Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and several other leading Illinois Democrats energized the party faithful – including many union members – Monday, Sept. 7 at the 57th-annual Salute to Labor Picnic at the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council’s Quad Cities site in East Moline.
Pritzker – the 61-year-old billionaire seeking a third term in office -- pointed out many differences between him and his GOP opponent in November, Darren Bailey, including support for the $15 statewide minimum wage, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2026. The governor said that Bailey’s support for trade policies led to last month’s closure of the Tyson Foods Joslin plant, claiming Bailey called it “short-term pain for long-term gain.”
“I've been working day and night and working with your UFCW to reopen the plant so we can get everybody back to work as soon as possible,” Pritzker said. “I'm proud of the things we've been able to get done. They've been big things, and we've done those things together.
“For example, through the Rebuild Illinois infrastructure plan that your senator voted for, we're building up the Quad Cities Airport and the roads that surround it. We rebuilt and we reopened the I-74 bridge, not only a stunning landmark, but a daily reminder of organized labor's greatness,” he said. “We broke ground on the John Deere Road interchange, which has created good-paying union jobs. And as I mentioned before, we passed the minimum wage law that gave 1.4 million Illinoisans a well-deserved raise. Maybe you don't know that Illinois now has guaranteed universal paid leave for workers, not just if you're sick, but for any reason.
“And we require that workers be paid the prevailing wage on all state and federal federally funded projects,” he said. “And if we want to continue our progress here in East Moline and across the region, we need to send Eric Sorensen back to Congress and Gregg Johnson back to Springfield. And you know we need to send a relentless fighter to the U.S. Senate by the name of Juliana Stratton. And I want to continue to be your champion for working families.”
“So Rock Island County Democrats, I have just one question for all of you. Are you ready for the fight?” The response was a resounding roar in the affirmative.
After his speech, Pritzker told WVIK that after the Tyson announcement in mid-August (resulting in the loss of over 2,500 jobs), he spoke with the company CEO and the leader of the UFCW union, Bob O'Toole, who attended the Labor Day event.
“We cannot have all these people end up out of work. Tyson is willing to sell the facility quickly and at a reasonable price, so that's key,” the governor said. “The interim step is to make sure that anybody who wants to go get a job immediately is fast-tracked. But what I really want to do is get a buyer. And so we're working at the state level to figure out an incentive that might bring a buyer in that maybe they're on the fence, but we want to make sure they come and close the deal and do it relatively quickly. And I did ask Tyson if they'd be willing to move quickly because sometimes these transactions can take months, and they are.”
Pritzker did not know what the state would offer as an incentive but said Tyson is willing to sell the plant for another food processing use.
“I can't guarantee someone's going to buy it, but I do feel like based upon what I have heard, there is a cooperative that's being put together of ranchers themselves who are willing to buy the facility and operate it,” he said. “And these are ranchers both in Iowa and in Illinois. And then I'm aware obviously of other beef processors who might be willing to take over the plant.
"It's best used as a beef processing plant. You know, we've thought about can they convert this to poultry or some other, and the reality is that the amount of work that would need to get done to turn it into something else, it takes too long. And this has this highest and best use as a beef processing plant. So we're working hard on this.”
“They just want to get rid of it,” Pritzker said of Tyson, citing cattle shortages and rising prices for cattle. “There are others who are willing to take that risk now, hoping that the prices will come down, and so that's who we're trying to attract.”
“I think I think the big focus right now is just getting Tyson to allow someone else to possibly come in,” State Rep. Gregg Johnson said earlier Monday. “From what I understand, there has been sometimes in the past where they just shutter the plant, and obviously they don't want competition in there to what they do, but if we can figure out a way to repurpose it or utilize that plant and bring a similar industry or bring lots of jobs in, that's what we're going to do. And everybody's working hard. The governor's working really hard.”
Pritzker is optimistic about his party’s chances in the midterms, to flip the U.S. House and Senate.
“What I can control is, what our response to that in the state of Illinois as Democrats. We're not closing any of the voting booths, voting places in Illinois,” he said. “In fact, we've expanded voting availability. We're trying to protect the mail-in ballots. We're part of that lawsuit to keep Donald Trump from stopping mail-in ballots.”
