. Harrison to protest the hotel’s unfair lockout over Labor Day Weekend. While people celebrated around the state, we also fought for our workers and the right to a fair contract. As President Tim Drea stated, “If the Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago-Downtown thought they could lock out workers over Labor Day without having to answer to Illinois labor, they were wrong, The Illinois AFL-CIO and our 900,000 union members across the state will stand with workers of the Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago-Downtown for as long as it takes for them to win the fair union contract they deserve.”

 

 

 

 

Labor Day 2025 – Illinois Labor Sponsored Events

ALTON

Aug. 20 & 23 – James Stanley Charity Softball Tournament

Location: Gordon Moore Park, Alton, IL on hwy. 140.

Contact:  B. Dean Webb, 618-259-8558

Aug. 23 – Labor Celebration Parade & Picnic

Kids games, food and refreshments

Location:  Parade starts at Emerick Sports Complex at 1001 N. 6th St., Wood River IL. It will continue South on 6th Street turning West on Ferguson Ave., and ending at N. Haller St. in Wood River.

Picnic for Union Members and their family –following parade at Gordon Moore Park, Alton, IL on hwy. 140. (Wrist Bands are required to attend Picnic, see your local union)

Time:  Parade lineup begins at 8:00 a.m. & starts at 10 a.m. / Picnic starts after parade completion.

Contact:  B. Dean Webb, 618-259-8558 or Nick Dodson, 618 363-1384

BELLEVILLE

Aug. 28– Southwestern Illinois CLC 57th annual Labor Awards Dinner

Location: Banquet Center (downstairs), Bel-Air Bowl, 200 S. Belt West, Belleville, IL 62220

Time: Doors open 6:00pm with Dinner at 7:00pm.

Cost: $30 per person ($240 table of eight) in advance or $35 at the door, Reservation deadline is August 18, 2025.

Sponsor ad book $75 or $150. Ad book deadline August 8, 2025

Contact: Charles Kaemmerer, Jr. at 618-979-4953 or Scot Luchtefeld at 618-340-8300.

Sept. 1– Labor Day Parade & Picnic

Location: Parade is in downtown Belleville, lineup starts in 4th block of South 1st St..  Parade Marshal is Belleville Mayor Jennifer Gain Meyer. The parade will end at Hough Park with the annual Picnic. Parade & Picnic open to union members and their families ONLY. Food, beverages available, and inflatable games for kids with arm bands that can be purchased at the park.

Time: Parade – vehicle lineup 8:00 a.m.; marcher’s lineup 9:00 a.m.; Promptly starts at 10:00 a.m. / Picnic ends by 3:00 p.m.  Contact: Scot Luchtefeld, 618-340-8300.  Special Notice: NO PETS OF ANY KIND ALLOWED AT PARADE OR PICNIC.

BLOOMINGTON – NORMAL

Sept. 1 – Labor Day Parade followed by a lunch in Miller Park for union members and their families.

Theme: “Union Rights are Civil Rights”

Location:  Downtown Bloomington – starting at Front and Center Streets

Time:  Parade – 9 a.m. line up, 10 a.m. start / Lunch – 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  $6 box lunch

Contact:  For questions or an application contact [email protected] or call 309-208-1120

CHARLESTON

Aug. 23 – Labor Council Picnic

Location:  Fox Ridge State Park, 8 miles south of Charleston on Rt. 130

Time:  Lunch – Noon – 4:00 p.m. Music, BBQ dinner – all active or retired union members welcome.

Contact:  Contact John Warner at 217-855-2839.

CHAMPAIGN – URBANA

Sept. 1 – Labor Day Parade & Picnic

Location:  Downtown Champaign – starting at corner of Chestnut St. and Main St to Walnut St to Neil St. to Washington St.

Time:  Parade staging begins at 10:00 a.m. and begins at 11 a.m.  A picnic will immediately follow downtown (Neil Street Plaza) in Champaign.

Contact:  David Beck at 217-721-5344

CHICAGO

Sep. 6 – Chicago Labor Day Parade & Eddie Fest

Location:  Parade lineup will be at 103rd St. & S Cottage Grove Ave , marching south to 112th Street.

Time:  Parade kicks off at 11am.  Eddie Fest to immediately follow, until 4:00 p.m.

Information:  This year’s parade kicks off at 11:00 a.m. along Cottage Grove Avenue on Chicago’s South Side in the Historic Pullman neighborhood.  Eddie Fest, a free celebration featuring live music, kids’ entertainment, and other programming, will immediately follow and be held on the grounds of the Pullman National Historic Park.  Chicago Federation of Labor partners with the Historic Pullman Foundation, Friends of Labor, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, National A. Phillip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum, and Illinois Labor History Society to make this year’s events safe and enjoyable for all.  The website has more information, as well as links to register your organization to participate and register as a volunteer.

