Unions, community members march for Labor Day

HOLYOKE, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Dozens of unions and community organization members marched in solidarity Monday across job sectors, starting at Holyoke City Hall and ending at Holyoke Heritage State Park.

Event organizers told Western Mass News that this is the first Labor Day march in western Massachusetts history.

Ethel Everett, The President of the Pioneer Valley Assembly told us this event is meant to shine a light on what Labor Day truly is about: “It’s about workers lifting up the workers to remove from the fact it’s just an end of summer celebration and show is really about workers and their needs and their rights and how important we are as workers to this country and this economy.”

200 workers from 20 unions across different sectors joined together today in what they call a show of solidarity and celebration of their rights and to demonstrate that they won’t be bullied into submission.

Western Mass News spoke with Jackie Neimen, a member of Rise Up Western Mass Indivisible at Monday’s march. She told us that for her and her group, Labor Day is much more than just cook outs and a long weekend. “For us in particular as local activists, Labor Day for us means standing up for workers which is the original meaning of Labor Day.” Neiman said.

At the center of the march was the Holyoke Teachers Association as they continue their fight for a genuine exit from state takeover and bargain for what they’re calling a fair contract. Nick Cream, an ethics study teacher at Dean Tech High School as well as the president of the Holyoke Teachers Association, said they have been bargaining for a fair contract for the last six months and this event is meant to stand in solidarity across sectors.

“For us of course we were coming out of state receivership, so this week is a historic moment for our union for the young people of Holyoke were the first district to come out of state receivership and we don’t feel it’s going very well there, still trying to keep control of our contract.” Cream added that the current political climate also played a role in the large turnout of today’s event.

We did reach out to the Holyoke Mayor for comment, but have not yet heard back.