Newly unionized UPMC Magee nurses pause for a moment of silence to honor those killed in the Clairton Coke Works explosion before leading Pittsburgh's Labor Day parade. Photo: Chrissy Suttles/Axios
Pittsburgh's Labor Day parade opened yesterday with city firefighters sounding their sirens and a moment of silence for the two members of the United Steelworkers union killed in the Clairton Coke Works explosion.
Context: Two men — 52-year-old Steven Menefee and 39-year-old Timothy Quinn — were killed in last month's blast, which injured at least 10 others. The company said a gas valve failure during maintenance prep likely caused the explosion.
The bottom line: Thousands of union members — led by newly unionized UPMC Magee nurses — marched from PPG Paints Arena to the Steelworkers headquarters Downtown, celebrating workers' rights and Pittsburgh's rich labor history alongside Gov. Josh Shapiro, other politicians, labor leaders and community groups.
