Thank you, Joe [Thayer, CLC president] and thank you, brothers and sisters.              

What a great day to be together, as we celebrate Labor Day 2010 right here in one of the greatest union cities in America.              

I'm glad to be here with all of you, and with great leaders like Joe Rugola, Gov. Ted Strickland, and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher.  And let's hear it for Rep. Betty Sutton – isn't she great?  Thank you for being here.              

And I don't want to forget labor's own, Mayor Tony Krasienko.  I know you'll never forget where you come from.              

Brothers and sisters, this is the weekend when we celebrate what makes America strong: hard work, secure families, solidarity, and the working men and women who're the backbone of our communities and our country.                  

Whether we push a pencil or a broom, whether we drive a fire truck or a forklift, whether we prepare the food, serve the meal, or perform the background music -- all our work has dignity, and it has worth.              

Right here on the shores of Lake Erie, working women and men built the most progressive democracy, the strongest economy, and the most powerful union movement in the history of the world.              

Hold onto that vision, because it's ours for the future. America's working people will stand together for good jobs -- for safe jobs -- for jobs that allow us to raise our families with security, and retire with dignity.              

That's our American Dream -- not the nightmare so many of us live today, where we labor more for less and less, always under the threat that if we ask too much, our jobs will be gone tomorrow.              

There's no better place to face down our nation's economic bogeymen than right here in Ohio—where we see the consequences of the failed policies of the last three decades – and our hope for the future. And we're going to bring it back the only way that's ever worked -- together.              

We're not there yet, but we're on the right path.                 

A year ago, President Obama took steps to safeguard our tire industry from cheap Chinese imports, and it's working. In the last year, domestic tire production increased almost 15 percent! That's jobs, right here in Ohio.             

And what about the steel pipe mill right here in Lorain? We've seen 80 workers called back for the same reason.            

From City Hall to Capitol Hill, we're going to keep fighting for PLAs right here in your town, and your city council members need to hear from you on that.            

In Washington, we're looking for a vote to roll back China's destructive currency manipulation.            

Nobody – I mean nobody – can beat America's workers on a level playing field. I want to see the words "Made in America" again, because it's time to start exporting products instead of jobs!            

Sisters and brothers, what we're calling for this Labor Day is economic patriotism. We've had enough of CEOs who say they love America and hate America's workers!            

Let's build a strong America where working families thrive again. Let's rebuild Lorain and America with jobs. Let's elect economic patriots like Gov. Ted Strickland, like U.S. Senate candidate and Lt. Governor Lee Fisher, Betty Sutton, Marcy Kaptur.            

Ohio cannot afford a Wall Streeter like John Kasich for governor. He's the poster child for what's wrong with America! You know, John Kasich gives new meaning to the term C.E.O. – Chief Executive Outsourcer. That's what he'd be!             

And how about Republican candidate Tom Ganley in Akron who wants Betty Sutton's job?  He's the guy with the Mercedes dealership who promises to – and I quote – "cut the Dickens" out of Medicare, Social Security and Veterans' benefits for average working people.            

That's why – night and day for the next 57 days – we're going to fight for our economic patriots, because when we win on Nov. 2, we'll be stronger to fight for jobs on Nov. 3, and every day after that until our middle class is restored.            

And we'll be stronger to fight for the Employee Free Choice Act, so every worker has the freedom to choose respect and a voice on the job, so every worker can join together in a union for a better life!            

If we let the corporate traitors buy our democracy, they'll put this race-to-the-bottom into overdrive.            

If we let John Boehner become Speaker of the House, what will happen to our veterans?  Our young people? To everyone who works for a living?  We'll see a new push to privatize Social Security -- to cut it back and raise the retirement age. They're promising to repeal health care reform and Wall Street reform.            

You won't see any jobs bills from wannebe Speaker Boehner. No more extensions of unemployment benefits. You won't see states and communities getting help to keep teachers and police officers and firefighters on the jobs.            

But it's not going to happen, not on our watch!            

It's going to take real work. More worksite leafleting, more phone calling, more neighborhood walks.              

Are you ready to fight for jobs, and a strong middle class, and an economy that works for all? Are you ready to pull out all the stops!              

We're up against some powerful crosswinds. But sisters and brothers, we're union – and that's when we do our best.              

Roll up your sleeves! If you believe that keeping jobs in this country matters, work for it. If you believe that America has to invest in transportation and technology, education and the environment, work for it. If you believe that Wall Street got us into this mess and now must pay its fair share of the costs to get us out, work for it.                

Brothers and sisters, we can do it together. Work for it. Stand for it. Stand together. March together. Fight together. Win together. And don't let anyone—anyone—stand in our way.                          

Thank you. God bless you, and God bless America!