August 12, 2025

Labor Day is labor’s day

Samuel Gompers eloquently summed up the importance of Labor Day to unions—and all American workers—more than a century ago.

Gompers, the labor icon who founded and led the American Federation of Labor for nearly 40 years, described Labor Day as “… the day for which the toilers in past centuries looked forward, when their rights and their wrongs would be discussed...that the workers of our day may not only lay down their tools of labor for a holiday, but upon which they may touch shoulders in marching phalanx and feel the stronger for it.”

Unions have made Labor Day their day, a day to celebrate America’s working families. It’s a day to look back, to pay tribute to those who have fought and struggled for better, safer working conditions and fair pay. It’s also a day to look forward, to stand up and speak out for positive change to give every American a chance to achieve the American Dream.

This year, Labor Day will be celebrated on Monday, Sept. 1.

“Labor Day is a day to celebrate the American worker,” said UUP President Fred Kowal. “But more than that, it is a day to celebrate organized labor, which has fought for workers’ rights and protections for nearly two centuries. This is a day for all working families. This is our day.”

The first Labor Day was celebrated on September 5, 1882, in New York City. The trend soon spread across the country. In 1894 President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday.

It was labor unions that that brought weekends to America. The many gains made by unions— which include the five-day work week, the eight-hour workday, child labor laws, and the minimum wage, for starters—benefit everyone, not just union members.

More importantly, labor unions defend the rights of our members in the workplace. They fight for better wages, better and safer working conditions, and fair and honest treatment of our members.

Now, with one of the most anti-union, anti-higher education administrations in control, it’s more important than ever to celebrate unions and send a strong message that labor is ready to fight to protect its members and the many gains secured for working families. So this year, please consider signing up to march in a Labor Day parade or take part in nationwide protests planned for Sept. 1.

Aside from annual Labor Day parades and picnics, activist groups such as 50501 and May Day Strong have organized Labor Day rallies in cities and towns across America to protest billionaires and the actions of the Republican-led administration.

May Day Strong and a group called Organized Power in Numbers are organizing nationwide events on Sept. 1, “SolidaritySeptember: and : #WorkersOverBillionaires, respectively. Learn more about May Day Strong’s event HERE and HERE. Learn more about Organized Power in Numbers’ event HERE.

Below is a list of Labor Day events and Labor Day protests set to take place in New York state:

Saturday, Aug. 30

*Cherry Valley

Workers Over Billionaires The Saturday Before Labor Day - 10 to 11 a.m. Intersection of Main and Alden streets.

Click HERE for more information.

*Poughkeepsie

Labor Day 2025 Rally – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 272 Mill St. Co-sponsored by the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation and the Dutchess County Central Labor Council.

Join the HVALF and the Dutchess County CLC for a Labor Day rally against the Big Ugly Bill! Hear from union members who are affected by the devastating cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, and also hear from our Union Strong elected allies about their plan to fight back. We'll also be giving away backpacks to school kids in the community. Click HERE for more information.

Monday, Sept. 1

*Albany

Michael L. Burns Labor Day Celebration: Noon to 4 p.m., Lanthier’s Grove, 4 Dunsbach Ferry Road, Latham.

Co-sponsored by the Capital District Area Labor Federation, the Greater Capital Region Building and Construction Trades and the Labor Parade Committee. Click HERE and HERE for more information.

*Amenia

#WorkersOverBillionaires – 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Routes 22 and 343. Click HERE for more information.

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*Auburn

Cayuga County WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day - 5 to 6 p.m. Four Corners of Genesee and North-South streets (2 South St.). Click HERE for more information.

*Avon

#WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day - 11 a.m. Avon Village Circle Park, 100 Park Place. Click HERE for more information.

*Babylon

Labor Day Rally + Food Drive - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join Town of Babylon residents in rallying against the billionaire takeover while we collect food donations for Island Harvest during these trying times while SNAP benefits are being attacked.

200 Sunrise Highway, Lindenhurst. Click HERE for more information.

*Batavia

#WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day - Noon to 2 p.m. Batavia City Hall, 1 Batavia City Circle. Click HERE for more information.

*Binghamton

Broome Tioga Federation of Labor Day Celebration - 2 to 3 p.m., Broome County Courthouse, 92 Court St. This Labor Day rally will honor champions of labor in the community. Click HERE for more information.

*Binghamton

#WorkersOverBillionaires Binghamton - 2 – 3:30 p.m., Broome County Courthouse, 92 Court St. Click HERE for more information.

