Labor Day Special: The Most Bizarre Facts About Union History

The first Labor Day took place in New York City Sept. 5, 1882. It consisted of unions marching in a parade and a massive picnic. Following the event several states began moving to institute their own Labor Day. Finally, a bill was approved in 1894 making the first Monday of September a nationally recognized holiday.

Labor Day has been a celebration of the American worker. The day also plays tribute to the labor movement and the history of unions. A history commonly associated with the fight for worker’s rights, protests, strikes, legislative battles and even the mob.

The history of organized labor is also marked with strange coincidences, weird moments and unlikely partnerships. These are some of strangest historical facts about the labor movement in America.

1. We’re Not Sure Whether McGuire Or Maguire Started Labor Day

No one is quite sure who started Labor Day. Historians have narrowed it down to two possibilities.According to the Department of Labor, seven years after that first New York Labor Day parade, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters laid claim that an official in its ranks, Peter J. McGuire, made the original proposal to have the Labor Day event in New York. The union also claimed he called for one day a year to be set aside for Labor Day.

In 1967, however, a retired machinist from the Knights of Labor claimed Matthew Maguire, an official in his union, proposed the idea of Labor Day. Matthew Maguire and Peter McGuire had very similar backgrounds despite being in two rival unions. A lot of historians blame their similar names on the mystery.