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| 701 Labor Corner: Labor Day | ||||
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Oregon was the first state to pass a law recognizing Labor Day, on February 21, 1887. On Monday, workers across America will celebrate the labor movement's incredible strides towards labor equity and equality. But our work isn't done yet. The History of Labor Day Before Labor Day, there was May Day, or International Workers’ Day. In 1889, socialist groups and trade unions designated May 1 as, "May Day," to commemorate the 1886 Haymarket Affair. But five years after activists began celebrating May Day, U.S. President Grover Cleveland signed legislation to make the first Monday of September "Labor Day," to separate May Day from its activist and socialist roots. Labor Day may be a more sanitized version of May Day, but it isn’t any less important to America’s labor movement. The first Monday in September marked a day off from work for laborers across trades and industries in America — a vital reprieve from the grim working conditions of the 1890s. Adults and children worked 12-plus hour days, six days a week for meager wages, and workplace safety was an outlier, not the status quo. In the years following Labor Day’s establishment, workers fought for and won short workdays, higher wages, and safer working conditions. Yet today Labor Day is often detached from its radical organizing roots. For many people outside of unions, Labor Day weekend means barbecues, vacations, summer clearance sales, and final celebrations before kids go back to school. Despite Labor Day’s de-evolution, unions and labor organizations today celebrate labor’s past, present, and future strides with parades, labor actions, and memorials. Why Labor Day Matters Now Union support is at an all-time high in 2024, but wages remain unacceptably low for most working-class citizens. The federal minimum wage, set at only $7.25, hasn’t changed in 15 years, despite steep cost of living increases. Child labor is on the rise, with some states even repealing or adding laws to permit child labor. As a result, we are seeing increased workplace injuries for children as young as 13. The Labor Department found 5,792 kids working in violation of child labor laws in 2023. Less than 12% of workers in America are represented by a union, with union density struggling to increase for the past 20 years in every region except the West. In celebrating Labor Day, workers pay homage to those in the past who fought tooth and nail for every right we have today. We must also recommit ourselves to fighting daily to maintain those standards while aiming for further progress. 2024 Oregon Labor Day Events On Monday, September 2, Oregon labor organizations will host Labor Day picnics in Canby, Springfield, and Bend. - PORTLAND AREA Northwest Oregon Labor Council Clackamas County Fairgrounds 694 NE 4th Ave in Canby 11:00am - 4:00pm - LANE COUNTY Lane County Central Labor Chapter Splash Pad Picnic Shelter 6100 Thurston Road in Springfield 12:00pm - 3:30pm - CENTRAL OREGON Central Oregon Labor Chapter Alpenglow Park 61049 SE 15th St in Bend 12:00 - 3:00pm - Additional Reading: The History of Labor Day (DOL) What to know about Labor Day and its history Child Labor Violations Soared in Fiscal 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics Report 2023 - Stream IUOE Local 701"s Labor Day Playlist on Spotify. |
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