Category: Photos & Videos

East Siders learned more about the advantages of working union April 14 at the first Union Job & Resource Fair, hosted by the East Side Freedom Library in Saint Paul.

Sponsoring organizations included the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation, the Minnesota AFL-CIO, the Saint Paul Building & Construction Trades Council and the City of Saint Paul.

Representatives of 20 employers and apprenticeship programs offered jobseekers information about getting on the path to a union career. Additionally, representatives of eight nonprofit agencies were on hand to provide resources and assistance.

View photos from the event in the gallery below.

In what has become an annual tradition, hundreds of union members, retirees and families joined the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation’s marching unit in the Minnesota State Fair’s daily parade on Labor Day. Carrying their union banners and wearing their union colors, marchers celebrated the everyday heroes who make our country great — American workers!

Thanks to everyone who joined us!

The Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation and other stakeholders broke ground July 8 on a new hub of operations for St. Paul’s unions to replace the old St. Paul Labor Centre, better known as “411 Main.”

The new labor center will stand at 345 West 7th Street, about one block south of United Hospital in downtown St. Paul. An ownership group that includes the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, the St. Paul Building and Construction Trades Council and several local unions purchased the property last month.

The groundbreaking kicks off construction on the property. Plans include a two-story office complex with 16,200 square feet of floor space, as well as 80 surface parking spaces. Read The Union Advocate blog post on the groundbreaking, and check out a photo gallery from the event below.

For more information on our move, click here.

The Saint Paul Labor & Professional Centre – better known as 411 Main – has been sold, but union families and friends of labor enjoyed one last party June 10 before turning over the keys.

We also used the celebration to present our annual labor awards. Congratulations to the recipients, who received plaques recognizing their service to the labor movement: Harry Melander (Lifetime Achievement); Denise Specht and Jamie McNamara (Labor Leaders of the Year); and Bree Halverson, Mona Meyer and Don Mullin (Political Activists of the Year).

View photos from the open house in the gallery below, or on Facebook.

The Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation’s AFL-CIO Community Services program and Greater Twin Cities United Way co-sponsored a marching unit in the King Boreas Grande Day Parade on Jan. 24, part of the Saint Paul Winter Carnival festivities.

Union members, their families and friends celebrated the longstanding partnership between labor and Greater Twin Cities United Way, marking its 100th anniversary in 2015, in service to local communities.

Delegates and guests enjoyed German food and drink, live music and fellowship during the Labor Studies & Resource Center’s Oktoberfest fundraiser following the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation delegate meeting Oct. 8.

Donations for food and proceeds from raffles during the event benefited the LSRC’s Emergency Fund, which AFL-CIO Community Services liaisons use to provide assistance to union members facing financial crises, whether it’s help paying the energy bill, making the rent payment or purchasing work clothes for a new job. Click here to learn more about the LSRC and the AFL-CIO Community Services program.

Congratulations to Mary Sansom of Machinists Local 1833 (pictured at right), who won the drawing for the Wall of Beer. Thanks to everyone who contributed a case of beer to build the wall – and to everyone who helped us raise money for an important cause!

View a photo gallery from Oktoberfest below:

Saint Paul played host to the Minnesota AFL-CIO‘s biennial convention Sept. 21-23 at the Crowne Plaza Riverfront hotel. The Regional Labor Federation coordinated several events for delegates, from volunteer opportunities to social events.

• Blood Drive. The St. Paul RLF’s AFL-CIO Community Services program and the Red Cross co-hosted a blood drive, and 33 delegates to the convention participated.
• Speed Volunteering. Delegates helped assemble 400 healthy snack packs, which Community Services liaisons donated to Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities.
• Toiletries Collection. Delegates donated  unused personal hygiene items from their hotel rooms to the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans.
• Variety Show. The RLF hosted a variety show and dinner for delegates, featuring union musicians Radio Joe and the Jazzbos; a comedy-magic act by Star Newman, a member of the Stagehands union; and a competition to determine which table could create and perform the best union chant.

For photos from the RLF’s convention activities in the gallery below.

More than 300 people joined the Regional Labor Federation on Labor Day 2014. Together, we marched in the daily parade through the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

This year more than ever, our marching unit reflected the diversity of our 100-plus affiliate unions. Teachers, health care workers, school employees, electrical workers, Operating Engineers, Laborers, Teamsters and others marched behind their union banners.

The federation’s Labor Day float, decorated in a patriotic theme, carried a band of union musicians, and the Twin Cities Labor Chorus sang labor anthems along the parade route.

Thanks to everyone who helped us make sure this Labor Day tradition remains stronger than ever!

Check out photos from the event below:

Union members in Chisago County got to know their labor-endorsed candidates at the Chisago County Labor Assembly’s Meet and Greet at Stars and Strikes Entertainment Center in Wyoming on Sept. 16.

Two labor-endorsed candidates for Minnesota House of Representatives, Laurie Warner and Paul Gammel, attended the meet and greet, as did candidates for local offices in the county.

Chisago County Labor Assembly meetings are open to all members of unions affiliated with the Saint Paul Regional labor Federation. The assembly meets the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Wyoming Area Library.

Check out a photo gallery from the Meet and Greet below: