Happy Labor Day
Summer repeats…this is a post from last Labor Day. Enjoy your long weekend, and take a moment to thank those who worked so hard to get you the day off. 😉
Who Put the Labor in Labor Day?
We did, that’s who.
When I think of labor day, my mind first thinks of the end of summer…the crisp fall weather on the horizon, the cool weather clothes, school starting up again, the return of the good TV shows…
Then there are the Labor Day celebrations…one last bbq of summer, maybe a trip to the beach, the lake, or the shore…
For some people it is a chance to get caught up with some chores around the house, to enjoy a 3-day weekend by sleeping in one extra day, maybe see some friends.
I agree with all of these things. Not a thing wrong with any of them. But at the same time, it’s a good time to remember what the heck Labor Day is…unlike our other holidays, like Veterans Day or Memorial Day, it doesn’t commemorate war or those who fought for our freedoms. Unlike Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, and Easter, it doesn’t commemorate any religious significance. Unlike Thanksgiving, it doesn’t commemorate a coming together or the fall harvest, or the brief friendship between the pilgrims and the Native Americans.
Instead, Labor Day commemorates us…it commemorates the worker. People who get up every day and go to work, jobs that we love as well as jobs that we hate. Jobs that we do so that we can gain fulfillment, to make the world a better place, to provide a needed service, to simply pay the bills.
Labor day was created by the labor movement, and is dedicated to you and me, American workers. I know that many people have issues with the labor movement, do not like unions and what they represent. They claim that unions are corrupt and do very little to benefit workers, or that they make doing business too expensive for the employer. I would beg you to dig a little deeper, and look at what labor unions have given our country:
Eight-Hour Day
Five-Day Workweek
Health Insurance
Good Pensions
Paid Sick Leave
Fair Treatment for Women, People of Color and Workers with Disabilities
Higher Wages
Overtime Pay
Job Safety
Paid Holidays
Job Security
Severance Pay
Paid Vacations
Family and Medical Leave
So even if you have never belonged to a union in your life (I haven’t), let’s please stop for a moment this weekend, and thank the unions for what they have given to our country. Also, take a moment to recognize the strength and character of the American worker, upon whose back our economy and democracy rests.
And if, looking at that list, you see some items that don’t apply to you, like a 40-hour work week, a pension, or fair treatment, remember that the labor movement is made up of people who have fought for these things, things that don’t come easily, things that can easily be taken away from us. Fight for these things. Fight for what you believe in, and to make our country stronger.
Happy Labor Day, everyone!
5 Comments
Starshine
Cool post! Thanks for the information!
I never thought I’d be a member of a union, but I have been a member of the stage actors’ union for about three years, and I’m about to join the screen actors’ union. So, there ya go!
Enjoy your day off,
Starshine
Cherry
Just this weekend I was talking to my lovey about what is now expected by workers in today’s corporate jobs, sparked by one or yours and Py’s posts. Since he is a self-employeed worker, he’s either working 16 hour days or taking chunks of days off in a row because he worked too hard on the days he works.
Sometimes I miss my union jobs, but I admit the pay is much better at my corporate job, even if the work tends to follow me home more then the union jobs did.
Michelle
My son was just asking what Labor Day was for. I jokingly told him it was for people who’d had babies. That’s what I think of when I think of Labor Day. 🙂
But I liked your point, thanks for the reminder.
Riley
I’ve never been in a union, and I do have nits to pick with them, but that’s a great list of accomplishments.
Gina
My husband and sister are both union reps, and without unions, corporations would hardly provide anything. Maybe higher pay, but a lot do not contribute any more to pension plans and have employees pay a lot of health care costs out of pocket.
We have excllent health and retirement benefits, and I know that some people who are getting stiffed by their employers are just jealous, and wish that unions would go away. Then, there would be nothing but middle management determining pay and benefits! That scares the crap out of me!