BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — More than 80 demonstrators, representing over 60 labor unions across Kentucky, gathered at Circus Square Park on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, for the Kentucky AFL-CIO’s Day of Action — a powerful call for stronger worker protections and collective-bargaining rights.
The rally united members from various industries — including education, healthcare, manufacturing, emergency services, and public works — representing more than 130,000 workers statewide.
The event set the tone for the upcoming biennial Kentucky AFL-CIO Convention, where union leaders are expected to push for policies supporting fair wages, safer working conditions, and the right to organize.
Kentucky continues to be a key battleground for labor rights, especially following national strikes in the auto, logistics, and healthcare sectors. The movement reflects similar actions seen nationwide, echoing support for collective bargaining and union protections.
“Teachers, factory workers, nurses — we’re all in this together,” said a WKU alum and labor advocate. “Bowling Green’s workforce deserves support.”
Bowling Green — with Western Kentucky University, local industry hubs, and growing service-sector jobs — has seen increased labor discussions in recent years.
Just last year, regional conversations around educator pay, factory safety, and workplace staffing mirrored wider labor concerns across the state.
As the Kentucky AFL-CIO prepares for its statewide convention, Sunday’s rally in Bowling Green signaled confidence and unity among workers seeking stronger workplace protections.
Organizers stressed that the rally was not an end — but a beginning for upcoming legislative and workplace action.
