Valley union workers thanked with breakfast on Labor Day

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- While many people spent Labor Day relaxing at home with friends and family, some of our local elected officials took this time to pay tribute to union workers.

A live band performed, and hot pancakes were flipped on the grill. On Monday, firefighters, Fresno County's district attorney, plus local city and county officials spent their day off working for their fellow employees.

"I'm here because I love labor. All my staff members are labor union members and working for me for labor," said Fresno County Assessor Paul Dictos.

Monday morning, hundreds of people headed to the Fresno Fairgrounds for a Labor Day celebration put on by the Central Labor Council. The annual event has been enjoyed by local union workers for 30 years. They're served a hot breakfast by many of the people they work for.

Elected officials say it's important for them to use this day off to serve those who have worked hard for them all year long.

"This is a great celebration for labor, and I'm here every year, and it's a pleasure to serve my coworkers and labor in general. We thank them for all they've done," said Fresno City Councilman Paul Caprioglio.

The union workers say they appreciate the breakfast and make a point to come out here every year.

"The food is wonderful. You got our city representatives serving you. You know, they're serving your food. The music is wonderful. It's just a great place to be on Labor Day supporting labor," said Belinda Guerrero with Retired State Workers.

A brand-new park at the Fresno Fairgrounds was also unveiled on Monday. The new section, located near the pavilion, features synthetic grass, rocks and a walking path.

"We had an opportunity to come out and make our area drought-free, which helped the fair, and then also it helped us to put a place of honor for all workers," said Union Park Chairman Don Hunsucker.

Hunsucker also says over the years, the fair has lost several of its permanent exhibits, so they're happy to bring a new feature to the fairgrounds that can be enjoyed year round.