Celebrating Work

Reflecting the flag, Indpls. 6/25/10 dwm

 Today is considered the end of summer as people return their focus to work and school. According to the calendar we have almost three weeks left before the actual arrival of autumn.

 The Labor Day holiday does two things: honor and recognize the Labor movement and the work and contributions of laborers.

 The first efforts among workers to collaborate was in the mid 1800s as railroad workers came together to bargain for better hours and benefits.

 The movement led to the creation of the American middle-class. In those early years there were literal fights between unions and the companies that didn't want to concede control over the workplace. 

 Just as powerful barons of industry went too far in controlling work conditions; as unions gained power there are times some of the rights won in bargaining seem extreme in the other direction. 

 Optimally, collective bargaining scrubs the extremes of proposals on each side and an agreement that is fair to both.

 I couldn't find anything online indicating my hometown of Janesville still has an annual Labor Day parade. I remember the parade thru downtown every holiday with each high school's marching band taking part along with city fire trucks and convertibles or floats carrying dignitaries and union leaders. 

Unionized or not, laborers remain essential to the economy. While robots may replace humans in some mundane jobs there are some tasks that will always be done better by attentive humans. Caregivers, housekeepers, maintenance workers, people on assembly lines, and others are not only producers, they are customers who rely on other workers as well.

Work is a good thing. I believe most of us want to contribute to society while providing a sense of satisfaction and income to take care of our families. I'm blessed to have enjoyed the jobs I've been in most of my life, and my appreciation for work was enhanced the two times I was unemployed. Hopefully you've not had that experience, but it certainly increases your appreciation of gainful employment.