Posted 6:38 am Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Labor Council Holds Picnic For Possibly Last Time
By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer
With the sprawling former Goodyear plant sitting across the highway empty and a Hurricane battering Louisiana and moving toward Texas, attendance was down from recent years at the annual Smith County Labor Council Labor Day Picnic.
Staff Writer
With the sprawling former Goodyear plant sitting across the highway empty and a Hurricane battering Louisiana and moving toward Texas, attendance was down from recent years at the annual Smith County Labor Council Labor Day Picnic.
For those who did attend the event, held at the United Steelworkers Local 746L grounds on Texas Highway 31, there was music from a local blues band, plenty of chili dogs and some fiery speeches from stumping politicians.
John Nash, the labor council president, said he believed Hurricane Gustav had an impact on the amount of people attending the event.
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"We have all of the operations in the area working with the evacuees and I believe a lot of the people who usually attend may be helping in that effort," he said. "I still think we're having a good turnout and we've got a couple of good speakers."
However, some long-time picnic goers said they believe the annual event may be dying and will be lost for other generations.
Nesby Willis said he worked at the Goodyear plant for 36 years and it was hard to see the building just sitting there empty.
Willis said he and his family have been at the picnic each year, but he didn't think there would be a picnic next year.
"I think this is going to be the last year they have this unless something changes drastically," he said. "It is really kind of sad because this has meant so much for so many and now all of these jobs are gone from the area."
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Rick Noriega spoke at the event, calling for a change from a senator who agrees with Washington more than he agrees with Texans.
"John Cornyn has agreed with Washington 96 percent of the time and I don't know anyone who agrees with someone else 96 percent of the time," he said. "I don't even agree with my wife that much."
Noriega faces incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the November election.
With the crowd cheering him on, Noriega talked about Cornyn's record, citing the senator voted against minimum pay wages, but was quick to vote for a raise for himself.
He continued, saying Cornyn was not in line with the needs of Texas, had no military experience to make decisions about the current war and the voters of Texas owed to themselves to vote for change.
"It is time we have in Washington, someone who has walked the talk," he said.
As the speeches continued, children played in a bounce house or threw a football around; some old friends just enjoyed each others company.
Jessie Harper said the speeches were OK, but said he just like to be around some of his former co-workers and enjoy the food.
"We come out every year and just enjoy the food and music," the 34-year veteran of Tyler Pipe said.
