Labor Day festivities in Minnesota were plenty and well attended this year. The weather cooperated and working families came out in force. Here's a rundown of events from the Northland.
The Northeast Area Labor Council sponsored another great Labor Day picnic at Bayfront Park in Duluth. Food, music, games, and raffles filled the afternoon. Special speakers were invited to address the crowd. This year, Rep. Jim Oberstar, Sen. Al Franken, Steve Hunter, Secretary Treasurer of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, and Stewart Acuff, Assistant to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, spoke. You can watch a clip of Stewart's speech here:
Labor-endorsed local candidates for city council and school board also spoke at the event. Event organizers estimated record crowds as thousands filled the park on a picnic perfect day to celebrate working men and women's struggles, past and present. You can watch excerpts of other speeches at the event here:
Rep. Oberstar (Part 1) (Part 2)
On the national level, President Barack Obama addressed the AFL-CIO's annual Labor Day picnic in Cincinnati and had these remarks: "So let us never forget: much of what we take for granted--the 40-hour work week, the minimum wage, health insurance, paid leave, pensions, Social Security, Medicare--they all bear the union label,” Obama said.
“It was the American worker--union men and women--who returned from World War II to make our economy the envy of the world. It was labor that helped build the largest middle class in history. So even if you're not a union member, every American owes something to America's labor movement."
The 90th Annual Cloquet Labor Day Celebration kicked off without a hitch. Families packed the 
streets from 18th Street to 8th Street and over 55 organizations registered for the event. The Carlton County Central Labor Body were key planners for the parade and festivities throughout the day. This year the CCCLB mourns the loss of labor leader Bob Oswold, who served as president of the labor body as well as dedicated event planner who poured his heart and soul into Labor Day. The CCCLB's float honored him as well as the Bob Oswold Memorial Labor Day Classic Car Show. You can view a slideshow of the events below.
This year marks the 90th Annual Cloquet Labor Day Celebration. Kevin Toboleski of IAFF 880 has
been the parade coordinator for over 12 years. He says since Cloquet has such a large labor presence, it is good to share with the community.
Immediately following the parade, the community met above the Labor Temple 
for a picnic also sponsored by the CCCLB. Hot dogs and picnic fare were served, as well as many smiles for for a day of well-deserved rest.