Labor Day

Labor Day has been observed on the first Monday in September for more than 100 years. Labor Day is associated with the strife and achievements of American workers during the labor movement. The first Labor Day was observed on September 5, 1882. On this day 10,000 American workers marched from city hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first Labor Day parade. The marchers took an unpaid day-off in the honor of the workers of America. They also vocalized the issues they had with their employers. As more years passed, more states began to hold these parades. However, Congress did not legalize the holiday until 12 years later. The working conditions at this point in time were dreadful. Americans worked as much as 12 hours per day, all to obtain a normal lifestyle. Children were also cheaply employed. Then on May 11, 1894, workers of the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago started to undergo wage cuts and the firing of union representatives. This then led to, on June 26, the American Railroad Union declaring a boycott of all Pullman railway cars. During this time, 50,000 rail workers agreed to participate and all railroad traffic out of Chicago stopped. On July 4, President Grover Cleveland then sent troops to Chicago. There was a lot of fighting, blood, and rioting which was soon ended due to the government’s actions and the boycott collapsed. The strike brought forth the workers wants and needs and the day became known as Labor Day. Today, there is also still doubt to who the founder of Labor Day actually is, either Peter McGuire or Matthew Maguire.

Source:

"Labor Day History - History.com Holidays." The History Channel - Home Page. Web. 03 Jan. 2010. .