Hey, why Labor Day?
Saturday, September 5th, 2020
The Department of Labor website says:
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.
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.
The Wikipedia entry tells you more about the origins and also discusses the whole Labor Day vs May Day thing, which intersects even more workers’ celebrations and the push for an 8 hour day.
Me, I’d like to see a push for a living minimum wage tied to Labor Day as opposed to this weekend’s celebration, which in many places seems to be “let’s just pretend that ol’ pandemic isn’t there any more.”
Spoiler alert: it is.
