By Pat Loeb

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Thousands of Philadelphia area workers braved drenching rain to march in the 25th annual Labor Day parade along Columbus Boulevard, Monday morning.

Labor has gotten used to rain falling on their parade. Membership has been declining, contracts harder fought, gains slower, but veteran labor leader Henry Nicholas says it’s never been this bad.

“This is the worst time in labor union history and we have to unite to push back and that’s why we are here today, rain, sleet, snow or shine, we are going to stay with it.”

If the rain had symbolic significance, Congressman Bob Brady says the turn-out in defiance of it did too.

“You know, their jobs are in jeopardy. All you heard last week at the Republican Convention was blow out the unions, blow out the big unions. Don’t forget the unions built this country. And they built it well.”

City workers, though, see a problem closer to home saying the mayor is not treating them right or being friendly to their cause.

The mayor – on his way to the democratic convention – did not attend the parade.