Labor Day 2020

It may seem like an oxymoron, but Labor Day 2020 remains a vital foundation to America. It celebrates what society achieved in workplace fairness. Reasonable working hours, conditions, safety and compensation are all documentable outcomes from the labor movement. And we all benefited. Every one of us.

Before the labor movement, child labor was common. Death and disfigurement were common. Six and seven day work weeks were common. Worker benefits were few and far between if any at all.

Making a living was working to survive. That was it.

Dark, dirty, hideous working conditions clouded the body, mind and soul of each worker. Very grim reality.

Those dark days have been throttled back to 8 hour-work days or less, 5 day work weeks, paid vacation and sick leave benefits, life and health insurance, disability benefits and retirement benefits. Commit your life and creativity to a job and a fair and just reward was yours.

We have labor unions to thank for all of these features of modern employment.

Time, talent and effort is what the worker brings to the job. If it is worthy, it earns not just financial benefits, but life quality as well. In this work environment careers take root. Further commitment adds professionalism to the career and larger rewards.

Security, health, longevity and bright vistas ought to be the end result. What these mean to a worker is one thing; what this means to his or her family is much more.

Taken together all of this has built families, neighborhoods, communities, towns and cities. Indeed, it has built nations. Social institutions – schools, churches, research universities, industry, libraries, parks and so much more – grew in scope and vitality. A nation’s reach is the result of her people working together.

Taking these things for granted threatens to lose these benefits. Owners of companies and ‘institutions’ may claim more authority over the lives of their workers. Benefits can and will disappear. They already are on the wane. Disability benefits are hard to get and stingily provided. Retirement programs are quickly disappearing. Educational benefits are held back more and more. Healthcare insurance is disappearing. Vacation and sick leave benefits are being trimmed.

And, we all know what has happened to fair and just compensation. Disparity of women’s pay is an ugly reality; improving, slipping, still an American embarrassment. Stagnant growth in compensation has been an ever present reality for 20 years or more.

Yes, the labor movement – union or not – has challenges ahead. We have challenges ahead.

Labor Day 2020 is as important today than ever before. Take your eyes from this issue and you will soon feel the pain. Perhaps you already have?

Celebrate today those who fought for what we have today. Commit today to continue to fight for fairness and justice in the American workspace. We will all get that which we work for.

September 7, 2020