Labor Day
Labor Day
A day to celebrate the American worker and the balance of work rest and play
The first Monday in September is Labor Day. It's a day to celebrate the American worker and the balance of work rest and play in our lives. Nowadays, the United States government guarantees its citizens a safe place to work, fair pay, and time away from our jobs to rest and play. But can you imagine a time when staying home on a weekend, we're taking a vacation to get a person fired about 150 years ago during the industrial revolution, when millions of people began working in factories mines or on railroads, they often worked 12 hours or more every day of the week. Sometimes in dangerous conditions.
Even children went to work. To fight the unfairness, groups of workers held marches, strikes, and protests across the nation to demand their rights to safety, rest and fair pay. Their employers got the message, and eventually the government passed laws requiring employers to keep workers safe and pay them a standard minimum wage. On June 28th, 1894, the government established Labor Day as a national holiday in early September. To honor those workers who fought for their rights, work that is safe for both body and mind. How do you balance work rest and play in your own life?