Posted:
Monday, September 3, 2018
The workers holiday, Labor Day is upon us. To quote the founder of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) Samuel Gompers:
"Labor Day differs in every essential way from the other holidays of the year in any country. All other holidays are in a more or less degree connected with conflicts and battles of man's prowess over man, of strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one nation over another. Labor Day...is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race, or nation."
This weekend is our holiday, celebrating the working men and women who make this country great. Enjoy your weekend and the time off with your family, a right afforded to you by those like Gompers who fought for and negotiated these benefits we often take for granted. I would also ask that you take a few minutes out of the weekend to remind your friends, family and especially your children about the important role unions and organized labor have played in our lives and the importance of having a strong labor movement. I hope that everyone has a Happy Labor Day and I look forward to seeing everyone back at school on September 4th.