The Interesting History Behind the Creation of Labor Day

by Grant M. Deltz

Labor Day is usually regarded as a holiday without prestigious meaning. For many, it’s either a day off of work, a good day for a cook out, or the cherry on top of a three-day weekend. It’s basically the Fourth of July without fireworks or patriotism. However, this day may hold a deeper meaning than originally thought.

In the late 1800s, there was a negative perception of labor in the United States. The long work days lasting usually twelve or more hours, the hazardous working conditions, and the low pay all accounted towards worker rebellion. This eventually led to the formation of the first labor unions.

On September 5, 1882, New York’s Central Labor Union was behind the action of 10,000 workers taking unpaid time off to march in the first unofficial Labor Day parade. The march, ranging from City Hall to Union Square, was filled with passion, pride and protesting.

Now it’s time to flash forward to the strike that sparked the eventual initiation of Labor Day. In Illinois on May 11, 1894, there was a massive strike as a result of wage cuts. The American Railway Union was against the Pullman Company and the federal government as 4,000 workers went on strike. At the peak of the strike, that number rose to around 250,000, causing panic within the transportation industry in the United States. These protests would turn into riots in many cities, causing President Grover Cleveland to call in troops of the United States Army to break the strikers.

After things became less chaotic, Congress passed an act on June 28, 1894, making the first Monday in September a legal holiday: Labor Day. This appeased the unions and led to more change such as higher wages and the eight-hour work day.

For some, Labor Day may be symbolic of change yet to come. For others, it may remain as a day for cook outs and saying goodbye to summer. Regardless of how it is remembered, Labor Day will forever hold its place in American history.