Monday is Labor Day in America, a holiday established in 1894 by President Cleveland following the end of the bloody Pullman strike. It's worth noting that, over the years, this holiday has morphed from a celebration of labor (i.e., organized labor) into a "last weekend the pool is open"/ "summer's over!" kind of celebration. In these days of Rethuglican/ oligarch-funded assaults on organized labor, let's remember a few of the things we owe organized labor:
-- the 8-hour workday/ 40-hour workweek (a.k.a., your weekend);
-- minimum wage;
-- workplace health and safety standards;
-- child labor prohibition;
-- civil rights (the UAW under Walter Reuther shone); and
-- what's left of the American middle class.
So we think it fitting to offer Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" as our weekend starter. Have a safe and enjoyable weekend!
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