MILWAUKEE, Wisc. — On Labor Day, thousands of Milwaukee’s union members made their way to the Henry Meier Festival Park grounds to celebrate the history of the labor movement in our city and how much it’s changed over the years.
“Believe it or not, I used to be a welfare lady, raising four children by myself. And then I met [my husband] and he got me in and I've been in it ever since. Jackhammering, demolition, underground tunnels, everything you can possibly think of, I’ve done it,” said Patricia Cruz-Garza.
Patricia Cruz-Garza spent nearly 30 years as a member of LiUNA Local 113 and now, in her retirement, she tries to get the next generation of women laborers to consider the field.
“We were the only laborers way back in the day. And we tried to recruit more women and now there is more women in it,” said Cruz-Garza. “I try to get the women in it because they can do just as much as a man can.”
Union heads like Louis Davis say their focus is supporting members in contract negotiations and making sure that changes in industries don’t mean negative changes to union benefits and job opportunities.
“We need to have a vibrant labor community and lots of unions, unions for all workers who seek to organize in Milwaukee and that's how we're going to have a strong middle class in the city and in this area,” said Louis Davis, Executive Director, SEIU Wisconsin.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson says that he understands concerns about major companies like Master Lock leaving the Milwaukee area, but he says his administration is committed to making sure that labor workers feel empowered in their jobs.
“When folks find themselves in that sort of position, we’ve got resources that are readily available to help to transition folks into other parts of our economy,” said Mayor Johnson. “That creates stability for an individual, stability for their family, stability in a neighborhood, and then, therefore, stability across our city.”
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
