Paducah Labor Day parade float gives new meaning to 'porta-potty'

By BERRY CRAIG

AFT Local 1360

Paducah Plumbers and Steamfitters 184 has entered floats in the city's Labor Day parades evidently since 1899, the year the local was chartered.

Since, Local 184 leadership has met the challenge of devising crowd-pleasing float themes for each of the annual end-of-summer holiday processions. The parades started in 1893, stopped after World War and were restarted in the 1970s.

This year's entry might have topped them all. It was a royal flush in poker lingo.  

The float featured an oversize replica toilet with a pair of feet and legs protruding upward from the bowl.

“We just thought they needed to be flushed,” explained Kyle Henderson, business manager.

“They” are anti-union GOP Gov. Matt Bevin, state Sen. Danny Carroll, state Reps. Lynn Bechler, Richard Heath and Steven Rudy, and House candidate Randy Bridges.

Their names and "FLUSH" appeared on signs stuck on the bottom of the upright commode lid and on the sides of the float. Local 184 members carried similar signage in the parade. 

Last year, egged on by Bevin, the quintet of western Kentucky lawmakers joined almost every other Republican senator and representative in passing Kentucky's “right to work” law and a measure to repeal the prevailing wage. They also supported anti-worker legislation in this year's session. 

Bridges, too, backs the GOP's union-busting agenda.    

Hence, Henderson hopes voters will send the GOP legislators down the drain on Nov. 6.

Anyway, the float was an updated version of the local’s 2009 entry, a wooden outhouse.

Meanwhile, the toilet float resulted from a brainstorming session at Local 184 headquarters. “We came up with the slogan ‘Flush ‘em’ and we could tie in the commode with the union," Henderson said.

Traditionally, the Local 184 vice president oversees float building. "So, he [Scotty Butler] got in touch with Richard Snyder, a member of ours who is quite the carpenter, and he built the toilet.”

A contingent of Local 184 members escorted the truck-pulled giant John as it rolled up Broadway. Hanging next to the commode was a scaled-to-size paper towel roll.

People laughed, cheered and applauded at the float and its message. "I'm not knocking the other floats, but that one was the best float in the parade," said Daniel Hurt, a local Democratic party activist.

A photo of the float is posted on the local’s Facebook page with a message from Henderson praising “all the hard working men and women” who belong to 184 and thanking “the members that were there before us and those that are retired for the sacrifices that were made. They are the reason that so many of us get to realize the American Dream."

Added Henderson: “I would also like to thank the active members for carrying on the rich tradition and keeping up the hard work. I hope that each and every one of you get to enjoy time with your families on this holiday weekend. You have earned it! If you like your freedom, thank a Veteran. If you enjoy your weekends and holidays, thank a union member! Stay safe and God Bless!”