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Philadelphia Trade Unions Launch Hurricane Relief Drive

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia's building and trades unions are launching a major hurricane relief drive this Labor Day weekend.

John Dougherty, business manager of the building trades organization, says Philadelphia locals want to fill tractor trailer rigs with relief supplies such as bottled water, blankets and bedding, diapers and baby formula, and non-perishable food to take to Texas and Louisiana.

"We have a lot of people in the Philadelphia building trades. You know we got a lot of arms and legs and we thank God and we're going to try to help in any way we can," Dougherty said.

He says the group will park and staff a tractor trailer along Columbus Boulevard during Monday's Labor Day parade and will collect the items from union members participating in the parade as well as the public.

"We've reached out to some of our union friends, they're obviously the first people that we talked to. We're going to work with the American Red Cross to see how we can coordinate to get to the proper area where it's needed the most," said Dougherty.

Dougherty says it's not just a one-time event, but an ongoing collection during the next few weeks to try to meet some of the needs of thousands of people who have lost nearly everything because of the epic flooding brought by Tropical Storm Harvey.

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