U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer will participate in Erie’s Labor Day Parade on September 1, 2024, riding with Teamsters Local 397 as part of the celebration honoring American workers and kicking off the nation’s 250th birthday commemorations.
The parade, which begins at 10 a.m., starts at East 10th Street and State Street and travels north on State Street to Perry Square. it is organized by the Great Lakes Building & Construction Trades Council.
Chavez-DeRemer, 56, is a former Republican representative from Oregon and was among three House Republicans who cosponsored the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, a sweeping pro-union bill. She was nominated by President Donald Trump in 2024, and her confirmation by the Senate came in March.
The event highlights federal attention to labor issues amid the country’s ongoing observance of its founding milestone. The parade serves as a public celebration of workers’ contributions and the role of unions in the nation’s economy, while also linking local festivities to the broader national 250th birthday commemoration planned for 2026.
Summary: U.S. Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer will join Erie’s Labor Day Parade, riding with a local union group, as part of a celebration of workers and the national 250th anniversary kickoff.
A hopeful note: The secretary’s participation underscores bipartisan recognition of labor’s role in American communities and signals continued federal engagement with workers at the local level.
Commentary: This event connects national leadership to local labor voices and may energize the region’s labor community ahead of the 2026 milestone, emphasizing shared goals of fair work, safe conditions, and thriving local economies.