Monday, September 3, 2012

What is the Meaning of Labor Day These Days?

Labor Day has become a day full of sales, with everyone looking for the best deal on pretty much everything.  But today, I stopped to think about the meaning behind the day, and thought about how the union my dad belonged to negotiated a contract with my dad's employer that put braces on my teeth and gave our family good enough health insurance such that when his heart began to give out, he received good medical care which eventually meant he received a new heart.  Without his union membership, I'm not sure these things would have been available to me and my family. 

Labor Day celebrates the accomplishments of the American worker to organize himself with others to ensure a safe workplace and to earn a fair wage.  This is so much more meaningful than Labor Day being all about getting a good deal at a sale.  Food for thought.

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