Labor Day

Why is Labor Day in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September as opposed to the first day in May, the day internationally acknowledged as the worker's holiday? If you suspected it had something to do with anti-communism you would be correct.

The original idea for Labor Day originated with an organization known as the Knights of Labor, an early precurser of the AFL-CIO. The first Labor Day parade was held on September 5, 1882 in New York City. Several years later the first Monday in September was chosen as the national holiday because in the aftermath of the Chicago Haymarket riots in 1886 President Grover Cleveland didn't want a May holiday to become day of commeration.

Despite periodic encouragement by labor to move the holiday to early May, the government has always resisted, fearing the solidarity with internationalist socialism that might result from aligning the workers of the United States with those of the rest of the world. The government has clearly acheived its objective since there is nary a mention of labor right on labor day. In the United States the day is customarily filled with the American activities of shopping and eating processed meat.

Meanwhile, as the quality manufacturing jobs are sent overseas and replaced with low-wage service industry employment, membership in labor unions is at an all time low. American's have become so individualized and self-absorbed that they are completely unable or unwilling to see how much they are being exploited by their government and their corporations. If any era cried out for a return of a strong labor movement it is this one. Unfortunately right now the traditional staid labor movement as represented by the AFL/CIO has forgotten how to speak for the American worker and the largely unanswered attacks by the current administration on overtime and wages is ignored.

As a result of traditional labor's abdication of the responsibility of defending the American worker, the workers themselves have started to rise up and demand higher wages and better working conditoins. This past May day, millions of workers took to the streets in cities across the United States in spontaneous protests that were largely ignored by the main-stream media. In recognition of this organic movement by labor,and in fear of being left behind, the AFL/CIO has started to change its tune. The following is from their labor day message 2006:

"Ironically, "May Day" was founded by U.S. workers-and taken away from them as a day to celebrate by a federal government fearful of the wave of large demonstrations for the eight-hour day and massive strikes for justice on the railroads, in the mines and factories that had begun in 1877.

Such an action may seem quaint now. But the symbolism of May Day-working people challenging corporate power-still causes fear among the top elite.

Just ask George W. Bush and the Republican extremists in Congress.

In 2003, Bush proclaimed May 1 as "Loyalty Day" when U.S. citizens should express allegiance to our nation and its founding ideals, we resolve to ensure that the blessings of liberty endure and extend for generations to come.

That same year, Congress, designated May 1 of each year as "Loyalty Day."

I propose that after digesting our hot-dogs and hitting the "back-to-school" sales we get together and make sure the next "Loyalty Day" celebration clearly demonstrates to the Bush administration just how happy we are with the way he has treated the American worker.

In the words of the IWW, "Workers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains." "An injury to one is an injury to all".