Contact:  For more information and to register, visit www.chicagolaborparade.com.

DANVILLE

Sept. 1 – Labor Day Parade

Location:  Downtown Danville  Time:  8:00 a.m. lineup, 9:30 a.m. start.

Parade route starts at Davis & Vermilion going south and ending at Main & Vermilion .

Contact:  Vermilion County Federation of Labor President, Oscar Williams – [email protected]

DECATUR

Sept. 1 – Labor Day Parade & Picnic

Location:  Downtown Decatur, line up on South Franklin Street at Wood Street

Time:  8:30 a.m. lineup, 10 a.m. start; Theme:  “It’s Better in a Union”;

Parade Contact:  John Warner, 217-855-2839; There will be a picnic at Fairview Park immediately following the parade until 2 PM.  This is the 12th annual combined picnic of all labor unions in Macon County, expecting about 3,000 participants.  Food, refreshments, ice cream, raffles & kid games.  Free to union sponsors, $25 for general public.

Picnic Contact:  Lloyd Holman, 217-620-4923

GALESBURG

Sept. 1 – Labor Day Parade

Location:  Downtown Galesburg, IL – Main Street

Time:  10 a.m. start

Contact: Galesburg Trades & Labor Assembly President Randall Bryan, 309-335-0907

GRANITE CITY

Sept. 1 – Labor Day Parade and Picnic – Music, food and refreshments

Location:  Parade lineup begins at 9:00 a.m. in downtown Granite City on State Street between Niedringhaus & 18th Streets and will go to Wilson Park for picnic for Union Members and their family

Time:  Parade starts at 10:00 a.m.

Contact:  B. Dean Webb, 618-259-8558 or Mike Fultz 618-931-7212, cell 618-409-4314

WEST PEORIA

Sep. 1 – Labor Day Parade

Location: The 2025 Labor Day Parade begins at 11:00 am, and participants will line up at Bradley Park and will march down Farmington Road to Rabers for a family-friendly event featuring games, food, and more. Friends, family, and pets are invited to join

Time:  Parade starts at 11 a.m. with parade lineup at 9:30 a.m.

Contact:  Nancy Gardner 309-635-7308 Or Amy Flynn 309-265-8420

QUAD CITY

Sep. 1 – Labor Day Parade

Location: East Moline – lineup at John Deere Harvester Works parking lot, 1100 13th Avenue

Time: Lineup at 9 a.m. at John Deere Harvester Works parking lot at 1100 13th Ave. in East Moline; parade starts at 11 a.m. and proceeds along 15th Avenue.

Contact:  Dan Gosa, 309-788-1303 or [email protected]

ROCKFORD

Sept. 1 – Labor Day Parade & Picnic

Location:  Parade lineup 7th street between 4th Avenue and 6th Avenue Rockford, IL

Time:  Parade lineup at 8:30am and begins at 10am.

Contact:  Labor Day Parade Committee Chair Catina Barnett at [email protected]

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

Aug. 22 through Sept 1 – Duquoin Illinois State Fair

Aug. 22 – Sep. 1: Labor Pavilion open each day of the fair and sponsored by The Egyptian Building Trades.  Twilight Parade is August 22 at 6 PM for all union members wishing to show support by walking with the Union floats.  Labor Day Picnic is September 1 at the Duquoin State Fairgrounds for all union members and their families – Doors open at 11 AM.

SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS

August 30 – Picnic for Working Families

The Springfield & Central Illinois Trades & Labor Council will be hosting a family picnic the week of Labor Day.  It will be held on Saturday, August 30th at Duncan Park in Springfield, IL from Noon until 6:00 pm.  It will feature food, refreshments, kid games and entertainment.

 Southern Illinois Central Labor Council Swears in New Officers and Begins Operations for First Time Since 2020

West Frankfort, IL – Last Thursday, the Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea swore in 10 newly elected officers to the Southern Illinois Central Labor Council (SICLC).

The SICLC has not had officers elected since the Spring of 2020. Over the last year, SICLC has held leadership meetings to rebuild the CLC to better advocate for union members and working families in Southern Illinois.

In the last six months, the SICLC has increased their affiliation from 3 International Unions (IU) and 5 Local Unions to 15 International Unions and 52 Local Unions. On May 8, 2025, the delegates held nominations for the officer positions and all officers were elected by acclamation.

