Monday, September 2, 2024

Labor Day 2024

 



Today is Labor Day in America, a holiday established in 1894 by President Grover Cleveland following the end of the bloody Pullman strike. Over the years, the holiday has morphed from a celebration of labor (i.e., organized labor) into a "last weekend the pool is open!" kind of celebration. In these days of Republican/ 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; and
-- civil rights (the UAW under Walter Reuther shone).

Have a safe and happy Labor Day!

(Cartoon:  Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press)