Labor Day
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Today is labor day in the US, a holiday for most businesses, at least those not trying to make a few dollars by selling to the retail consumer :). Never quite got that one, since those are mostly the people, those blue collar, hourly people that I thought labor day should celebrate, not the bankers. Hey, that's an idea, maybe all white collar workers should be stuck in a fast food restaurant on Labor Day 🙂
I never really knew the history or purpose of the day, it just marking the end of summer for me in Virginia Beach as a kid, so I looked it up. The Department of Labor, appropriately enough, has a page dedicated to Labor Day. If you read through it, it's a holiday dedicated to no war, battle, particular individual, or event. Instead it is"dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country." - from the source linked above.
OK, I get that. A celebration of my country's great achievements mainly through the efforts of it's workers. Primarily the workingman (and women), blue collar, industrial laborer and workers. At least those are the origins.
Today it's another holiday, school's already in session, and it's one of the few days of relief from toiling in a cube that many of us get. But there's good news.
We're two thirds of the way through the year, over the hump, most of the way there, your taxes are paid and you're working for yourself. Another year of working off your mortgage, growing your career, and seeing your kids age at impossibly quick rates. Time to celebrate, at least in the US, and enjoy a quiet day.
And hopefully you're reading this on Tuesday, not Monday.
Steve Jones
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The department of labor forgot to mention that the original Labor Day celebration was considered by many businesses and government officials as being an illegal general strike. Samual Goumpers president of the AFL (American Federation of Labor) was demonstrating that Union members had the power to bring production to a stop.
In 1895 when states began to recognize the Labor Day as a valid holiday and moved the date to the first Monday in September they were attempting to appease both the Union members and business leaders. Having the holiday on Monday was much less disruptive to production than having the workers take a day off in the middle of the week. The rank and file union workers were thrilled to have at least one two-day weekend per year. In 1892 most workers worked a 60-hour workweek, 10 hours per day Monday thru Saturday with no overtime. It would be another 42 years (1938) before the 40-hour workweek became standard and businesses were forced to pay overtime for work over 40 hours per week.
Today almost all businesses are thrilled that the origins of Labor Day are not taught in schools. Over time union membership has declined and the one thing that businesses do not want is for people to be reminded that in the United States workers have the right to form unions and that unions have the power to shape the terms and conditions of work.
Enjoy
Mike
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I'd always thought that Labour Day in the US was moved to September to NOT coincide with the European May Day holiday....probably because those of us on this side of the pond were considered a negative example to follow. Who needs workers rights, let alone unions?....ehm, well, workers!
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> And hopefully you're reading this on Tuesday, not Monday.
Yes. No.
It's Tuesday AM here. Monday PM there.
We didn't get Labor Day off. We did get a day off for Kadayawan, though.
Steve Miller
in the Philippines
Steve Miller -
The month of May is a much better time to start a strike than the month of September (can’t fish for food, kids need warmer clothes, etc).
By instituting Labor Day in September the international May Day observance was co-opted and the cost to workers of a strike was increased.
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I did not log in for a few days, so commenting now:
It is really nice to have days off in May. Do not forget, that in Russia for exaple it is 2 days, May 1st and May 2nd plus weekends and then May 9th is a really big holiday celebrating the end of WWII . The timing is perfect for the yard work and for planting vegetables in Russian climate, so it was really good to have several days off the office or other workplace and work at the little piece of land where is your "summer house" cabin
Yelena
Regards,Yelena Varsha
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...and who said that russians were slaves of their system?
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