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WILKES-BARRE — Labor Day doesn’t only mean the end of summer, it means celebrating American workers and looking out for them as well.
A celebration at Kirby Park tried to impart the holiday’s significance on some of the younger generations.
Tom Bindus, a member of Teamsters 401 of Wilkes-Barre, was providing youngsters with a variety of coloring sheets that depicted various jobs and work environments.
Bindus said Monday’s event was the perfect opportunity to emphasize work, family and quality of life.
He also had some advice for those in the labor market.
“It’s so important for workers to consider not just salary, but benefits, including health insurance,” he said. “For example, some employers provide low-cost health insurance, but with really high deductibles.”
Bindus also emphasized his union’s commitment to bettering the community.
“Some of these children’s families don’t have a lot of money, so we also provide prizes to everyone,” he said. “The kids seem to really appreciate it.”
Judy Weinreich, a representative of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, said her union has its roots in manufacturing. But it was responsive to the changing work environment, and now counts food service workers among its members.
“We needed to up our game,” she said.
Weinreich is also a regional board member of the Alliance for Retired Americans, aimed at protecting and expanding retirement security.
She emphasized the group’s contribution to the Wilkes-Barre Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
“We often go up to the hospital and play bingo with the veterans,” she said. “They really enjoy that.”
Susan Struble, a member of the American Federation of Government Employees, said unions focus on safety, pay and benefits.
“Younger people don’t understand the benefits of the union,” she said. “They often focus on wages for today and not long-term benefits.”
Struble stressed that if workers are well taken care of, they do their best work.
Martin Vasquez, sergeant-at-arms, legislative adviser and organizer at AFGE Local 2809, said the event and the holiday were an acknowledgment of hard-working men and women who helped make the country a success.
Members of early labor unions, he said, made improved working conditions possible, not only for those who were part of a union, but for the country’s workers as a whole.
Alisha Hoffman-Mirilovich of Action Together was on hand to provide information about her organization, which she describe as a “grassroots effort.”
“Action Together also encourages people to register to vote,” she said. “We send out email reminders to people to remind them to get out during an election.”
Alan Howe, a Democrat running for the congressional seat now held by Lou Barletta, emphasized how unions shaped the history of the country.
“Unions are highly important,” said Howe. “They created the middle class.”
In addition to providing a venue to discuss important issues regarding American workers, the event had a celebratory feel that brought people to the park to enjoy the good weather, the scenery and the food.
Alex Szatmary and his wife, Cammy Crane, came hungry and were not disappointed.
Both are vegetarians and were delighted their favorite food truck was on hand offering healthy favorites.
Szatmary and Crane said they were looking forward to enjoying not just the food, but the music and the park, the perfect way to spend an end-of-summer holiday.
Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader
Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader