In 1897, President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day a federal holiday. By then 30 states already celebrated this day for laborers. Over the next 100 years many benefits were fought for like pensions, the right to organize and strike, income equality, access to health care from employers, fair hours as in the 40 hour versus 60 hour work week.
It is a celebration of the American labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers.
Original celebrations included a parade followed by a festival for the workers and their families.
Today we celebrate a three day weekend, end of summer BBQ, retail sales second only to Black Friday, and the beginning of the NFL and college football seasons.
Seems to me like we’ve taken a backslide on the hard won benefits for American workers and settled with a three day weekend.
We do still have a parade here for Labor Day and a picnic at Pioneer Park. I’ve got to agree that many people have forgotten what holidays like Labor Day and Memorial Day are all about. Too bad, as they are an important part of our country’s history and who we are.
Glad to hear you celebrate in the old fashioned way.
I never knew what Labour day means, Gaelyn. Glad you cleared that up for me! Have a great day. Jo
I wish the stores still closed on Labor Day so that all the people who work there could have a day off too. But, we are in a “gotta have more stuff” society now and that seems to be all that matters.
Really a shame. Couldn’t shoppers just wait one day.
Guilty! For some reason celebrating labor is somehow seems disloyal. As far as I am concerned anybody that likes forty hour workweeks should be thankful to the people that got them those benefits.
I’m thinking it would be more in the national mood to have “Private Equity Day” of course people who work wouldn’t be able to take it off.
It seems that we will sacrifice anything for another day to shop.
I worked today but then I’m a peon in the government. Just seems we’ve lost a lot of what was once gained.
Amen! You said a mouth full. MB