Do you have weekends off? What about lunch breaks? Paid time off? A day of eight-hour work? Social insurance? If you answered "yes" to any of these queries, you can thank the U.S. labour movement and labour unions.
Labour Day marks the end of summer’s festivities. Yes, the majority of us have the day off, but this holiday evokes conflicting feelings. There are still 21 calendar days left of summer, but it is time to get serious. There is a sensation that summer vacation is over as school begins. So what is the origin of Labour Day, and how did it become a federal holiday?
Do you have weekends off? What about lunch breaks? Paid time off? A day of eight-hour work? Social insurance? If you answered “yes” to any of these queries, you can thank the U.S. labour movement and labour unions. Years of hard-fought battles (and the legislation they inspired) have resulted in many of the most fundamental employment benefits we enjoy today. On the first Monday of September, we observe Labour Day and reflect on the contributions of American workers to our nation.
There is disagreement regarding the origin of the holiday. One version is set in September 1882 with the Knights of Labour, the largest and one of the most significant labour organisations in the United States at the time. On September 5, the Knights in New York City held a public parade featuring various labour organisations, with the assistance of the embryonic New York Central Labour Union (CLU). To commemorate this successful public demonstration, CLU Secretary Matthew Maguire proposed a national Labour Day holiday on the first Monday of September.
Peter J. McGuire, the vice president of the American Federation of Labour, proposed a different iteration of Labour Day in September. McGuire reportedly proposed to the CLU in the spring of 1882 a “general holiday for the labouring classes” that would begin with a street parade of organised labour solidarity and conclude with a picnic fundraiser for local unions. McGuire proposed the first Monday of September as the ideal date for Labour Day because the weather is ideal during that time of year and it occurs between the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving. Oregon was the first U.S. jurisdiction to recognise it as a legal holiday. By the time the federal government declared it a federal holiday in 1894, 29 additional states had joined.
What’s Open, Closed In Massachusetts: Labor Day 2023
Labour Day has a storied past that has a direct bearing on the working conditions that exist today. So, between rounds of barbecue at your Labour Day celebration, discuss the U.S. labour movement and its contribution to the current work culture in our country.
Take the time to peruse the labels when you’re doing your Labour Day shopping. Consider purchasing “Made in the USA” products to demonstrate your support for American labourers.
Many of us are off on Labour Day. What could be more relaxing than lounging on the sofa and watching a film about the American labour movement? There are numerous union-themed films available. Does the name “Norma Rae” ring a bell? Unions play a significant influence in the entertainment industry.
International Workers’ Day is observed in the majority of countries on May 1 and is known as Labour Day.
While most schools and offices are closed on Labour Day, retail workers and shopkeepers do not receive the same day off, as the holiday is a major shopping day.
Labour Day is the third-most popular holiday for barbecuing and cookouts, trailing only the Fourth of July and Memorial Day.
The first official game of the NFL season occurs on the Thursday following Labour Day 99.4% of the time.
According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, in 2017 there were 14.8 million union members, while in 1983 there were 17.7 million.
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | September 7 | Monday |
| 2021 | September 6 | Monday |
| 2022 | September 5 | Monday |
| 2023 | September 4 | Monday |
| 2024 | September 2 | Monday |
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