“Fight For $15” Signs at New York City’s Annual Labor Day Parade

h. nazan ışık—

13 September 2015—

“I’ll tell you this: You think you can stop this campaign in Albany, you haven’t seen anything yet!” said Governor Coumo at New York City’s Annual Labor Day Parade on September 12.

The parade started at 10:00 am at 44th Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan. I was late, so I decided to photograph the parade starting from 57th Street and on.

I asked a police officer: “What did I miss? “

“Mayor de Blasio. He is right there” she replied, and  let me join the parade.

mayor de Blasio and Melissa Mark-Viverito, the speaker of thr NYC Council in the labor day parade

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Mayor Bill de Blasio and Melissa Mark-Viverito, the Speaker of the New York City Council marched up Fifth Avenue.

Not much was happening, not many spectators to wave hands at. And Mayor de Blasio and the Speaker of the New York City Council Melissa Mark-Viverito were talking to each other.

A photographer was taking pictures of a couple in their bride and groom outfit on Fifth Avenue. Where did they come from? It was like a scene from a film.

They tried to attract the Mayor’s attention.

Mayor de Blasio during the labor day parade joins a bride and a groom for a photo on 12/sep/2015

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Mayor de Blasio saw them, came to shake their hands. And then he posed with them…Everybody looked happy.

This happened on 61st Street. Since the parade was ending at 64rd Street, I stayed there to see who is coming next. After a long pause, long wait I saw Governor Andrew M. Cuomo approaching.

Gov. Coumo marched in the labor day parade on 12 sep 2015

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Gov. Cuomo with his “Campaign for Economic Justice” message.

At the end of the parade route on 64rd Street from the back of a truck Gov. Cuomo, delivered his message: “….Earn your own bread, and honest days pay for honest work. That’s what 15 dollars is all about. Honour the worker”

 

Gov. Coumo talking at the labor day parade on 12/9/2015

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Gov. Cuomo delivered his message.

“ …We represent the working families of the State and they deserve dignity. We are going to fight for their dignity, and we are not going to stop until we win their dignity. And, I will tell you this. You think you can stop this campaign in Albany, you haven’t seen anything yet. We are going to move the lifes of the working families up in New York like they’ve never been organized before. We want justice, we want opportunity, we want fairness.!” said Gov. Cuomo.

And continued “ And Mario Cuomo never let down the people of this state. We are not going to let him down, and we will not stop fighting until we have 15 dollars an hour.

So help me God!”

I am sorry that I missed Mayor Bill de Blasio’s speech. I was told he delivered it at the beginning.

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Photos © h. nazan ışık, all rights reserved.