Labor Day

John F Kennedy Library. 7/30/2022 dwm

 Labor Day was first celebrated unofficially September 5, 1882 in New York City. President Grover Cleveland made the recognition permanent when he signed it into law in 1894 following the Pullman Strike.

 The strike was widespread railroad strike and boycott that disrupted train travel and pitted labor unions against big business and the federal government. 

 If you read United States history, there has been a long-simmering tension between workers and the men (it was almost always men) who owned the companies. IN 1768, tailors protested a wage reduction.

As individuals working on an assembly line, it was virtually impossible for anyone on the line to get a raise or request better working conditions. It took workers coming together collectively to earn the attention of the owners. Over time, organized labor was recognized for the United States middle-class because even those working in a plant or in a mine could make enough to take care of their families.

That's a major part of today's celebration. It's also a time to be thankful for the jobs we have. While it might be nice to be independently wealthy, I suspect that if many of us came into that scenario, we'd still want something to do, that contributes to society, or makes life better for others. You might actually come up with an idea that helps people and employs people at the same time.

The place where I live is home to Epic. It employs upwards of 9,000 people from the area working mostly on healthcare software that serves patients, clinics, and hospitals. The person who started the company did well, many are employed in good-paying jobs, and the product has modernized the business of healthcare.

If you have a Labor Day parade, I hope you attend. If you don't, maybe offer a prayer of thanks for the job you get to do everyday. 

Happy Labor Day!