10 Awesome Facts about Labor Day and why priority in work matters

Being a parent, my kids will benefit greatly from a healthy work ethic. I believe all family members should contribute by having age appropriate chores. Sharing the load fosters responsibility and ownership. Let’s train our kids to understand the need/value of work.

But, we can never let our labor/work/career be a higher value than our family. That statement seems so obvious. In fact, it is extremely rare to meet someone who freely acknowledges this reality in their life. However, many spouses and children communicate they feel that a loved one’s work is a greater priority than they are. Most of us spend eight or more hours a day in work. Consequently, we have to be intentional to protect our most important relationships. This is a tough one for me personally. I find value in my work. Throughout my professional life, in a variety of roles, I have had to be highly intentional with accountability from Sherry and close friends to not allow work/career to overtake my family. For me, the bottom line is that even if I reach every professional goal, if I am not the husband and Dad God desires me to be (and my family needs) it is meaningless. Do something to celebrate your spouse and family. Labor is a part of life. It’s the primary means God uses for us to provide for our family.

The Labor Day holiday grew out of the late 19th century organized labor movement, and it quickly became a national holiday as the labor movement assumed a prominent role in American society. Here’s how it all started, with the facts, as we know them, supplied by the Labor Department, the Library Of Congress, and other sources.
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1. The idea first became public in 1882.In September 1882, the unions of New York City decided to have a parade to celebrate their members being in unions, and to show support for all unions. At least 20,000 people were there, and the workers had to give up a day’s pay to attend. There was also a lot of beer involved in the event.
2. The New York parade inspired other unions.Other regions started having parades, and by 1887, Oregon, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Colorado made Labor Day a state holiday.
3. How did the Haymarket Affair influence Labor Day?On May 4, 1886, a bomb exploded at a union rally in Chicago’s Haymarket Square, which led to violence that killed seven police officers and four others. The incident also led to May 1 being celebrated in most nations as Workers Day. The U.S. government chose Labor Day instead to avoid a celebration on May 1 and New York’s unions had already picked the first Monday in September for their holiday.
4. Two people with similar names are credited with that first New York City event.Matthew Maguire, a machinist, and Peter McGuire, a carpenter, have been linked to the 1882 parade. The men were from rival unions; in 2011, Linda Stinson, a former U.S. Department of Labor’s historian, said she didn’t know which man should be credited — partially because people over the years confused them because of their similar-sounding names.
5. Grover Cleveland helped make Labor Day a national holiday.After violence related to the Pullman railroad strike, President Cleveland and lawmakers in Washington wanted a federal holiday to celebrate labor — and not a holiday celebrated on May 1. Cleveland signed an act in 1894 establishing the federal holiday; most states had already passed laws establishing a Labor Day holiday by that point. Sen. James Henderson Kyle of South Dakota introduced S. 730 to make Labor Day a federal legal holiday on the first Monday of September. It was approved on June 28, 1894.
6. The holiday has evolved over the years.In the late 19th century, celebrations focused on parades in urban areas. Now the holiday is a celebration that honors organized labor with fewer parades, and more activities. It also marks the perceived end of the summer season.
7. Can you wear white after Labor Day? This old tradition goes back to the late Victorian era, where it was a fashion faux pas to wear any white clothing after the summer officially ended on Labor Day. The tradition isn’t really followed anymore — white indicated you were still in vacation mode at your summer cottage.
8. Labor Day is the unofficial end of Hot Dog season.The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council says that between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Americans will eat 7 billion hot dogs.
9. How many people are union members today?According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 14.8 million union members in the workforce in 2017. There were 17.7 million in 1983.
10. What is the biggest union today?The National Education Association has about 3 million people who are members, including inactive and lifetime members.

Find work you enjoy and share it with your family-
Coach Milton

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