Union Members Celebrate Labor Day In Downtown Milwaukee

A few thousand labor union members marched through downtown Milwaukee on Monday as part of the city’s Labor Day celebrations.

Among those who took part was Demetrius Thompson of the United Association, which includes unionized plumbers. Thompson said plumbers have plenty of work but people looking for a job need to hone their skills.

“Some people think like, ‘Oh, I’m joining this union and I’ll get handed this automatically,’” he said. “No, you have to work and pay your dues — not financial-wise — but pay your dues physically, you know.”

Adam Stenshaug, a member of the Steamfitters Union, was also at the celebration. He said work picked up during the summer and things are going pretty well.

Both Stenshaug and Thompson are concerned about the right-to-work legislation passed in Wisconsin last year and are looking to the presidential election in November between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.

“I don’t think it matters for the work, but it matters for the unions,” Stenshaug said. “It seems like the Republicans are pushing the right-to-work stuff, things that are kind of a little more damaging to our collective being.”

The right-to-work legislation prevents businesses from making agreements with unions, requiring all workers to pay union dues, not just union members.