Parade highlights area’s state of labor
Blair-Bedford Central Labor Council President Bob Kutz watches the city’s Labor Day parade Saturday as the Altoona Area High School marching band passes by. Mirror photo by William Kibler
Riders on the carpenter’s union float at the city’s Labor Day parade Saturday toss candy and interact with parade-goers along the route. Mirror photo by William Kibler
Blair-Bedford Central Labor Council President Bob Kutz watches the city’s Labor Day parade Saturday as the Altoona Area High School marching band passes by. Mirror photo by William Kibler
Riders on the carpenter’s union float at the city’s Labor Day parade Saturday toss candy and interact with parade-goers along the route. Mirror photo by William Kibler
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At Saturday's Labor Day parade downtown, there were 14 marching units and approximately 1,500 participants -- among the largest parades ever for that fall holiday and the one with the biggest union presence, according to Bob Kutz, president of the Blair-Bedford Central Labor Council.
The labor situation is better than it's been for a long time, including in this area, where lots of construction is happening -- largely thanks to federal spending through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the American Rescue Plan, Kutz said.
"We just are blessed," Kutz said.
Unions created Labor Day, but the holiday honors all working people, according to Kutz.
"There's dignity in (any) work," he said.
People tend to take for granted work that makes everyday living possible -- and convenient, according to parade attendee Donna Gority, former Blair County commissioner.
It's due to the labor of many individuals that shelves are stocked, carts are available and payment is accepted for necessary items we get at the grocery store, for example, she said.
"I don't think we give enough recognition to these folks" who make those ordinary transactions possible, she said.
Still, working life nowadays isn't what it used to be, according to parade attendee Tim Dionis, a union machinist who retired from Norfolk Southern in 2019 after 45 years.
While he got "a good feeling" Saturday watching the parade, it doesn't feel good to realize that it's not nearly as easy as it was several decades ago to raise a family on a working man's salary, Dionis said.
Almost every family with children needs both parents to work anymore, he said.
His friend Brian Baker, a union machinist who works for Norfolk Southern, is the only breadwinner for his family, but he also has another job -- as owner of a construction company.
His wife no longer works outside the home because there would have been so little added benefit when the cost of child care was accounted for, Baker said.
He sees the issue with labor and earnings in the current era in terms of the recent popular song, "Rich men north of Richmond," he said.
"Corrupt politicians robbing us blind," he stated.
High taxes, high interest and lots of bills, he added.
"We need a change," he said.
Parade attendees Charles Alexander and his wife Lynnae came Saturday because their son, Berkley, was playing alto sax with the Altoona Area High School marching band.
It was nice to see Berkley in the parade, but "bittersweet," because he's a senior and it will be his last for Labor Day, Lynnae said.
Berkley is currently trying to "figure out what he wants to do after he graduates," Charles said.
Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.