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A short story of Labor Day

by on Sep. 07, 2009, under Arts

To most of us Labor Day means a three day weekend.  And, if you are of a certain age and come from the east coast, it also dictates that you can’t wear white shoes again until the spring.

But did you know that the proposal for the first official US Labor day provided for a parade to celebrate “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations,” and “a festival for the workers and their families”, according to Wikipedia.  And it was instituted by President Grover Cleveland who rushed the legislation through Congress as a reconciliation after the bloody Pullman Strike.

It’s a pretty interesting part of our history and mostly it gets lost in barbeques and fireworks.  Let’s keep the important lessons from the past alive by sharing stories.

Gotta go, I’ve got to get back to the party . . .

This entry was posted on Monday, September 7th, 2009 at 12:54 pm and is filed under Arts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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  • sechem

    yes, the pullman strike. the use of federal trrops against union workers on strike …….. a democrat president ordering the troops in and a liberal supreme court upholding his use of federal troops.

    i guess their days in the south as the slavery party were still influencing their actions with labor.

  • Albert Lannon

    Labor Day began in New York City in 1882 when the Central Labor Union called for a worker’s holiday and parade, and tens of thousands walked off their jobs to make it happen.  It spread to other major industrial cities, and became law after a few years.  In 1886, on May 1, tens of thousands more walked out for the 8 hour day, and the May Day tradition began.  Workers have won their gains, and created the American middle class, with their own actions, and not by gift of government.  Luckily for all of us, unions did not seek gains only for their own members.  Minimum wage, unemployment insurance, Social Security, pensions (such that are left), health care, job safety, family leave, and the weekend itself, were won through often-bloody struggles.  Unions were the best way to redistribute wealth, and the combination of exporting jobs abroad while breaking unions at home has left most people worse off, whether union or not.  It’s a shame that the unceasing attacks on unions of the last 30 years are not being met squarely by those who claim to be labor’s friends.  Bill Clinton bailed, and Barack Obama has put labor’s agenda way on the back burner.  As a long-time unionist, I have my criticisms of many aspects of modern unionism, but they remain the only instrument of defense working people have against unbridled greed and a neo-Robber Baron capitalism that accepts no responsibility for employees, environment, or communities.  Solidarity Forever!

  • Penelope

    Thanks Albert, I knew I could count on you!

  • http://100tortov.ru Egoriy

    <a href=”http://100tortov.ru”> Egoriy </a>
    Your news are always in time.

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