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TimeLines of Liberty
American Holidays |
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Labor Day
TimeLine
Labor Day is observed on the
First Monday of September.
~ Sept. 06, 2010 ~ Sept. 04,
2011 ~ Sept. 02, 2012 ~
Sept. 01, 2013 ~
The TimeLine
- Labor Day
around the World
- Labor Day Trivia
- Labor Day Links |
America's early labor force provided
the revolutionary soldiers who fought for freedom from tyranny.
The Labor force that provided the field work to produce food and
the basis of assembly for industry were necessary for America's
success. Today's American worker is the foundation of our
economy, together with the investor maintains America's economic
strength. It is only appropriate that the United States of
America pay tribute to those who work adding to the nation's
liberty, position, and power; to honor the American worker on
Labor Day.
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Lured from farms for the security of a year-round income,
millions migrated to the cities in the 1800s to work in the
mines and factories of America's industries. They toiled 12 and
14 hours a day in poor and dangerous conditions. Labor unions
sprang up to negotiate for better conditions, safety, and wages;
to better the lifestyle of the American worker. |
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The
TimeLine of Labor Day |
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As with most holiday's the first observances are clouded with
uncertainty. The concepts for the holiday may have been
conceived independently by two individuals, who worked within
the same city with the possibility that the paths of both had
crossed in the development of Labor Day. |
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1870 |
~ |
x |
Matthew Maguire organized
his first labor union rally in 1870. |
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1872 |
April |
x |
The Toronto Trades Assembly in Canada organized the first
"workingman's demonstration" in North America. 10,000 Toronto
citizens attended to watch parades and hear speeches against
anti-union laws. |
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1872 |
Spring |
x |
Peter J. McGuire would join 10,000
New York workers marching to
demand better working conditions. That would inspire his
involvement in union organization. |
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1882 |
May |
x |
Matthew Maguire was very
active, organizing his first union rally in 1970. He was secretary of
Central Labor Union, New York and later secretary of Local 344,
International Association of Machinists in Paterson,
New Jersey.
On May 18th at a formal meeting of the Central Labor Union in
New York City Matthew Maguire had suggested a day to honor
workers, "Let
us have, a festive day during which a parade through the streets
of the city would permit public tribute to American Industry,
..." |
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1882 |
July |
x |
On July 22 in Canada, the Toronto Trades and Labor Council had
organized an annual demonstration and parade; inviting Peter J.
McGuire of New York to speak at the occasion. Viewing the parade
in Toronto and other festivities led Peter McGuire to suggest
such celebrations in the United States. |
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1882 |
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Peter J. McGuire was general secretary of the Brotherhood
of Carpenters and Joiners and had helped to co found the American
Federation of Labor. Some say he was the first to suggest a
"labor day," saying about American workers, "who from
rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold." |
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Though timing was close it
seems that Matthew Maguire beat Peter McGuire by about two
months to be the first to officially suggest celebrations to
honor American workers. Politics may have played a roll in
the obscurity of Matthew Maguire's involvement in the origin of
Labor Day. His activism in social reform made him appear
more radical and political than the union bosses preferred. Only
conjecture, but it is possible that Peter McGuire being
prominent in union circles was chosen by the union bosses to
receive credit distancing the origin of Labor day from the more
political activities of Matthew Maguire. Whether it be Matthew
or Peter, certainly both of them played a roll in the creation
of Labor Day. |
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1882 |
~ |
x |
The Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal appointing
a committee for the planning of a demonstration and picnic.
Mathew Maguire was made the chairman of the committee. |
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1882 |
Sept. |
x |
In New York City,
N.Y. a Labor Day
celebration was held on a Tuesday, September 5, 1882 by the
Central Labor Union. The Knights of Labor filled a reviewing
stand as a union parade passed by. |
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1883 |
Sept. |
x |
The second observance of Labor Day
is celebrated on September 5th, 1883 by the Central Labor Union
in New York City. |
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1884 |
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The first Monday in September was
selected by New York's Central Labor Union to celebrate a
"Workingmen's holiday" and began to urge other unions in other
cities, to do the same. |
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1884 |
Aug. |
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Detroit,
Illinois held its first
Labor Day celebration on August 16, 1884. 50,000 Kights of Labor
and the Trade and Labor Assembly made it a real observance. |
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1885 |
~ |
x |
As labor organizations grew so did the concept of a Labor Day.
Celebrations of Labor Day were held in many of America's
industrial centers. |
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1886 |
~ |
x |
The first governmental recognitions came with municipal
ordinances that were passed in 1885 and 1886. |
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1887 |
Feb. |
x |
The first State bill for a Labor Day was introduced in
New York.
