American Jobs Focus Of Labor Day Parade

Many Charlotte-area workers used Labor Day to focus on keeping Americans working.

All types of workers took part in the Labor Day parade through uptown early Monday. Marchers included teachers, sanitation workers, bus drivers and United Auto Workers who've been laid off.

The idea behind the parade was not only to celebrate the accomplishments of workers but to remember the struggles as well.

Many of those struggles are ongoing, such as local Freightliner plants. The local president of the United Auto Workers said that in the last year, 4,900 Freightliner workers from the three local plants -- Mount Holly, Gastonia and Cleveland County -- have been laid off.

Many workers held signs that read, "I want to work! Buy American!"

"(We need to) introduce a corporate policy to buy domestic-only with a few critical exceptions -- that's going to help get the American economy back on track. That's what's going to make a difference that these corporations really care about the USA-working people,” said Ricky McDowell, president of the local UAW.

McDowell said he's in the process of organizing meetings with congressional leaders to push for companies to buy American.