“We're seeing that we have a momentum that's really built among Democrats for change, for change at the federal level, for making sure that we're keeping our good Democrats like Eric Sorensen, the congressman here, like electing Julianna Stratton as a U.S. senator, and making sure that they keep me as governor,” he added.
“I think there's a real momentum around the state for that sort of thing. And importantly, I've been traveling the country to try to help elect Democrats in other states, because what's good for Illinois is if we finally get Democratic control of the House and the Senate, even if Donald Trump is still president.”
Pritzker also is confident Iowa state auditor Rob Sand will prevail to become Democratic governor, succeeding Republican Kim Reynolds.
“Rob Sand is extraordinary. I think he's going to make a great governor of Iowa,” he said. “I think he speaks in ways that really are very attractive to every part of Iowa. He's not just one part or another. He's a guy who I think speaks as an Iowan uniquely.
"And that's why I think he's going to win an overwhelming victory even in a state that has not elected a statewide Democrat, except him, before. I also think Josh Turek is gonna win (for U.S. Senate). He's doing a great job in his race.”
“I think that the benefit to the Quad Cities of having a Democratic governor on both sides of the river is that we share in common a belief that we need to lift up working families, that we've got to make sure we're putting more money in people's pockets, we've got better education for people by investing in it,” Pritzker said. “Republicans want to divest from education. And that we Democrats are going to make sure that people have healthcare available to them even when Washington is trying to take it away.”
Duckworth and Halpin remarks
At the outdoor picnic, Gov. Pritzker discussed his commitment to protecting labor rights and strengthening workforce protections in the state. He was joined by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth and State Senator Mike Halpin.
“Organized labor built the middle class, and Illinois workers deserve leaders who will always stand up for their right to organize, bargain collectively and earn a fair wage,” Duckworth said. “Governor Pritzker shares that commitment, and I’m proud to work alongside him to protect middle-class families and create good-paying jobs in communities like the Quad Cities.”
“Here in the Quad Cities, Democrats know that when working people succeed, our communities succeed,” Halpin said. “That’s why we’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with organized labor to protect workers’ rights, create good-paying jobs and invest in communities across our region. Governor Pritzker has been a tremendous partner in that work, and Rock Island County Democrats are fired up to welcome him back as we celebrate the working men and women who make the Quad Cities strong.”
“We're here, but all the while there's a failed businessman in the White House who does everything in his power to make sure to run our economy into the ground. Because of Donald Trump's reckless policies, too many of us, too many Illinoisans are finding that today's holiday is more expensive than it was last year,” a passionate Duckworth said in her remarks.
“I don't think he's kept a single promise except the ones that he made to his billionaire buddies and then cut their taxes at the expense of working families in this country,” she said. “The numbers don't lie. This is astonishing. The average Illinois family has paid $4,200 more in higher costs since that failed draft-dodging businessman got back into the White House. Grocery bills, energy bills, healthcare bills, gas prices. It's all piling up.
“And this past month, I've traveled across this great state only to hear the same thing over and over again. We can't afford Donald Trump's failures,” Duckworth said. “We can't afford his incompetence. And we sure as hell can't afford another Republican Congress that continues to endorse and cater to the president's ego before they take care of their own constituents. This is out of control. And let me tell you, the way we get this back is by winning this November. We have to win here in Illinois. We have to win across the river in Iowa.
“We have to win all across the country because we need control of the House and we need control of the Senate,” she said. “We've got a great governor in this state and we got great state legislators in this state who are doing everything they can to fight back. But I'd like to be able to win some of the battles in Washington as well. And we can't get there without your help. I just want to thank each and every one of you for what you're doing today.”
Labor awards given out
Halpin as the event emcee announced 2026 Rock Island County Democratic Party awards, to Porter McNeil as party builder and Robert Bern with the local labor award. The former honor was given posthumously (as Porter passed away at 65 on Sept. 12, 2025 after a four-year battle with cancer) and was accepted by family members.
“Long before Porter McNeil started serving the public on Rock Island County Board, he was already serving us in countless ways,” Halpin said. “He used the experiences he had working in the Illinois House to great use, not only helping to strengthen our local party, but also to build bridges to places hundreds of miles away.
“He had a way of bringing that national Democratic picture and message right here to Rock Island County. Whether it was bringing a young Barack Obama to the Quad Cities, or passionately educating our young activists about the magic of the Kennedy years, and the promise that each generation should commit itself to something better, Porter was an incredible communicator that never spoke a harsh word, always created respectful dialogue, and carried himself in a way that you'll rarely see,” he said.
