For most of my early life I considered Labor Day little more than a day off at the end of summer. That’s because I am not a union man. I have never belonged to a union, nor has anyone in my family. So what has the labor movement done for me? I have learned what organized labor has done to improve the lot of all American workers, and I have come to understand that Labor Day is a celebration of Union labor, and one that is well deserved. This is a another variation on last year’s article.
ThinkProgress has assembled just five of the many things that Americans can thank the nation’s unions for giving us all: 1. Unions Gave Us The Weekend: Even the ultra-conservative Mises Institute notes that the relatively labor-free 1870, the average workweek for most Americans was 61 hours — almost double what most Americans work now… 2. Unions Gave Us Fair Wages And Relative Income Equality: As ThinkProgress reported earlier in the week, the relative decline of unions over the past 35 years has mirrored a decline in the middle class’s share of national income… 3. Unions Helped End Child Labor: “Union organizing and child labor reform were often intertwined” in U.S. history, with organization’s like the “National Consumers’ League” and the National Child Labor Committee” working together in the early 20th century to ban child labor… 4. Unions Won Widespread Employer-Based Health Coverage: “The rise of unions in the 1930′s and 1940′s led to the first great expansion of health care” for all Americans, as labor unions banded workers together to negotiate for health coverage plans from employers… 5. Unions Spearheaded The Fight For The Family And Medical Leave Act: Labor unions like the AFL-CIO federation led the fight for this 1993 law, which “requires state agencies and private employers with more than 50 employees to provide up to 12 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave annually for workers to care for a newborn, newly adopted child, seriously ill family member or for the worker’s own illness.” … [emphasis original]
Inserted from <Think Progress> It’s well worth the time to click through for the rest of this article. Furthermore, here is an excellent video on what labor has done for America.
Therefore, to begin my celebration of Labor Day in the best possible way, I wish to thank all of you who are or have been union workers. My life is better because of you. And to you and everyone else, have as Happy a Labor Day as is possible during a Republican plague and under a Republican Reich! Sadly, because of ongoing, predatory Republican impingement on workers’ rights, this article is even less true than it was last year. It’s up to YOU to change that trend. Unless we remove Trump* and the Republican Reich from power, they will outlaw workers’ right to organize, and the US will become a permanent Republican Fifth Reich! Unless you want to be forced to say Heil Trump*…
Support Labor!
Dump Trump!!
RESIST!!!
VOTE BLUE!!!!
7 Responses to “May Next Labor Day Be Blue!”
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Yes, the union movement brought the country many good things. Th GOP, and its red States have seriously hurt the movement, and we must rebuild, after voting the bastards out!
Excellent words and post.
Happy Labor Union Day for all, and thank YOU!
Some Labor Day emails I’m getting are citing unions – Elizabeth Warren. Diana DeGette (D, CO-1.)* And I read at AlterNet that Democrats in congress today are MORE united in support of organized labor then Democrats in Congress were at the time of the New Deal. That’s a positive sign. But also a reason that we need more Democrats in Congress.
*Also, not surprisingly, Barbara Lee
The Unions were always there for the people in the good old days. I never belonged to one, but my mom/dad were members.
Too bad we have ones in office now who don’t give a hoot about people/unions or even jobs. They’re one’s who only care about their stinking 1%.
Agree that we need to get our house back, voting BLUE all the way. It’s an absolute must.
Happy Labor Day.
Thanks TomCat
Back when I had hearing, I thought “Look for the Union Label” was catchy tune that I still can remember, even now.
(Did we really dress like that back in the 70s?)
Yes, we really did. And actually, almost any of those outfits would not look that bad today with an updated hair style. Depending on the occasion, of course.
Thanks and Hurry Hugs to all!