*Buffalo

Buffalo Central Labor Council Labor Day Parade and Cookout – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This year’s theme is “Fighting for Freedom, Fairness and Security.” Annual Labor Day Mass will be held at 9 a.m. at St. Martin of Tours Church, 1140 Abbott Road.

Parade starts at 11 a.m. Participants should assemble at 10 a.m. at Dorrance Avenue and McKinley Parkway. Marchers are asked to park their cars at or near Cazenovia Park; buses will shuttle marchers from the Peter J. Crotty Casino to Dorrance Avenue from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. The parade ends at Cazenovia Park.

Picnic starts at noon at Cazenovia Park. Click HERE and HERE for more information.

*Buffalo

#SolidaritySeptember Labor Day Kickoff – 9 a.m. to noon, 65 Niagara Square. Click HERE for more information.

*Canandaigua

#WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day - 10 a.m. to noon. Main Street and Eastern Boulevard. Click HERE for more information.

*Catskill

Noon to 2 p.m. Greene County Courthouse, 320 Main St. Click HERE for more information.

*Delhi

#WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day - 10 a.m. to noon. Courthouse Square. Click HERE for more information.

*Elmira

#SolidaritySeptember Labor Day Protest – Noon, Elmira City Hall, 317 Church St. Click HERE for more information.

*Geneva

#WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day – 11:30 to 1 p.m. Lakefront Park, 35 Lake Front Drive. Click HERE for more information.

*Goshen

#WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day – Noon to 2 p.m. Orange County Government Center, 255 Main St. Click HERE for more information.

*Hamilton

#SolidaritySeptember Labor Day Kickoff – 5 to 6:30 p.m., Village Green. Click HERE for more information

*Hamlin

2-4 p.m., Hamlin Town Hall, 1658 Lake Road N. Click HERE for more information.

*Mamaroneck

#SolidaritySeptember Labor Day Kickoff – 4 to 5:30 p.m., Harbor Island Entrance, 123 Mamaroneck Ave. Click HERE for more information.

*Massena

Solidarity Day 2025 Labor Day Parade – Meet at 10 a.m. at staging area on Willow Street. March starts at 11 a.m., from Willow Street to the Harte Haven Shopping Center. Picnic afterward in Spring Park Click HERE for more information.

*Mineola

Labor Day "Workers Over Billionaires" Rally - 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Nassau County Executive and Legislative Bldg., 1550 Franklin Ave. Click HERE for more information.

*New Paltz

#WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day Rally – 10 a.m. to noon, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 163 Main St. Click HERE for more information.

*Norwich

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Foley Square. Click HERE for more information.

*Olean

#WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day – 4 to 6 p.m., Lincoln Park, 100 E. State St. Click HERE for more information.

*Oneonta

#WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day! - Noon to 1 p.m. Mueller Plaza, South Main Street. Click HERE for more information.

*Rochester

Rochester Labor Day Parade 2025: 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Parade lineup location is at Alexander Street and East Avenue. Click HERE for more information

*Saugerties

Indivisible Saugerties #WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day – Noon to 1 p.m. Market Street and Main Street. Click HERE for more information.

*Seneca Falls

#SolidaritySeptember Labor Day Kickoff – 1 to 3 p.m., Women’s Rights National Historic Park, 136 Fall St. Click HERE for more information.

*Syracuse

Labor Day Parade and Family Hour – 10 a.m. to noon, New York State Fairgrounds.

Parade starts at 11 a.m.; meet at the back of the Exposition Center. The parade route follows the perimeter of the building down Broadway, around Cayuga Avenue, and back around the other side of the Expo Center. Click HERE and HERE for more information.

*Watkins Glen

#WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day Rally – 1 to 3 p.m., Public Square. Click HERE for more information.

*Watertown

#WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day Rally – 1 to 3 p.m., Public Square. Click HERE for more information.

*Woodstock

#WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day - Noon to 1 p.m. 212 Mill Hill Road. Click HERE for more information

*Yonkers

#WorkersOverBillionaires Labor Day - 5:30 - 6 p.m. Hudson Fulton Memorial Park, 1025-1043 Warburton Ave. Click HERE for more information.

Saturday, Sept. 6

*New York City

2025 New York City Labor Day Parade and March - UUP steps off at 10:15 a.m. from W. 44th St. between 6th Avenue and Broadway. UUPers will gather at that location starting at 9:15 a.m. Sponsored by the New York City Central Labor Council. Click HERE for more information.

**By no means is this a complete list; if you know of an event that isn’t listed here, please let us know. Also, these events are all subject to change.