American families should look for the union label when buying items for their Labor Day party or cookout.
Over many years, America's workers battled for the right to have a voice at work. Labor Day should be a celebration of the labor movement's accomplishments -- the weekend, an end to child labor, the eight-hour day, Medicare and safer workplaces, among them -- and a reminder that there are still workers struggling to improve life for their families, communities and society.
How you spend your money can make a difference for our country, our communities, our families and our friends. By purchasing union-made goods and services made by companies that provide fair wages, safe working conditions and access to health care, conscientious consumers help protect and grow America's middle class. You also have the security of knowing that your money is buying quality goods made in ethical shops.
Fortunately, two union-sponsored website, Union Label and Labor411, help consumers identify union-made products.
Need a new grill for your cookout?
- Both Weber and Thermador grills are made with union hands.
Need something to grill on your new union made Weber or Thermador? Look for:
- Butterball burgers and franks
- Wenzel's sausage
- Smithfield sausage
- Oscar Meyer hot dogs
- Boars Head hot dogs
- Ball Park Franks
- Hebrew National franks
- Foster Farms fresh chicken
- Hormel Red Franks
- Nathan's Ball Park hot dogs
How about a bun? Buy:
- Alfred Nickles Bakery
- Sunbeam
- Maier's
- Stroehmann
- Arnold
- Francisco
Need toppings? Try these:
- Heinz Ketchup
- Open Pit
- French's
- Gulden's Mustard
- Frank's Red Hot
- Vlasic brand pickles
Something on the side?
- Burnham and Morrill Baked Beans
- Suddenly Salad
- Pace Salsa
- Rold Gold
- Frito-Lay
- Doritos
- Chex Mixes
- Lays Chips and French Onion Dip
- Sun Chips
- UTZ Pretzels
- Pirate Booty
- Bugles
- Cheez-It
Something to wash it down with? Try these union-made beers:
- American Lager
- Camo Black Ice
- Hamm's
- Miller beer
- Shock Top
- Budweiser/ Bud Light
- Alexander Keiths
- Coors/ Coors Light
- Genesee Cream Ale
- Moosehead
- Micky's Malt
- Red Stripe
- Iron City
- Mad River
- Michelob
- Leinenkugel's
- Icehouse
- Red Dog
- Steelhead Fine Ale
- Stegmaier
- Lionshead
Not a beer drinker? Try these beverages:
- Welch's Juices
- Minute Maid
- Hawaiian Punch
- Mott's
- V8
- Sprite
- Mountain Dew
- Pepsi, Diet Pepsi
- Coke, Diet Coke
- Canada Dry
- 7-UP
- A&W Root Beer
- Orange Crush
- RC Cola
- Barq's
- Blumers
- Old Philadelphia
Want dessert? Satisfy your sweet tooth with these union made products:
- S'mores made with Keebler Graham Crackers, Hershey's Chocolate Bars, and Campfire Marshmallows
- Tastykake
- Entenmann's
- Sara Lee (frozen)
Happy Labor Day!
Peter Dreier is professor of politics at Occidental College. His latest book is The 100 Greatest Americans of the 20th Century: A Social Justice Hall of Fame (Nation Books).