INDIANAPOLIS — It's Labor Day weekend, and that means that Indy Laborfest returned to Monument Circle for its ninth year.
"Today's event is honoring workers throughout the city of Indianapolis. We appreciate what everyone does to build our community, to bring quality of life to our community. So the whole idea today is to celebrate those workers," Central Indiana American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) treasury secretary Joanne Sanders said.
"A lot of times jobs don't want to pay you more and stuff like that, so events like this highlight them, and we appreciate them because they're the ones who kept the world going when everything was stopped,'' Indy resident Desiree Morris, who came to the festival looking for a union apprenticeship program, said.
The labor market has been volatile over the last two years. Pandemic layoffs, the Great Resignation, labor shortages, and now quiet quitting have dominated the news cycle.
"I think what's happening with a lot of folks, especially after the pandemic, they're realizing they need balance. They can't do mandatory overtime just because it's necessary to keep their job," Sanders said.
"You do have some employers that really do appreciate their workers, and you feel that love, but there are plenty of them that don't," Indy resident and union member La Salle Morris said.
Labor union popularity has reached a historic high nationwide. Gallup released a new poll this week, just in time for Labor Day.
It shows that 71% of Americans approve of unions. That's the highest approval rating since 1965.
"We're getting a lot of calls from folks in occupations that wouldn't normally call us about being represented. Because they realize they have rights, and if they want to protect those rights, it's best to form a union," Sanders said.
Union reps say high inflation, stagnant wages, and poor conditions have workers exasperated. The Gallup poll shows that 50% of non-union and 43% of unionized workers are actively looking for a better job.
During the Great Resignation, many workers left their jobs in search of greener pastures, only to find their new boss was no better. Now, they're turning to unions.
"Working collectively makes them much more strong than working individually," Sanders said.
-
Indiana's Hope the Groundhog makes her 2026 prediction
Punxsutawney Phil may have seen his shadow in 2026, but an Indiana groundhog had a warmer forecast in mind.
Post Malone and Jelly Roll announce Lucas Oil Stadium show
Post Malone and Jelly Roll are bringing their summer tour to Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday, June 12. Tickets go on sale starting February 6.
Sidney Eskenazi, hospital philanthropist, dies weeks after wife
Sidney Eskenazi, whose $40 million gift helped build the Eskenazi Health hospital campus, has died, according to a statement from Eskenazi Health. His wife Lois died last month.
Black-owned barbershop connects cuts and culture through art
A local Black-owned barbershop on Indy's Old Southside is bringing a different kind of buzz to the neighborhood by blending haircuts and culture through art.