The election of new officers provides renewed opportunity for the SICLC to explore new ideas with a focus on growing community participation, increased membership, and greater advocacy on working class issues.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to once again be elected President of the 28,000 union members affiliated with the Southern Illinois Central Labor Council,” stated newly elected SICLC President Jason Woolard. “With support from our members, all the newly elected officers of the SICLC are prepared to work in collaboration on behalf of the labor movement here in Southern Illinois. We look forward to helping unions succeed and grow in our jurisdiction, and we will always be a uniting voice for all workers and their families who wish to organize throughout the region.”

“I congratulate President Woolard and the new officers of the Southern Illinois Central Labor Council for the hard work they’ve put in to rebuild their labor council,” said Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea. “I look forward to seeing what this new chapter for the SICLC will be able to accomplish for working families in Southern Illinois.”

The newly elected officers are as follows:

President 

Jason Woolard, IBEW 702

Executive Vice President 

John Day, AFSCME 1048

Secretary Treasurer 

Wesley Tartt, UFCW 881

Recording Secretary 

Debra Horn, USW 15009

Vice President (3) 

Adam Robertson, Carpenters 662

Jason Culbreth, Iron Workers 782

Clint Walker, UA 551

Trustees (4) 

Jason McNeill, UMWA 2463

Ona Rivera Winfield, AFSCME 141

Charles Sine, LIUNA 773

Workers’ Memorial Day Recap – Protect Worker Safety, Pass SB1976

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This past Monday, throughout the state of Illinois, Central Labor Councils honored workers who have lost their lives on the jobsite.  

Workers’ Memorial Day commemorates the effective date of OSHA, which promised every worker the right to a safe job. But our hard-earned workplace safety rights are in danger, as elected leaders threaten to cut staff, defund or outright eliminate federal job safety agencies. In the face of federal uncertainty, Illinois must be proactive and guarantee that Illinois workers will have the same protections this time next year regardless of any federal rollbacks. 

The Illinois AFL-CIO worked with Senator Robert Peters to introduce SB 1976. This bill will create the Workers’ Rights and Safety Act which will preserve the long-established workplace protections under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act. This Workers Memorial Day, we highlighted the need for this legislation to pass to protect workers in Illinois. 

TAKE ACTION: e-mail your state representatives and demand they support SB1976 here. 

HIGHLIGHTS FROM CENTRAL LABOR COUNCILS STATEWIDE 

Springfield & Cental Illinois Trades & Labor Council and the Illinois AFL-CIO – President Nick Yelverton and President Tim Drea 

Springfield & Central Illinois Trades & Labor Council and the Illinois AFL-CIO hosted a ceremony at 10:00 AM at the Illinois AFL-CIO front plaza. Treasurer Michael Frerichs was the honorable guest speaker. 

Alton-Greater Madison County Federation of Labor – President Dean Webb 

The Greater Madison County Federation of Labor held a ceremony at 7:00 PM at Gordon Moore Park. Representative Katie Stuart and a representative from Congresswomen Nikki Budzinski’s office offered remarks.  

Bloomington & Normal Trades & Labor Assembly – President Jason Pascal 

Bloomington & Normal Trades & Labor Assembly hosted a ceremony at 6:00 AM on Monday morning.  

Champaign County AFL-CIO – President Matt Kelly 

Champaign County AFL-CIO held a ceremony at 5:00 Pm on Monday in Dodds Park. Senator Paul Faraci and a representative from Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski offer remarks at the event. 

Chicago Federation of Labor 

Chicago Federation of Labor and Chicago Jobs with Justice held their ceremony at 7:00 AM on Monday at the Union Stockyard Gates.  

Vermillion County Federation of Labor 

Vermillion County Federation of Labor held a ceremony at 9:00 AM on Monday morning in Danville Illinois. State Senator Paul Faraci and State Representative Brandun Schweizer spoke at the event. Vermillion honored Dale Cooper who was murdered 55 years ago on the jobsite.  

Decatur Trades and Labor Assembly 

Decatur Trades and Labor Assembly held a ceremony at 5:30 PM at the Macon County Courthouse lawn. Jason Keller from the Illinois Department of Labor offered remarks. 

 Galesburg Trades & Labor 

Galesburg Trades & Labor held a ceremony at 5:30 PM. Senator Mike Halpin and Brian Bothast from OSHA offered remarks during the event. 

West Central Illinois Labor Council – President Chase Carlton 

West Central Illinois Labor Council held a ceremony at 6:00 PM on Monday at the Workers’ Memorial Monument at City Hall in Peoria.  

Quad-Cities Local Labor  

USW Local 105, IBEW 1379, and ARCONIC Davenport Works leadership held a ceremony at USW Local 105 Hall on Monday 12:00 PM.  

Rockford United Labor – President Sara Dorner 

Rockford United Labor held a ceremony at the Workers Memorial site at the Zeke Girogi Building. Mayor Tom McNamara, Representative Maurice West, and Senator Steve Stadelman spoke at the event.