Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of laborers—a tribute to the contributions we as laborers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our countries. In the United States and Canada, it is celebrated the first Monday in September. Many other countries also celebrate Labor Day, but most do it on May 1st.
In 1882, New York City labor unions persuaded the city to create this “working man’s holiday.” Labor unions in other cities/states also pushed for a labor day holiday in their local areas. Over the next few years, several states, including Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Nebraska and New York also created the Labor Day holiday. In 1894, after several workers on strike were killed by federal marshals, President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day a national holiday to try to help soothe the anger the labor unions (and general public) were feeling about the unjustified murders.
Initially, Labor Day was celebrated with big parades and festivals for workers and their families. Over the years, it seems that the symbolism of celebrating the worker has faded, and nowadays Labor Day seems to be more of a celebration of the end of summer. I would like to take a moment to focus on the true meaning of labor day: recognizing the hard work and dedication of thousands of union men and women who struggled bravely to win basic rights that have drastically improved the quality of life for Americans. Most of these rights are now taken for granted, but should not be.
The labor movement in the United States led the struggles to:
- End child labor
- Establish the legal right of workers to form unions and collectively bargain for wages, benefits and working conditions
- Establish the 8 hour work day and paid overtime
- Win workers’ comp benefits for workers injured on the job
- Secure unemployment insurance for workers who lose their jobs
- Secure a guaranteed minimum wage
- Improve workplace safety and reduce on the job fatalities
- Win pensions for workers
- Win health care insurance for workers
- Win paid sick leave, vacations, and holidays as standard benefits for most workers
- Win the right for public sector workers to collectively bargain
- Win passage of the Civil Right Acts and Title VII which outlaws job discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin
- Win passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act
- Win passage of the Family Medical Leave Act
I know there are many people who will be quick to comment on the downsides of labor unions. I am not naive to the fact that unions have their fair share of problems, too. But, in keeping with the spirit of the holiday, let’s take a moment to appreciate the things that the labor unions have done right. Let’s take a moment to thank those who fought so you and I can have a better life. Because all of our lives are better as a result of their accomplishments.
Footnotes: Wikipedia, Working Life website, U.S. Department of Labor website
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Christi Grab is Parentella’s Editorial Director and author of The Unexpected Circumnavigation: Unusual Boat, Unusual People Part 1 – San Diego to Australia. She is currently working on book two of the series.
