CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) — As historic collective bargaining legislation continues to be hashed out in Richmond, local unions are preparing to gather at IX Art Park for the second annual “Labor in the Park” event on Sunday from 2-4 p.m.

The event, hosted by Charlottesville-Albemarle Labor Council, comes this year as Gov. Abigail Spanberger is considering signing a historic bill set to extend collective bargaining rights to a wide net of public employees and educators. But even with these significant developments, Piers Gelly, a faculty member at UVA and member of United Campus Workers of Virginia, told Cville Right Now the event is not focused on a specific cause, but is rather a “visibility exercise.”

“There’s a lot of time to make up in terms of helping people understand what even a labor union is,” he said. “Why workers in a workplace might seek to be represented by a union? What sorts of things can happen via collective bargaining? And so simply by saying, ‘We’re here, we’re doing this work and we’re also normal people like the rest of you,’ I think that’s a big idea that drove us to put on the first Labor in the Park.”

Nine local labor organizations will be participating in the event: Albemarle Education Association, Amalgamated Transit Union, Charlottesville Education Association, Internation Association of Fire Fighters, National Association of Letter Carriers, Teamsters, UNITE HERE, United Campus Workers and United Food and Service Workers.

“It’s just an opportunity for members of the community to come and need us and learn about us and what it is that we’re doing and why unions are important,” AEA President Mary McIntyre told Cville Right Now.

The event is free and open to the public. Leaders from each participating union getting time to speak about the work they are doing in the area and also have a tent and table throughout the afternoon to provide information as well as swag.

Gelly said the organizers have also invited some local elected officials and candidates who they see as pro-labor. State Delegates Katrina Callsen (D-Charlottesville) and Amy Laufer (D-Albemarle) are both confirmed to be in attendance. State Sen. Creigh Deeds (D-Charlottesville) was also invited but unable to make it. All three Democratic congressional candidates in the redrawn 6th District — Tom Perriello, Beth Macy and Rob Tracinski — were invited as well.

Gelly also said they did not invite current 5th District Rep. John McGuire (R-Va.) and 6th District Rep. Ben Cline (R-Va.). All sitting members of the Charlottesville City Council were invited, but no members of the City School Board were extended invitations.

“We’ll give them a chance to say hi from the stage,” Gelly said of the invited politicians. “Not so they can use this as a campaign rally but so that pe0ple can find them. If people who care about labor are here to connect with union members, and there are politicians who might be seeking their vote, great opportunity to ask them some questions about how exactly they’re going to do that.”

But Gelly also said the event is also intended to be fun, with WTJU’s DJ ANDROID playing music throughout the day and attendees getting to smash a piñata shaped like the mascot of “Monopoly.” Organizers will also be handing out waters, Gatorades and snacks to attendees.

While the current bill on the Governor’s desk will not be the main focus of the event, it will be discussed. The bill has gone through its fair share of controversy among Union leaders. Campus workers were removed from the House of Delegates’ version in February and have to be added back in. Spanberger’s amendments from the final version were also rejected by the General Assembly earlier this month. She will now have a month to sign or veto the original version.

Gelly, a campus worker himself, said given Virginia’s history of banning collective bargaining rights for public sector employees across the board until this past decade, the current legislation is important to address.

“We’re taking this opportunity to remind people that history is being written right now,” he said, “and we think that if people are supportive of the work that labor unions are doing in the community and in their workplaces, this is an opportunity to call on Governor Spanberger to make sure the bill passes in the best possible form.”