Labor Day is labor’s day
“Strong men and broad minds only can resist the plutocracy and arrogant monopoly. Do not be frightened at troops, injunctions, or a subsidized press. Quit and remain firm. Commit no violence. American Railway Union will protect all, whether member or not when strike is off.”-Eugene Debs
Labor Day was first celebrated as a national holiday in 1894, its designation by President Grover Cleveland an act of reconciliation with organized labor after 13 people died during the Pullman Strike earlier that same year. The first Labor Day parade was held a decade earlier, on Sept. 5, 1882 in New York City.
This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first labor union led by Black workers to join the American Federation of Labor.
Workers and organizers have been fighting and dying to organize since before the American Revolution. Our predecessors fought for better wages, better working conditions and fair treatment. It is a fight we continue to this day. We stand on the shoulders of giants.
Union power grew throughout the 20th century to a peak in the mid-1950s when more than 30% of the American workforce was unionized. There were 21 million union members in 1979 and today only 10.3% of U.S. workers (14.4 million) are union members — 6.1% in the private sector, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
At the same time, interest in unions is growing; a 2024 Gallup poll last year showed 70% of Americans approve of labor unions, the second-highest rate since 1965.
An Aug. 20 Economic Policy Institute went further; in 2024, working families in union-friendly states took home $12,000 more than workers in low-density union states. Workers in union-friendly states more often benefited from paid sick leave legislation, health insurance coverage and far fewer voter restriction laws than their colleagues in low-density union states.
The report’s bottom line: “Rebuilding worker power by strengthening unions is not just good policy—it is a democratic imperative in the face of authoritarian backsliding.”
At UUP, we learn from the lessons of the past. We see how labor unions achieved their goals because of solidarity and became stronger as they became more diverse. We see how wage inequality correlates with falling union membership.
This Labor Day, we know we have work to do and we are inspired all that is possible if we work together.
Happy Labor Day!
We invite you to attend a local Labor Day Rally – 12-1 PM in Oneonta, NY on Main Street – Mueller Plaza. Wear your UUP red shirts, hats, and clothing!