The true meaning of Labor Day
On this day we should remember that the basic rights afforded to American workers were fought for and won by organized labor — by working women and men joining together, forming unions, and demanding dignity, respect, living wages, and benefits in the workplace. Labor Day itself, our final summer holiday, was created as a result of striking Chicago workers.

Today, America’s workers face stagnant wages and a rising cost of living, while big corporations and CEOs see record profits. While the protections, higher wages, healthcare, and dignified working conditions guaranteed by a union contract remain more important than ever, big corporations and CEOs are taking aggressive steps to destroy our unions and our nation’s labor movement.
J.B. Pritzker is a billionaire and our Democratic nominee for Illinois Governor. J.B. is also the founder and managing partner of the Pritzker Group, the organization that owns Entertainment Cruises, a tourism company at Navy Pier that manages cruises and private charters on Lake Michigan.
As a Democratic candidate for Illinois Governor, J.B. Pritzker has positioned himself as a champion for working families. As the founder and managing partner of the organization that owns Entertainment Cruises, he’s allowed Entertainment Cruises to engage in an aggressive anti-unionization campaign. Entertainment Cruises workers are seeking to form a union in order to secure, in part, a living wage and access to affordable quality healthcare. Entertainment Cruises employees have been subjected to captive audience meetings and coercive one-on-one meetings in an attempt by management to get the employees to oppose their union. Management even went so far as to distribute a letter to employees urging them to “JUST SAY NO” to organizing with a union.
This past week, Entertainment Cruises employees and their union, the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board, Workers United, reached out to my office seeking my support as they faced management’s anti-union campaign. As a Democratic Committeeman I was faced with a choice as we entered Labor Day weekend — do I stand with our Democratic nominee or do I stand with Chicago’s workers? Do I risk making an enemy out of one of the richest and most powerful politicians in Illinois, or do I betray Chicago’s workers on the eve of the very holiday created to honor them? As a democratic socialist the choice was clear, I stood with Entertainment Cruises employees and sent the following letter to J.B. Pritzker —
August 30, 2018
JB Pritzker
Founder and Managing Partner
The Pritzker Group
111 S. Wacker Dr.
Chicago, Il 60606Dear Mr. Pritzker:
I write to ask you to intervene to stop an anti-union campaign at one of your companies, Entertainment Cruises, at Navy Pier. According to Entertainment Cruises employees, management held group captive audience meetings and coercive one-on-one meetings on Saturday, in order to encourage them to oppose unionization. To make matters worse, a letter was distributed to employees urging them to “JUST SAY NO” to organizing with a union.
This is extremely unfortunate because the employees report legitimate concerns that could be addressed through collective bargaining. Entertainment Cruises workers report that many only earn around $12/ hour (the Chicago minimum wage), even though you are campaigning for Governor on a platform that calls for a minimum wage of $15/ hour. Workers also report that they are not offered affordable health insurance, even though you are campaigning on a platform of affordable health insurance for all.
Mr. Pritzker, you are one of the richest men in the world, and I find it shocking that you would oppose an organizing effort that was initiated to correct these injustices. Furthermore, given your stated support for unions and collective bargaining, I find it hypocritical that your company, Entertainment Cruises, is openly union busting.
Bruce Rauner has been a disaster for our state. That’s why more than ever, working people need you to be better, and to practice what you preach when it comes to union rights and worker protections. You need to offer a clear choice for voters in November. You need to be pro-union, and lead by example. Empty rhetoric without action is not enough — certainly not for the Entertainment Cruises workers at Navy Pier.
I strongly encourage you Mr. Pritzker, to sit down with the workers at Entertainment Cruises and their union, the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board, Workers United. I am confident that you can do the right thing and work out a fair process where Entertainment Cruises workers can choose to unionize without the intimidation and interference of the current anti-union campaign.
Sincerely,
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa
Alderman, 35th Ward
I have not yet received a response from my fellow Democratic politician, but this past Thursday, the same day I sent my letter, Entertainment Cruises employees at SeaDog demanded union recognition.
Join me in celebrating the true meaning of Labor Day — call (312) 447–6000 and tell J.B. and Entertainment Cruises to do the right thing and recognize the union at SeaDog.
