Labor Day ~ Why do we celebrate?

In 1886 protestors in Chicago gathered to demand an 8-hour workday. What started out as a peaceful demonstration turned ugly by the end of the day. A bomb was hurled which killed an officer and injured others. The police retaliated by firing into the crowd, killing many people. This incident was called the Haymaker Affair. Many Union leaders and socialists declared May 1 as International Worker’s Day and it continues to be unofficially observed as a holiday.

In 1896 President Grover Cleveland amid growing awareness of the labor movement, declared the first Monday in September as a national holiday. He chose to avoid the Haymaker incident. The holiday was created as a dedication to the American workers for their contributions to the strength, prosperity and well being of our country.

There is still doubt after more than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance who first proposed the holiday. Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and co-founder of the American Federation of Labor is shown in some records as the one to propose the holiday. Others believe it was Matthew Maguire, a machinist who founded the holiday and even most recent research supports Matthew as the founder. No matter who proposed the holiday it is clear the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.

To this day New York City (and other cities across the country, large and small) there is still a major parade and the #UnionStrong will most likely be tweeting loudly on Twitter!! Union membership has been declining for years but there are still challenges facing workers.