EDITORIAL: Labor Day celebrates workers

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/opinion/local_story_244210725.html?keyword=topstory

Published August 31, 2008 09:07 pm - We believe: It’s a day to honor those who work.


EDITORIAL: Labor Day celebrates workers

Labor Day is typically the last party weekend of the summer. Unlike years ago, school began two weeks before Labor Day cutting into travel schedules. Of course, gas prices will also keep people home.

There is a group of people in Greenbriar who will spend today cleaning up some eyesore property. The annual Labor Day picnic will be held today in Alexandria’s Beulah Park. Others, of course, will work, as we illustrate on Page 1. Nurses are always on duty. Retail outlets and restaurants will be open.

Whatever we do, Labor Day is set aside to honor American workers, those who toil, sweat, type, count, administer, pour cement, nail boards, fix tires, hammer shingles, pave streets, build bridges, use cash registers, serve buffalo wings, drive a bus, farm, and on and on.

It takes a wide variety of people doing diverse jobs to maintain the United States’ trillion dollar economy.

Labor Day grew out of labor unions in the late 19th century. The Knights of Labor held a parade on the first Monday in September in 1884 in honor of the working class. In 1894, Congress made the holiday official. Here’s an interesting tidbit about Labor Day from wilstar.com: “The Socialist Party held a similar celebration of the working class on May 1. This date eventually became known as May Day, and was celebrated by socialists and communists in commemoration of the working man. In the U.S., the first Monday in September was selected to reject any identification with communism.”

The economy is not in the best shape this Labor Day. Inflation is eating away at stagnating wages, jobs are still being outsourced, people are still losing their homes or seeing their home value decline.

But American workers are resilient. They get up every day and go to work to provide for families and chase their dreams. If they don’t have a job, they get up and look for one.

If you have today off and see someone at work, thank them for what they do and tell them what you do. Labor unites us.