State Representative Wayne Rosenthal (IL) | Representative Wayne A Rosenthal (R) 108th District
State Representative Wayne Rosenthal (IL) | Representative Wayne A Rosenthal (R) 108th District
For many Americans, Labor Day marks the end of summer with parades, picnics, events, and store sales. However, the holiday has deeper roots. It was established in the late nineteenth century to recognize workers' contributions to America's strength, prosperity, and well-being.
On Tuesday, September 5, 1882, more than 10,000 workers gathered in New York City for America’s first Labor Day parade. After marching from City Hall past reviewing stands in Union Square and uptown to 42nd Street, participants convened in Wendel’s Elm Park for a picnic, concert, and speeches.
This initial celebration was organized by New York’s Central Labor Union. Debate continues over who originated the idea of a workers’ holiday. It is clear that it emerged from organized labor's ranks during a period when they sought to demonstrate their movement's strength and inspire improvements in working conditions.
The New York celebrations inspired similar events nationwide. Although New York was the first state to introduce a bill recognizing Labor Day, Oregon was the first to pass such a law in February 1887. Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York followed later that year. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had adopted the holiday; by 1894 another 23 states had done so as well.
In summer 1894 members of the American Railway Union went on strike in what is known as the Pullman Strike.
The Pullman Palace Car Company cut its workers' already low wages by nearly 25 percent without reducing rents or other charges at Pullman—a company town near Chicago where most employees lived. When workers presented grievances about low wages and poor living conditions directly to company president George M. Pullman he refused to meet them and ordered them fired leading workers voted to strike walking off jobs May 11th disrupting Midwest rail traffic severely impacting national economy prompting President Grover Cleveland declare strike federal crime deploying troops break up causing several deaths passing legislation June making Labor Day national holiday calming tensions conciliatory action
Labor Day viewed long time not only celebrating accomplishments raising awareness better working conditions salaries Today associated less union activities protest marches more family picnics end-of-summer activities
Alerts Sign-up