The Long weekend for the Labor Day Holiday is fast approaching. We wish everyone with fun filled and relaxing moments with friends and family.
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| (c)2011 JNTConsulting |
Revisiting How Labor Day Came About:
"In the late 1800s, at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the United States, the average American worked 12-hour days and seven-day weeks in order to eke out a basic living. Despite restrictions in some states, children as young as 5 or 6 toiled in mills, factories and mines across the country, earning a fraction of their adult counterparts’ wages. People of all ages, particularly the very poor and recent immigrants, often faced extremely unsafe working conditions, with insufficient access to fresh air, sanitary facilities and breaks."
"In the late 18th century, American labor unions grew more prominent and vocal. They began organizing strikes and rallies to protest poor conditions and compel employers to renegotiate hours and pay. Many of these events turned violent during this period, including the infamous Haymarket Riot of 1886, in which several Chicago policemen and workers were killed. On September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers took unpaid time off to march from City Hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first Labor Day parade in U.S. history. The idea of a “workingmen’s holiday,” celebrated on the first Monday in September, caught on in other industrial centers across the country, and many states passed legislation recognizing it.
In Tuesday, September 5, 1882, the Central Labor Union of New York initiated the first observance of the Labor Day. In 1894, it became a Federal Holiday. All U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the territories have made it a statutory holiday. (source: Wikipedia.org).
In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country. (Source: US DOL.gov) [Note: It appears that the date reflected at the DOL website does not coincide with dates given at Wikipedia and History websites.]
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| (c)2011 JNTConsulting |
Pattern of Traditional Practices:
Since the beginning of the Labor Day celebrations, many practices became a tradition in celebrating the holiday across the United States.
- Labor Day Parade
- Speeches by prominent men and women with emphasis on economic and civil significance of the holiday
- Picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events.
- In high society, considered the last day of the year when it is fashionable for women to wear white
- Many U.S. sports begin their activities like the NFL, college football seasons and others
- Most school districts will resume school near this day while some have already started for about 3 weeks
- Modern families travel for their Summer vacations across the globe
- Current US Presidents issue traditional and or relevant economic speeches for the whole workforce
During the 21st Century, we celebrate Labor Day as a Federal Public Holiday. A form of celebratory event to break our daily routine in going to work wherever it may be.
However, the 2011 Labor Day in particular many Americans celebrate in a different ways, many were displaced from work because of the impact of recession. Many are struggling to find work. Many Corporate Americas continue to retrench their workforce as an effect of their slow economic growth. Many corporations however gained significant profits during these period yet they are laying-off workforce to save expenses so that they can make their investors happier with more profits.
The US economy has been facing a difficult period. Unemployment today is at 9+ percent and millions of Americans like to earn a decent living and but cannot get a job. Millions are living so poor (source:The Bay Citizen) and many cannot make both ends of their wages meet. America is at the verge of a third world economy (source: Jon Stewart). What can President Obama do?
If you look back on the historical time lines of how this Labor Day became a Public Holiday. There is a parallelism of facts in economic conditions, workers struggles and corporate communism-slavery practices in the 1800s compared to the current 21st Century. Indeed, history is a record that dramatizes evidence of facts.
The US President Barack Obama will present his Post Labor Day Speech at a Joint US Congress, on the 8th of September 2011. The Americans has been waiting for so long for a jolting change that will transcribe economic advancement among middle class Americans and not the 'rich' like the fellows of the Republicans in the Congress. Mr. President must demonstrate tangible and actionable plans that will flow down to the lowest government sectors in the cities and communities.
Politicking is not the game that Mr. Obama must play. He needs to demonstrate to all Americans that he has the strengths and leadership abilities in making a difference to the lives of the middle class. His advocacies during his Presidential campaigns have been over powered with the noisy politicking and fighting with the Republicans. It is time to demonstrate 'presidential abilities and competencies' and work for the benefit of the American people as a Nation.
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