Whether it’s hot dogs, veggie dogs or something else on the menu this Labor Day, please take a moment to salute working families, the backbone of our state and nation. The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated nearly 141 years ago, on Sept 5, 1882, in New York City. Between 10,000 and 20,000 people marched in the parade that day (1).
“Their goal,” writes Heather Cox Richardson of the marchers, “was to emphasize the importance of workers in the industrializing economy and to warn politicians that they could not be ignored. Less than 20 years before, northern men had fought a war to defend a society based on free labor and had, they thought, put in place a government that would support the ability of all hardworking men to rise to prosperity.” (2)
Ultimately, the worker movement of the 19th Century led to formation of labor unions. Through unions, workers have achieved higher wages, more reasonable hours, safer working conditions, health benefits, and aid when retired or injured. Labor unions were also instrumental in ending the practice of child labor (3).
Texas Democrats will continue to stand in solidarity with workers, unions and activists until every single Texan gains livable wages, safe workplace protections and 21st century benefits. #LaborDay2023
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3 https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0113/the-history-of-unions-in-the-united-states.aspx#:~:text=Thanks to the efforts of,the practice of child labor.
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