“He messaged our values, our principles, and our beliefs more times than I can possibly remember,” Halpin said. “Even in the most polarizing of times, or even a polarizing conversation, Porter's character and kindness always ensured that everyone would walk away as friends. In a time when our world needs more Porter McNeils, the loss last year still stings.
“As we continue to move forward, we will continue to honor him by remembering his passion for what we do,” he said. “His kindness, always shown to others, should be our goal every day as we move along. And we want to doubly make sure that that democratic message, that message, JFK and Robert Kennedy, would live on and live in us forever.”
McNeil’s son Jack spoke Monday in tribute to his father, joined by his mother Mary, sister Ellie and wife Kamelotte.
“Serving on the Rock Island County Board was a true honor for him, representing the district he grew up in. I want to thank the Rock Island County Democratic family for all the support over the past year, including so many who have contributed to or attended the launch event for the Porter McNeil Public Service Foundation,” Jack said. “This past year we launched and awarded five scholarships for Moline High School seniors, totaling $8,000, and we plan to expand.”
“He was humble, tirelessly optimistic, and he, like his dad, was a relentless and kind force for good,” he said of Porter. “When the party needed him, he was always there, volunteering his time, writing press releases, going on local TV to debate the other side. He often did these things unpaid or, as my friend put it, for the love of the game.”
“He was a warrior, a joyful warrior for the party, and he loved it. There wasn't a more committed Democrat than my dad,” Jack said. “He cherished being a Rock Island County, Downstate, and Western Illinois Democrat. All of it. He'd drop his plans to travel the state to attend a county JFK dinner, the state fair, or a Young Dems event in Chicago just to see me and my pals.
“He was the best dad anyone could have. He gave up plenty of career advancements to spend more time with family. He also went on local TV over 70 times to be a Democratic voice for the region,” he said.
“It matters that Illinois protects labor rights and the right to choose,” Jack added. “It matters that Illinois raised the minimum wage and reformed education to increase funding for schools in every zip code, including ours. And it matters that the state is under attack by its own federal government, but our government, our governor and elected leaders here are standing up strong with spines of steel and are fighting back.
“My dad carried more kindness in his thumb, more humility in his pinky, and more goodness in his smile than any of the so-called leaders we are stuck answering to in Washington today," he said. "Stuck reacting to, stuck in a vortex of misinformation, dehumanization, insider trading, bad, stupid, and cruel policies, and endless distractions from what matters, like people's paychecks, people's dignity, and people's constitutional rights.
"Despite all this, I have to channel my dad who is tirelessly optimistic and never gave up on the idea that these values are worth fighting for and worth being on the offense for.”
Robert Bern, the honored UAW leader, joined John Deere Seeding in 2007, where he became a proud member of UAW Local 434, now serving as vice president.
"It didn't take long for Rob to become actively involved in the labor movement," Halpin said, noting he serves as an executive board member of the Quad City Federation of Labor, and as secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO Great River Area Labor Federation.
His commitment to working people extends to the broader community, as Bern serves on the board of directors of United Way Quad Cities.
“The partnership is just unbelievable,” Bern said Monday of local unions. “Standing here today looking out at you though, I'm touched by the fact that I'm looking at every one of you as a leader in the labor movement. You guys show up for the pickets, you guys show up for the parades, you guys show up for the picnics, you guys stand up for labor. Every one of you does.”
“The UAW has always been a union that not only represents its own people but gets involved in society as a whole to try to make it a better community,” he added.
“I want to thank my coworkers. Because I do a lot of this stuff from the floor. So a lot of the times I'm not there, I'm off on union business, and they get to cover for me when I'm not there. So I do appreciate that," Bern said. "I want to thank my kids, both Nicole and Nick, for putting up with their dad when they're not there. But most of all, I want to thank my wife, who I truly love, and I wish she could be here today. She has supported me throughout all this, and she's the one that bears the brunt of the fact that I'm not home a lot.”
This story was produced by WVIK, Quad Cities NPR. We rely on financial support from our listeners and readers to provide coverage of the issues that matter to the Quad Cities region and beyond. As someone who values the content created by WVIK's news department, please consider making a financial contribution to support our work.
