Labor Day is perhaps the most .significant observance for the labor movement. This is when union members celebrate the many achievements of working people. We also look to the labor movement’s future and show our collective power by proudly participating in parades and other events.
The origins of Labor Day center on showing worker solidarity. On September 5, 1882, more than 10,000 workers in New York City took unpaid time off from work to march from City Hall to Union Square. This march is considered the first-ever Labor Day parade in U.S. history. Labor Day didn’t become a federal holiday until 1894, when President Grover Cleveland signed legislation declaring it a national holiday. This was a big victory for working people thanks to all those workers who came together to march for what they believed in.
Throughout history, union members have been critical to efforts to regulate work hours; end child labor; secure fair pay, health insurance, leave time and retirement benefits; set standards for safer, healthier workplaces; end discrimination in the workplace; elect candidates who support working people and much more. Brave union members who came before us paved the way for positive changes. Some of them risked everything to achieve these goals. Working people – both union members and nonunion workers – live better lives as a result.
As we recognize and appreciate the efforts of all those before us, we also look ahead. We still must fight for respect and dignity. We follow in the footsteps of those who brought us this far by coming together, showing our strength and power and bettering our working conditions.
I am optimistic about labor’s future. About two-thirds of Americans view unions favorably. 88 percent of workers under age 30 support unions.
We must continue to fight for what is right. We must remind everyone of our strength and power not just on Labor Day, but every day. When we stand strong together, there is nothing we cannot do.
