SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — While this holiday means a three-day weekend for many, recent events have put the origins of Labor Day back to the forefront of Siouxlander’s minds.

For well over a century, the Sioux City Unions have come together for the annual union picnic at Riverside Park. Organizers say the event serves as a way for members to come together, political groups to address the public, and to remind folks of what Labor Day stands for.

“Our father and forefathers ahead of us fought hard for stuff like breaks, and vacations, and paid days off, and more time with your family so it’s a reflection on all the hard work and sacrifices that our forefathers did so we could have what we have,” said retired UA Local 33 member Ronald Begnoche said.

But the fight is not over according to Jaylee Hurst with United Food and Commercial Workers.

“People are being negatively impacted every day. Workers are being negatively impacted every day, customers going to the grocery stores are being impacted negatively every single day and it is the workers that are trying to stand up so that we can all get a leg up and actually have a successful and happy life.”

Hurst also says that this year’s attendance was the largest in 5 years with around 500 people coming to the event.

“Worker rights are human rights and celebrating Labor Day brings it back into the forefront of people’s minds of why we actually have a day to celebrate all the people that came before us to fight, and a lot of them have lost their lives sadly, in order to stand up for the everyday American and against corporations and against corporate profit,” Hurst said.