News from Patrick Flynn

Monday, September 7 will mark the 127th celebration of Labor Day in the United States.  It’s history, according to Wikipedia, is rooted in the violent reaction to a late 19th century labor strike:

The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City.  In the aftermath of the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the US military and US Marshals during the 1894 Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with Labor as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike.  Cleveland was also concerned that aligning a US labor holiday with existing international May Day celebrations would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair.  All 50 U.S. states have made Labor Day a state holiday.

Whether you’re a union member or not, Labor Day is a good time to take a moment and reflect on how the labor movement affects our lives.  If you work for a paycheck, as I do, many of the benefits we enjoy (like weekends) came about as a result of negotiations between unions and the companies employing their membership. 

For me, September marks the tail end of my busy season so I’ll be amongst the many working through the weekend to provide service to those enjoying three days away from work.  If you’re out and about this weekend and encounter folks working on Monday, please consider taking a moment to thank them for their efforts (no need to thank me, though, I like my job and don’t want anyone thinking I’m fishing for sympathy!).

Regards,

Patrick