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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 16, 2013)
Pride, chaos and kegs on labor’s first ‘day’ On the morning of Sept. 5, 1882, a crowd of spectators filled the sidewalks of lower Manhattan near city hall and along Broadway. They had come early, well before the Labor Day Parade marchers, to claim the best vantage points from which to view the first La- bor Day Parade. A newspaper account of the day described “... men on horse- back, men wearing regalia, men with society aprons, and men with flags, mu- sical instruments, badges, and all the other paraphernalia of a procession.” The police, wary that a riot would break out, were out in force that morn- ing as well. By 9 a.m., columns of po- lice and club-wielding officers on horseback surrounded city hall. By 10 a.m., the grand marshall of the parade, William McCabe, his aides, and their police escort were all in place for the start of the parade. There was only one problem: None of the men had moved. The few marchers that had shown up had no music. According to McCabe, the specta- tors began to suggest that he give up the idea of parading, but he was determined to start on time with the few marchers that had shown up. Suddenly, Mathew Maguire of the Central Labor Union of New York (and probably the father of Labor Day) ran across the lawn and told 8-Hour Day, Paid Sick Leave, Higher Wages, Health Insur- ance, Overtime Pay, Pensions, Safer Working Conditions, Paid Holidays, Job Security, Severance Pay, Paid Vacations, Maternity Leave The preceding were brought to you by the men and women of organized labor, who won these benefits at the bargaining table and set the standard for all working Americans. McCabe that two hundred marchers from the Jewelers Union of Newark Two had just crossed the ferry — and they had a band! Just after 10 a.m., the marching jew- elers turned onto lower Broadway — they were playing “When I First Put This Uniform On,” from Patience, an opera by Gilbert and Sullivan. The po- lice escort then took its place in the street. When the jewelers marched past McCabe and his aides, they followed in behind. Then, spectators began to join the march. Eventually there were 700 men in line in the first of three divisions of Labor Day marchers. Final reports of the total number of marchers ranged from 10,000 to 20,000 men and women. With all of the pieces in place, the parade marched through lower Manhat- tan. The New York Tribune reported that, “The windows and roofs and even the lamp posts and awning frames were occupied by persons anxious to get a good view of the first parade in New York of workingmen of all trades united in one organization.” At noon, the marchers arrived at Reservoir Park, the termination point of the parade. While some returned to work, most continued on to the post-pa- rade party at Wendel’s Elm Park at 92nd Street and Ninth Avenue; even some unions that had not participated in the parade showed up to join in the post-pa- rade festivities that included speeches, a picnic, an abundance of cigars and, “lager beer kegs... mounted in every conceivable place.” From 1 p.m. until 9 p.m. that night, nearly 25,000 union members and their families filled the park and celebrated the very first, and almost entirely disas- trous, Labor Day. (Editor’s Note: This account of La- bor Day is from the archives of the U.S. Department of Labor.) Oregon Historical Society extends NECA-IBEW exhibit The “NECA/IBEW Local 48: 100 Years of a Powerful Partnership” ex- hibit at the Oregon Historical Society has been extended to Oct. 13. The exhibit opened May 13 in con- junction with the 100th anniversary of the International Brotherhood of Elec- trical Workers Local 48, and its partner- ship with the Oregon-Columbia Na- tional Electrical Contractors Association. It was scheduled to close Aug. 4. The display includes a 100-page re- search book broken down decade-by- decade, as well as a Douglas fir presen- tation board connected with knob and tube wiring that summarizes the histor- ical highlights. There are interactive tools, displays of equipment from days gone by, and the artistry of conduit Hope You Enjoy a Great Weekend ... Happy Labor Day! bending. IBEW Local 48 and NECA mem- bers get free admission to the museum. For proof of membership, just provide a copy of a dues receipt or business card at the admissions counter. Admission is also free to all residents of Multnomah County, and to children 5 and under. The Oregon Historical Society is lo- cated at 1200 SW Park Ave., Portland. Salem Building & Construction Trades Council Joe Bowers, President Leroy Marney, Secretary Treasurer 541-812-1771 from O PERATING E NGINEERS L OCAL 701 P AYS T RIBUTE TO A MERICA ’ S W ORKERS T HIS L ABOR D AY 2013 Executive Board Members NELDA WILSON - Business Manager & Financial Secretary ROBIN WICKLANDER - President KEVIN MILLER - Vice President STEVE BRADLEY - Recording Corresponding Secretary BOE ELLIS - Treasurer DAVE CARTER - Conductor ROBERT CRANE - Guard MIKE THUN - Dist. I Rep. HAROLD CHEVRIER – Dist. II Rep. CLIFTON G. SMITH - Dist. III Rep. RAY AKERS - Dist. IV Rep. RICHARD LAUDERBACK - Dist. V Rep. DYLAN McCOMISKEY - Dist. V (at-large) Rep. Dispatch Deanna Robles Jon Stoltenberg Office Staff Greg Butcher Loraine Draper Darren Glebe Cherry Harris Ricky Iboa Elaine Jeremy Gene Kidd Jack Miller Rod Osgood Traci Pardee Melissa Savage Talia Stoessel Barbara Watts Tom Wishard 555 E AST F IRST S TREET , G LADSTONE , OR 97027 503-650-7701 PAGE 18 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS AUGUST 16, 2013
