The History of Labor Day

[Joe Nuno]

Labor Day - History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts
To everybody out there; happy labor day, enjoy your BBQ!!!
Sit and enjoy a nice cold beer on me.

 

[texan]

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to
the social and economic achievements of American workers.

It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the
strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to
who first proposed the holiday for workers.

Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and
Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day
to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur
we behold." But Peter McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged.

Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday.
Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary
of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the
holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.

What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed
a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City,
in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union.

The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September
5, 1883. In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally
proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow
the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date.

The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was
celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first to become
law was passed by Oregon on February 21, 1887. During the year four more
states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York — created the Labor
Day holiday by legislative enactment.

By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had followed suit.

By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28 of
that year, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a
legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.
http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm​

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Texan, any chance you could, uh, post your own thoughts for a change? We all know how to Google.

 

[moreluck]

Texan does a service each day and let's us know something that happened in history.
Your criticism is a stab at a valuable member.............and guess what? He won't be bulled!!
Now that you put a basket over Texan's light, your's shines right!

 

[The Other Side]

Labor day, as it originally was intended was a DAY OF STRIKE against american corporations, and not a celebration. At the time, workers were protesting low wages, 60 to 70 hour workweeks, no benefits, no pensions, no job security and CHILDREN IN THE WORKPLACE.

Many people were killed in these strikes. Many were arrested and many were fired for participating.

American corporations did not want to comply with the demands of the workers and state by state, the unions forced companies to recognize them and the workers. What followed was the fair labor standards act of 1939 which established the federal minimum wage, the 40 hour workweek, overtime, pensions, benefits, vacations and job security.

These are the fruits of the labor movement which started in 1882 with the first DAY OF STRIKE against the american corporations on the first day of september 1882.

Thank you to our labor unions for the creation of the middle class.

peace

TOS

 

[Sportello]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/903275104167133185

 

[newfie]

good thread

 

[rod]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/903275104167133185

 

[Sportello]

How so?

 

[rod]

How so?

hell I don't know---I was just imitating you and your "everything is racist attitude.

 

[Sportello]

hell I don't know---I was just imitating you and your "everything is racist attitude.

It was a DPRK joke that had nothing to do with race. Lighten up.

 

[Sportello]

BTW, you are a racist, and probably a Nazi.

 

[rod]

BTW, you are a racist, and probably a Nazi.

I'm not a racist--I hate everybody equally. Joining the Nazi Party is still up for debate although at my age my goosestep isn't what it used to be.

 

[brownmonster]

Do we work on Labor Day?

 

[brownmonster]

I'm not a racist--I hate everybody equally. Joining the Nazi Party is still up for debate although at my age my goosestep isn't what it used to be.

Baron Von Rashke goose stepped into his 60s.

 

[rod]

Baron Von Rashke goose stepped into his 60s.

I'm almost 70. My goose step isn't what it used to be.

 

[rod]

Baron Von Rashke goose stepped into his 60s.

 

[40 and out]

Do we work on Labor Day?

Some do here. Running a sort. Did last year too.

 

[DriveInDriveOut]