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. This is a another minor variation on last year’s article.
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! Sadly, because of ongoing, predatory Republican impingement on workers’ rights, this article is even less true than it was last year. It’s up to YOU to change that trend.
Support Labor!
RESIST!!
VOTE BLUE!!
Cartoon: Great!!
Great post, re: YAY! for Labor day! (and for those working…a day off from work).
I’ve belonged to several state AFT’s groups. Some are better than others, but I’ve not had to use or call any union rep for a concern(s) of mine, while I was employed. I receive a pension, and for that I’m grateful.
We had planned, about a couple months ago, a family Bar-B-Q to celebrate this day, but we are in a Burn Ban area, so that’s out. We’ll cook inside, and let the kids play under the sprinkler today!! Hope that you have a relaxing day, take good care, and Thanks, Tom.
This just in: “Thoughts and Prayers has released a public statement..”We need Gun Control ! ” ~Ramesh Y. ~
2. “Florida DID issue warnings that people should try not to shoot the hurricane, as bullets could come back at you.” ~Ann R. ~
3. “It’s not enough to defeat Trump, you have to defeat Trumpism.” ~ Pete Buttigieg ~
New York has a “Union Square.” So does San Francisco. Colorado Springs has a “Union Boulevard” and a “Union Printers’ Home. I don’t doubt that other places, maybe everywhere, have their features named after the “union situation.” They are there to remind us how much we all owe to the existence of unions. Many unions have been lost, and most of those which still exist are fight for their lives. We should be supporting them in every way that we can. The current regime certainly won’t.
Happy Labor Day to all my American friends!
I’m old enough (and had hearing back then) to remember that catchy ditty “Look for the Union Label”:
I guarantee you will never find a union label at WalMart.
Labor is the lifeblood of this country. They, not the fat cats behind their huge mahogany desks, create wealth. They make the goods and provide the services, and when the working class make living wages they not only pay taxes but also spend on good and services, thus stimulating the economy. The Cate Brothers can take their “Union Man” propaganda song and shove it.
Unions, in effect, give us the middle class!
Happy Labor Day!
Quite literally – starting with the Medieval Guilds.
Great post, TC.
Like the poster that you designed.
All workers deserve this special day. Agree with Freya, that it doesn’t include the CEO and other management that do nothing but sit on their as*es.
Happy Labor Day.
Thanks
Unions in both our countries have given us very important things like paid overtime, weekends, medical and other benefits although the details of each differs in Canada and the US. And those things filtered into government policy that affect everyone. But there are also non union employees and middle managers that contribute to the health of the workplace. I know because I was one of those managers that worked my ass off but did not get any overtime, and my subordinates were non union who worked really hard for their customers.
I was out and about for a while today and made a point of wishing the grocery clerk and others a happy Labour Day because they are working and making my life a little easier today.
Tomorrow the kids head back to school here and the BC teachers are still pitted against the provincial government over their contract. Amazingly enough, the government is a social democrat ruling party and they are trying to increase class sizes and remove teaching support for challenged students, things that teachers do not support for the best outcomes for children. I sure hope that teachers are able to knock some sense into the government.
Happy Labour Day all!
Thanks, Hugs, and Amen to all!