Hawkeye Area Labor Council AFL-CIO unions cancel Eastern Iowa Labor Day picnics

CEDAR RAPIDS — Rising levels of COVID-19 cases have led to the cancellation again this year of an annual Labor Day celebration in Cedar Rapids.

The Hawkeye Area Labor Council AFL-CIO announced Monday that Labor Day picnics in all chapters — also including Iowa City, Waterloo, Mason City and Marshalltown — have been called off because of the latest COVID-19 surge.

More than half of all new COVID-19 cases in the most recent seven-day period reported in Iowa are among people age 39 and under, according to state public health data. Of those, 13 percent were in the 17 and under age group; a vaccine has not been approved for kids under 12.

“It is sad that we are having such a hard time in Iowa getting COVID under control,” said Rick Moyle, executive director of the labor council. “The (council) board and our delegates know that we all have a responsibility to do what is right by our communities. We are not willing to contribute to the spread of this evil virus.”

Hawkeye Area Labor Council AFL-CIO is a coalition of unions and is the official organization of the national AFL-CIO in East Central and Northern Iowa, representing 26 counties, and 83 affiliated unions.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that people, even those who are vaccinated, should wear masks in communities that have a “substantial” or “high” rate of virus transmission. That now includes every county in Iowa.

The CDC said Linn County, which added an average of 78 cases per day over the past week, has a high level of COVID-19 transmission. As of Monday, nine Iowa counties had “substantial” transmission rates and the other 90 have “high” rates, according to the CDC.

Rising COVID-19 numbers cross Iowa have led to cancellations of a number of other Labor Day events. The South Central Iowa Labor Council in Des Moines has canceled its Sept. 6 Labor Day parade because of the increase in COVID-19 numbers.

North Iowa Democrats canceled their annual Wing Ding fundraiser at Clear Lake. Polk County Steak Fry organizers are planning an in-person event Sept. 18, but will require proof of vaccination for everyone older than 12. Masks will be required in high-traffic areas, meals will be served in to-go containers and attendees will be required to maintain physical separation.

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