The History of Labor Day and How to Get Involved
- As the United States observes Labor Day, the holiday honors the American labor movement and worker contributions. President Grover Cleveland declared the national holiday in 1894 to celebrate "all wage workers," not merely union members.
- New York City unions organized a parade in 1882, inspiring subsequent celebrations. The holiday also marks the traditional end of the summer season, dating back to Victorian times when wearing white after the first Monday of September was considered a fashion faux pas.
- Warning 89 years ago, President Franklin Roosevelt championed private-sector unions but cautioned that collective bargaining "cannot be transplanted into the public service." He argued that for government employees, "the employer is the whole people."
- While private-sector unions often support investment, government unions frequently push politicians to raise taxes. This divide is evident in states like California, Minnesota, and New York, where advocates propose tax hikes on wealth above $10 million.
- Critics argue that public-sector unionization ignores the public interest, suggesting policymakers should end collective bargaining for federal employees. Reformers contend that Labor Day should belong to workers again, rather than serving the political agendas of government unions.
23 Articles
23 Articles
Labor Day, a brief history - Regional Media News
I'm Todd Gleason for University of Illinois Extension with a history of labor day in the United States. It's adapted from a story found on the United States Embassy to Sweden's website. Eleven-year-old Peter McGuire sold papers on the street in New York City. He [...]
The adoption of Labor Day took hard work
Come the first Monday of September, many children and their parents start to face the reality that school, if it hasn’t yet started, is about to begin again. That’s because Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer. But there is much more to this holiday than barbecues and the notion that fall is right around the corner. Labor Day was forged by the labor movement of the late nineteenth century. Many workers during this time felt they were und…
Labor Day rules and rituals: Nobody actually knows why we do any of this
There is a certain kind of person, at a certain kind of barbecue, who announces, with the flat authority of Scripture, that white is not to be worn after Labor Day. No one has ever produced this law. It's enforced like a grudge: the offense long forgotten, the point being the enforcement.That, it turns out, is the whole personality of the holiday: a house built on a foundation nobody can locate, in honor of a man history can no longer confidentl…
Labor Day in America: From Industrial Conflict to a National Tribute to American Workers
Labor Day in America: From Industrial Conflict to a National Tribute to American Workers By: TJV Staff Labor Day is observed on the first Monday in September as a national celebration of the social and economic contributions of American workers. Its origins lie in the upheavals of the late 19th century, when industrialization was transforming the United States while millions of workers confronted long hours, hazardous workplaces, meager wages, c…
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