EAST MOLINE, Ill. — The Quad Cities aren't just celebrating Labor Day with parades. The Rock Island County Democratic Party celebrated with the 55th Annual "Salute to Labor" Picnic.
Along with a meal, candidates and lawmakers gave speeches about their history with unions, campaign promises and their voting records.
"Organized labor are the ones who are fighting for hardworking people every single day," Christina Bohannan, a U.S. Congressional candidate in Iowa, said.
One Port Byron resident said she's been coming to the picnic for years. Terri Dempsey has many union members in her family.
"These union guys have done everything," Dempsey said. "They’ve done everything for us to get weekends and sick days and safety. And I hate to see that we lose that, I can’t fathom that, that’s why I’m here."
Iowa House Candidate Mindy Smith-Pace also comes from a union family.
"Labor Day is a really important holiday because it celebrates real Americans, people who’ve worked really hard all their lives to help us achieve great goals," Smith-Pace said. "I really firmly believe that they're an important key factor to what makes America so amazing, and because of that, I support unions."
Plenty of union members also came out to celebrate. Jon Pohl is a retired member of IBEW Local 145, the electrical worker's union in Moline and Rock Island. He joined 35 years ago, and got involved in politics with his local about 20 years ago.
"I came out today to stand with my brothers and sisters in labor and celebrate the 130th anniversary of Labor Day," Pohl said, "and to celebrate all the gains we’ve made over 130 years."
While the picnic celebrates progress for workers' rights, it's also a place to look to the future. Pohl said his union largely supports Democrats but not based on their party.
"We look at records. We look at what people are doing and what people are promising to do," Pohl said. "For the most part we do support Democrats, but that’s not the rule, there are exceptions."
He said this administration's National Labor Relations Board has done well for unions.
"It’s really important to us that we have a seat at the table," Pohl said. "With the current administration we have had a seat a the table, and we fully expect that- or hope that with the next administration we will as well."