In 1894 the first Monday in September was declared a national holiday. 120 years later, the meaning of Labor Day, and the future of the American Laborer, have changed dramatically.
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Like a lot of our holidays, Labor Day was founded on a history of blood, sweat, and tears. And freedom, don’t forget freedom.
In the newly industrialized era of the mid 1800’s, laborers weren’t free. They had no right to demand a fair wage, or even safe working conditions. They weren’t free to protest, peaceably or otherwise, and the early unions were declared “criminal conspiracies” and forceably disbanded.
By the late 1800’s laborers, both men and women, were prepared to fight for those freedoms. Which they did, and many died as a result. A strike in the coal mines of Pennsylvania cost several lives, including the 20 Irish Miners convicted and executed for organizing the strike. Strikes in Chicago resulted in the police killing 12 of the strikers, and in Pittsburgh militiamen shot and killed 20 protesters.
For most Americans, Labor Day isn’t about a day of rest. Nor is it about celebrating the labor of those who built, and are building, the nation.
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Gradually, the laborer gained more freedom, and even respect, and the first Labor Day Parade was held in New York City, “to celebrate the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations.”
Where, you might ask, has that “strength and esprit de corps” gone?
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For most Americans, Labor Day isn’t about a day of rest. Nor is it about celebrating the labor of those who built, and are building, the nation. It’s about backyard BBQ and the last chance to paint the house. It’s about the end of summer and the beginning of the football season. It’s the last real holiday before the run-on madness of Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year comes around.
“From assembly lines to classrooms, across highways and steel mills, American workers strengthen the foundation of our country and demonstrate that our economy grows best from the middle out,” ~ President Obama
But many of those “American workers” aren’t working, at least not according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. I followed up on an NPR interview with “The Disappearing Working Man,” and explored some of the possible reasons for the dwindling participation of men in the labor force. Chris Hicke, in his piece “The Machines Are Coming – Does That Mean the Jobs Are Going?” takes a look at the “history and future of automation and its effect on the workforce.”
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But those examinations don’t reveal the full picture of what’s happening in American industry, or in American business.
We can even take a look at whether or not all that labor is necessary any more.
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For that we’d have to look at the good, (entrepreneurship, which author Daniel Burrus says is on the rise due to technology, corporate down-sizing, and generational shifts) the bad, (overseas outsourcing makes it difficult for American workers to compete, although some advocates say it is beneficial in the long run) and the ugly (many companies now mass-producing what used to be manufactured in the United States are often accused of using “sweatshops,” child labor, and allowing workers to be exposed to unsafe working conditions.)
We can even take a look at whether or not all that labor is necessary any more. In his article, Do We Really Need to Work? Dale Thomas Vaughn cites trends that suggest “We ought to be able to earn the 1950′s golden era of standard of living in only 11 working hours per week.”
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Has the tradition of burgers, beer, and brats replaced the tradition of celebrating our accomplishments and freedoms?
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But on this holiday, the question on my mind is less about the future of the American worker, and more about the mind of the American worker. Because success begins in our minds. What we focus on is what we develop. What we celebrate is what we expand. What we value is what we receive.
Has the tradition of burgers, beer, and brats replaced the tradition of celebrating our accomplishments and freedoms?
Have we relinquished our appreciation for excellence, in favor of backing a winning football team?
If that what we truly value most, and what we want to create more of?
Today, while you watch the game, grill the burgers, paint the house, or enjoy some lake time, perhaps you could spare a moment of gratitude for labor, and for the fruits we enjoy because of it.
Reference: MASSACHUSETTS/AFL-CIO Labor History Study Information
Photo: Flickr/Official U.S. Navy Page
Photo: Flickr/Nate Grigg