ST PAUL, Minn. — You won’t find labor unions at the office Monday, but you will find them at the Minnesota State Fair.
Several unions set up carts, handing out flyers, talking with people about their union, and reminding the community what Labor Day is truly about.
“The true meaning of Labor Day is the fight for all workers in America and their rights for safety on the job, equal pay, and benefits,” said Joel Smith, president and business manager of Liuna! Minnesota and North Dakota.
Labor Day is meant to celebrate the achievements of American workers and recognize their contributions.
“Even though it’s 2024 here in Minnesota, we’re very strong here in Minnesota, but we still got to continue to lift up those people and remember the workers and the sacrifices that are made when people die on the job,” he said.
Over the years, the meaning of Labor Day has shifted. Some people now view the national holiday as the unofficial last day of summer. Tens of thousands of people spend Labor Day at the fair where they might run into Smith and his team.
"It's just the work we got to do to continue to keep educating and informing all Americans and all workers what Labor Day is and what it means and what that fight is,” he said.
Smith said there is still work to be done to support labor unions.
“There’s still those struggles to lift up the middle class of all Americans,” he said. “[We’ll] continue that fight for dignity for all workers.”
Several labor union leaders waited for Governor Tim Walz to arrive at MSP before he jetted off to another event in Wisconsin.
“We know that life is better in a union and we’re going to protect our ability to bargain collectively and better workers lives,” said President of Education Minnesota Denise Specht.
If Walz along with Vice President Kamala Harris are elected to office, Specht believes they will fight and stand with unions across the country.
“He was a union member, he was a dues paying union member and he has always supported labor,” said AFSCME Council 64 Executive Director Shannon Douvier.