Oregon on February 21st was the first state to pass a law making
Labor Day an official holiday. |
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1887 |
~ |
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Colorado,
Massachusetts,
New Jersey, and
New York also enacted
laws, in 1887, creating a Labor Day holiday. |
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1888 |
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x |
From 1888 to 1890,
Connecticut,
Nebraska, and
Pennsylvania had
also enacted laws establishing Labor Day. |
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1889 |
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Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor
has said of Labor Day, "the day for which the toilers in past
centuries looked forward, when their rights and their wrongs
would be discussed...that the workers of our day may not only
lay down their tools of labor for a holiday, but upon which they
may touch shoulders in marching phalanx and feel the stronger
for it." |
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1891 |
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x |
From 1991 to 1994, 23 more states enacted laws to observe a
Labor Day |
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1892 |
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x |
Workers in New York City took an unpaid day off to march in
Union Square to support a Labor Day holiday. |
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1893 |
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x |
A labor strike broke out
in the railroad industry beginning in Pullman,
Illinois.
When mail trains were disrupted it brought the strikes to the
status of a national issue.
President Grover
Cleveland sent
12,000 troops to break up the strike. in Kensington, near
Chicago, violence broke out and when U.S. deputy
marshals fire into striking protesters, two men are killed. |
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1894 |
~ |
x |
President Grover
Cleveland in
attempts at appeasement with the American worker, pushed for the
enactment of a Labor Day holiday. He still failed to gain
re-election. |
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1894 |
June |
x |
The U.S. Congress passed
the Labor Day act on June 28th establishing the first Monday in
September a legal holiday in the
U.S. Territories and the
District of Columbia. |
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1940s |
Sep. |
x |
The Labor Day rallies in
Detroit
Illinois became the place for
democratic candidates to announce their candidacy for president. |
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Labor Day has come to also
signify the end of the summer vacation season, with
Memorial Day signifying the
beginning.
Highways are clogged, picnic grounds fill and a grid of
backyards are filled with the scent of grilled food. All of it
in honor of labor and a goodbye to summer. |
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© Copyright 2007
Roger W Hancock www.PoetPatriot.com |
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Labor Day Around The World
Many nations celebrate Labor Day on or near the
traditional May 1st.
The Socialist Party of communist nations celebrate the working
class on May 1 (May Day) simultaneously celebrating communism.
America intentionally avoided May 1, as to have no association
with communism.
Canada has celebrated labor day on the first Monday of September
since the 1880s. The socialist factions of the Canadian
government has suggested moving the holiday to May 1st complying
with date most popular around the world. Tradition, perception
of further alignment with international socialists, and
convenience of business and tourism between Canada and the
United States; keep Labor Day on the first Monday in September.
German workers celebrated Labor Day in May going back to the 1800s.
The Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler made Labor Day an official
holiday in 1933 then banned all free unions a year later on May
2nd, 1934.
Labor Day May 1st in Maharashtra is called Maharashtra Diwas.
Poland renamed the holiday "State Holiday" in 1990 and celebrates
on May 1st.
Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway celebrate Labor Day as national
holidays on May 1st with demonstrations by the worker's movement
in each nation.
One million people gather for a free concert in Rome that is
organized by trade unions to celebrate the Italian national
holiday on May 1st.
Labor Day in Korea is a national Holyday for laborers.
Labor Day is not celebrated in the Netherlands.
Labor Day in Australia is celebrated differently in the various
states and territories. The Australian Capital Territory, New
South Wales and South Australia celebrate on the first Monday in
October. Western Australia has set the holiday on the
second Monday in March. Queensland and the Northern Territory
both celebrate the holiday on the first Monday in May.
New Zealand celebrates on the fourth Monday in October. Once
celebrated on differing days in each province, ship owner
complained of seamen taking extra holidays as they docked in
different ports that were on their designated Labor Day. The
holiday was "Mondayised" to the same day by the New Zealand
government in 1910.
China celebrates the holiday on May 1st combining it with the
weekends before and after. The Labor Day holiday in China has
become one of the country's Golden Weeks when millions of
Chinese travel.
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© Copyright 2007
Roger W Hancock www.PoetPatriot.com |
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Labor Trivia
In 1950 nearly half of the American work force were unionized.
In 1995 less than 15 percent of the work force were members of a
union.
In 2005 the union membership was 12.5 dropping in 2006 to 12
percent.
Union membership among government employees is five times that
of the private sector (2006).
Union membership rate for men is higher than for women (2006).
Black workers have a greater unionization rate than White,
Hispanic, or Asian workers (2006).
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Labor Day Links
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TimeLine Index -
Holiday TimeLines
- Labor Day Holiday Page |
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Sources:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/september96/labor_day_9-2.html
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http://www.johnshepler.com/articles/laborday.html -
http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm -
http://info.detnews.com/history/story/index.cfm?id=150&category=business
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http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Creek/9369/project7/labor.html
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http://www.wilstar.com/holidays/laborday.htmb -
http://mentalhealthrn.blogster.com/origin_labor_day.html -
http://www.jerseyhistory.org/matthew_maguire.html -
http://www.holidayinsights.com/other/labor.htm -
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.nr0.htm -
http://www.annieshomepage.com/labordaylinks.html -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_Day -
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