For most of my early life I considered Labor Day little more than a day off at the end of summer. That’s because I am not a union man. I have never belonged to a union, nor has anyone in my family. So what has the labor movement done for me? I have learned what organized labor has done to improve the lot of all American Workers, and I have come to understand that Labor Day is a celebration of Union labor, and one that is well deserved.
ThinkProgress has assembled just five of the many things that Americans can thank the nation’s unions for giving us all:
1. Unions Gave Us The Weekend: Even the ultra-conservative Mises Institute notes that the relatively labor-free 1870, the average workweek for most Americans was 61 hours — almost double what most Americans work now…
2. Unions Gave Us Fair Wages And Relative Income Equality: As ThinkProgress reported earlier in the week, the relative decline of unions over the past 35 years has mirrored a decline in the middle class’s share of national income…
3. Unions Helped End Child Labor: “Union organizing and child labor reform were often intertwined” in U.S. history, with organization’s like the “National Consumers’ League” and the National Child Labor Committee” working together in the early 20th century to ban child labor…
4. Unions Won Widespread Employer-Based Health Coverage: “The rise of unions in the 1930′s and 1940′s led to the first great expansion of health care” for all Americans, as labor unions banded workers together to negotiate for health coverage plans from employers…
5. Unions Spearheaded The Fight For The Family And Medical Leave Act: Labor unions like the AFL-CIO federation led the fight for this 1993 law, which “requires state agencies and private employers with more than 50 employees to provide up to 12 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave annually for workers to care for a newborn, newly adopted child, seriously ill family member or for the worker’s own illness.”
… [emphasis original]
Inserted from <Think Progress>
It’s well worth the time to click through for the rest of this article.
Furthermore, here is an excellent video on what labor has done for America.
Therefore, to begin my celebration of Labor Day in the best possible way, I wish to thank all of you who are or have been union workers. My life is better because of you. And to you and everyone else, have a Happy Labor Day!
7 Responses to “Happy Labor Day!”
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Like the Civil Rights Movement, the Union Movement fought hard. And there were casualties And music and singing were a way to keep motivatrd to go on when it was dark. Woody Guthrie was there. Pete Seeger was there when Woody was asked to come up with a song regarding the female experience with the union. Woody used a European folk song (arranged for piano by Robert Schumann; piano students still play it; The Merry Farmer) for the verse and "Red Wing" for the chorus, and wrote the words in one night. http://woodyguthrie.org/Lyrics/Union_Maid.htm It's one of my favorites. It was parodied by Garrison Keillor in "Songs of the Cat."
There once was a union cat
Who on the table sat
At contract talks, and for a box
He always used the boss's hat …
TC, are you sure that wasn't you in a prior life?
Happy Labor Day to all.
Keep repeating all the bnefits Unions gave to all workers to every anti-Union person you know. I do.
Happy Labor Day, all!
Labor unions helped to make this country strong and powerful as well as to increase the standard of living. No wonder why people from all overthe world wanted to come, work and live in USA. The five reasons put out by ThinkProgress above are excellent points. Freedoms are another point.
Enjoy your Labor Day – Hugzzz…
The Painter's Union raised our family's standard of living. I belong to SEIU. And remember, Unions are the ones setting the Prevailing Wages, even for those that don't have a union.
Here in BC, the provinces teachers have been on strike since the middle of June and a mediator just walked out of talks this weekend because the Province and the teachers are so far apart on several key issues. That means that the students will not be returning to school tomorrow as should be the case. As I understand it, salaries, class size and the lack of sufficient teachers' aids for special needs kids are the primary sticking points. Quite a while back, the Province unilaterly stripped class size language and one other point out of the previously signed contract. The teachers' union took the Province to court and the Court of Appeals came down on the teachers' side saying the Province's move was illegal. The teachers and the Province have an acrimonious history for many years. Requests for better per student funding have fallen on deaf ears. Currently, BC's funding is just under $1,000 per student per years which is well bellow the Canadian average. Yet the Province can offer parents $40 per day per child under 12 years old to go towards child care for the duration of the strike. As teachers have said, this money would be better used in the education funding formula.
BC used to be a big union province in the forestry industry — PPWC and IWA — and many others including CUPE, the largest union of public employees, and SEIU, representing over 50,000 healthcare workers in BC. There have been fewer strikes in the last few years and the current Liberal government (no relation to the federal Liberal Party) is known for using 'back to work' legislation to curtail some public sector strikes.
As a young person just starting out in my career, I was adamantly against unions in the banking industry. Living in a small union town (25,000 people) that was big in the forestry industry, I knew that I would have to "wait my turn" to advance up the line, but there were older women ahead of me who had families that were tied to the town. I wanted to be able to learn more and progress, so to that a union would hold me back. But for the town, the union brought good paying jobs and a good standard of living. I benefited from that as both my mother (CUPE) and stepfather (IWA) were union employees. As a banker, my wage really sucked but at least I was able to advance more easily.
I used to say that unions had there place at one time when there were child labourers, long hours, dangerous jobs and no benefits. But now? When I look at the US, I realise that we desperately need strong unions back because big employers are in collusion with right wing nut job politicians to strip workers rights away (including the right to join a union) by invoking the ubiquitous 'Right to Work' legislation, a total misnomer.
I have always maintained that unions had their place, and now, more than ever, they are needed again. Thanks to all the union workers that contributed to my success even though I was not a union member.
Although I have never worked in a union, I have enjoyed the benefits of unions. I have spoken before about both my grandfathers fighting to get the United Mine Workers of America. That union made it possible for my dad to have a living wage and medical care for his family. It made it possible for him to help us get higher education. It made it possible for him to retire with dignity. There are very few union mines in this area now, and the miners are putting up with loads of crap from the companies because they have no choice. I know many are against coal because of the pollution it brings, but it is the main source of livlihood in this area and the people who have to mine coal to live deserve better treatment than they are getting. So Happy Labor Day to all, and remember those who came before you who worked hard to get the benefits you now enjoy.
Thanks all.