I wasn't sure where to put this so I stuck it in here.

I wanted to take a moment today and wish everyone a happy Labor Day. I believe it's important for everyone to be reminded that today is the day we honor the American working man and woman. We live in an era where real incomes are decreasing, work weeks are increasing and minimum wage remains stagnant. Corporations acquire more and more control over our government as the middle-class and poor are left by the wayside. About 30 years ago, 1/3 of every job was protected by a labor union. Today only 9% of employees are union members. We watch multi-national corporations move thousands of manufacturing jobs overseas every year.

People! Unions are IMPORTANT! They may be the most important organizing tool everyday working people have to fight the increasing corporatism/fascism that is overtaking this country.

Just remember, among other things, unions are responsible for;

Weekends
8 day work day
child labor laws
a safe work place
minimum wage

Unions are not antiquated! I beleive they may be the only vehicle that will give the everyday working person a voice in this country and they should not be forgotten. Especially on this day. Thanks.

The American Labor Movement

American Labor History

I manage a retail pharmacy store (large corporate chain) and can say unequivically that my girls UFCW local absolutely sucks! All new contracts are rubber stamped, the benefits get worse each year and the retirement has gone south as well. Maybe it is just this local, but I can't believe that when my chain covers most of the country and has to deal with many different locals in this field. I have strong hope for a Union rebound in this country, but the actions of this local makes me wonder if most of those are in bed with the corporatists as well.

Labor Unions will begin the rebound right now. This is the year that the baby boomers start to retire.
In a few years boomers will be retiring much faster than the labor market can refill the positions.

What does this mean? A shortage of workers means a strong labor market.
In fact, in a decade there could well be a severe labor shortage.

My concern Sky, is that people are struggling so much to get by now that they are afraid to make a stand at work, what happens as the years go on ? I have the hope that the workers will become more bold in dealing with their employers, but sometimes fear it will go the opposite way, they become too afraid for their jobs , or insurance (if they recieve it) that they never say anything and turn into a voluntary forced labor force.

The fear of the corporate bastards shipping the jobs overseas is also a threat, although eventually the people here (or around the world) wont have enough $ to buy what they're peddling.

I understand Celt, but when management has trouble finding people to do the work, the power base shifts and everybody knows it!

The first thing that happens is that wages go up. They have to simply to entice workers.
Years ago when my son was born, my wife didn't work for a few months, and during that time I moonlighted part time after work and weekends. Grocery stores were easy enough work and desperatre for the help, at that time. The union starting wage was about $6 and hour, but the store paid $8.50 starting, because they were that desperate for help.

This is what is coming.

The History of Labor Day
Labor Day: How it Came About; What it Means

"Labor Day differs in every essential way from the other
holidays of the year in any country," said Samuel Gompers,
founder and longtime president of the American Federation
of Labor. "All other holidays are in a more or less degree
connected with conflicts and battles of man's prowess over
man, of strife and discord for greed and power, of glories
achieved by one nation over another. Labor Day... is
devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race, or
nation." Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a
creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the
social and economic achievements of American workers. It
constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions
workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-
being of our country.

Founder of Labor Day

More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance,
there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the
holiday for workers.

Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary
of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-
founder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in
suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have
delved and carved all the grandeur we behold." But Peter
McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone un-
challenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist,
not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research
seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later
the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association
of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in
1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union
in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union
adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to
plan a demonstration and picnic.

The First Labor Day

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday,
September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with
the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor
Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later,
on September 5, 1883.

In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the
holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor
Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow
the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's
holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of
labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated
in many industrial centers of the country.

Labor Day Legislation

Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to
Labor Day. The first governmental recognition came through
municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. From them
developed the movement to secure state legislation. The
first state bill was introduced into the New York
legislature, but the first to become law was passed by
Oregon on February 21, 1887. During the year four more
states - Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York
- created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment.
By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and
Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 other states
had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June
28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the first
Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the
District of Columbia and the territories.

A Nationwide Holiday

The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day
should take were outlined in the first proposal of the
holiday - a street parade to exhibit to the public "the
strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor
organizations" of the community, followed by a festival
for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their
families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of
Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were
introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the
economic and civic significance of the holiday. Still
later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor
convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was
adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and
educational aspects of the labor movement.

The character of the Labor Day celebration has undergone
a change in recent years, especially in large industrial
centers where mass displays and huge parades have proved a
problem. This change, however, is more a shift in emphasis
and medium of expression. Labor Day addresses by leading
union officials, industrialists, educators, clerics and
government officials are given wide coverage in newspapers,
radio, and television.

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest
standard of living and the greatest production the world
has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization
of our traditional ideals of economic and political
democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation
pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the
nation's strength, freedom, and leadership - the American
worker.

Well I hope so, the area I live in is pretty depressed, good jobs at a few chemical factories, min wage retail jobs everywhere else.I think nowadays, esp in retail, the execs know they can get HS kids to do the job on the cheap, so they don't invest in employees like they used to. We're all just a number , and they can always find another monkey to do our job.

As I said in another thread , the girls have a union, but it sucks. Min wage in Ohio is 5.15, the Union gets them to start at 6.00 now, until this past April it was 5.50. The company doesn't give any raises outside of the contract(25 cents per year), so no matter how outstanding someone may be at their job, thats all they get.The company pays less into the health care through the union, and the retirement benefits suck.bad. real bad. The other pharmacies, groceries and mall and retail outlets are all pretty much the same as well. I understand I'm only talking about the retail field, but unless someone gets an education or specialized training ( and even that doesn't guarentee anything now) they are screwed in trying to make a living.At least around here .

I just hope you are right

I should add and clarify, that this is what is coming, assuming the Neo-con reign comes to an end soon.


Reason number 36 to vote for the candidate that has the most reasonable chance of defeating the Republican