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)
