Thousands of union members, families turned out for area Labor Day parades

ON LABOR DAY IN ST. LOUIS (left), kids were a big part of the fun as members of 32 different unions and their locals were greeted by an equally impressive crowd of onlookers in downtown St. Louis at the annual St. Louis Labor Council Labor Day Parade. Led by parade Marshal John Ebeling (CWA 6300 Print & Media Sector) the St. Louis parade stepped off at Olive at 15th streets, and included miles of new and vintage equipment, trucks, marching bands, drill teams, carriages, floats and thousands of union members. Photo Gallery

IN BELLEVILLE (center), union members filled the streets downtown walking, riding floats and cruising in vehicles, throwing out pounds of candy to the children lining the route. Steelworkers, teachers, plumbers and pipefitters, service employees, teamsters, roofers, machinists, bricklayers and others were joined by marching bands and enthusiastic crowds as they proceeded from 1st St. to Hough Park for the Southwestern Illinois Central Labor Council’s annual picnic. Photo Gallery

IN GRANITE CITY (right), the Madison County Federation of Labor’s Tri-Cities Labor Day Parade saw union members greeted by enthusiastic supporters starting at Niedringhaus and 18th streets, and culminating with the annual picnic for union members and their families at Wilson Park. The picnic included kids’ games, speeches, music by Frank Comoromi and the Mannpower Band and the presentation of trophies for the Largest Union Group, Best Float, Best Community Group, Best Marching Band and Best Marching Union. Photo Gallery