MASON CITY – A local labor union and its supporters will gather for fellowship and food Monday to mark Labor Day.
This Labor Day, labor organizations across Iowa will be holding events to recognize the working women and men in Iowa. Along with the traditional Labor Day activities, these events will highlight workers who are fighting to raise wages for working families.
In Mason City the North Iowa Nine Labor Council, AFL-CIO Picnic will be held at Georgia Hanford Park from 11 AM to 3 PM. The event was not held last year, some say due to political reasons.
At the last Labor Day picnic, held two years ago in 2012, political speeches were given – and sparks flew when city councilman Travis Hickey showed up. Hickey is known to have a beef with some city workers and has zeroed in on the fire department in particular for overtime pay and other expenditures. He was confronted by labor spokesman Phil Sanchez and put on the spot for his anti-worker decisions and for attempting to cut union jobs.
“Your trying to screw us,” Sanchez told Hickey that day, referencing City Hall’s attempt to privatize the Sanitation Department and take the jobs of up to a dozen workers. “I’m surprised you even showed up here.”
Later, Hickey said “I knew that was going to happen.”
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