Celebrating Labor Day
Happy Labor Day.
This is the day set aside to celebrate the efforts of American labor. It is also the day in which organized labor shines out to the public. Many Union contracts, that are written, include a clause of not doing any work on Labor Day unless approved by the business manager. Not every member understands the purpose behind that. This is our holiday. This is the day we need to remember the sacrifices of brothers and sisters before us went through so we can have, not just a day off, but a greater standard of living than was offered to us when organized labor in America began.
Beginning.
The industrial revolution expanded the employment rate as many Americans left farms for opportunity to work in the factories and occupy the cities.
As for the electrical workers union, one out of every two electricians died on the job. For many occupations, safety conditions were deplorable. Children were hired, and in some cases slaves were employed, to minimize labor costs.
These minimal labor costs provided great wealth for a few and grinding poverty for many. Labor unions have overcome many obstacles in raising the standard of living for our workforce today.
Organizing.
To encourage people to get involved, Leaders with vision recruited workers to join the union labor movement. As more workers joined, or organized, the organizations grew larger.
A middle class.
Before the creation of labor unions and guilds, the middle class was almost non-existent. Today workers enjoy the benefits of being self-sufficient without sinking into poverty. This traditionally has included a house or apartment to call home, a vehicle, money in the bank after bills are paid, and possibly vacation time. All this being accomplished on a single breadwinner so that the spouse can stay at home to provide for the family.
Resistance.
In the early days, employers used violence to combat union organizing. Today they use legislation. With paid lobbyists they convince lawmakers to pass bills that cut the effectiveness of union activity.
Everything from outlawing Sit Down Strikes to the passage of Right to Work legislation, employers have been chipping away at our rights to organize and form unions, and weakening our stance to employers who want to exploit our labor.
Union starts with You.
We have furthered the purpose for which organized labor stands for. More workers are learning the advantages of union membership than ever before. As our manufacturing base is shrinking, union versatility of outreach has found new friends interested in joining our ranks.
From the successes of Amazon to the mass participation among the workers at Starbucks, Union membership is growing. The majority of the general public support our efforts to unionize work places wherever someone has employment.
We need you to participate and get involved. Encourage fellow workers to get involved with union meetings. Advocate for union rights in places where you shop as well as places of worship. When donating your time and resources, remind them that organized labor has provided your ability to do so. The more we can control the supply of labor, better chances we have of elevating the standard of living for everyone. Never forget what Labor Day stands for.
Fraternally,
Cam