Hundreds of People Attend Labor Day Picnic; Many Awards Given Demonstrating Rising Labor Movement!

Over 400 people attended the annual Labor Day picnic in Ithaca, NY. The picnic has been sponsored for thirty-two years by the Midstate Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. For the past eight years the Tompkins County Workers’ Center has also been a co-sponsor of the picnic, which brings labor and community together to celebrate workers on Labor Day.

The annual awards are always a highlight of the picnic. This year’s theme was “Organizing for Respect,” and the awards reflected that, honoring workers who stood up to organize a union.

This year’s awards

Friend of Labor Award
Coalition for Sustainable Economic Development

Joe Hill Award
Ungkana Charoenkajonchai and Ken Kajonchai/Stephen Wagner/Tom Joyce and Carlos Gutierrez/
Cayuga Medical Center Nurses Organizing Committee

Mother Jones Award
Ithaca College Adjunct Professors/Cornell Grad Students Union/Tompkins-Cortland Community College Adjunct Association/Ithaca Health Alliance Bargaining Unit

Volunteer Awards
Eric Lovett – “Grillmaster for Justice”
Marty O’Hara – “Roadie for Justice”

The “Goat of Labor” is an “award” given to an organization or individual who exemplifies egregious disregard and disrespect for workers’ rights.  This year’s recipient was the Administration of Tompkins-Cortland Community College.