| Historically the "first" Labor Day was held in New York by a group known as the Knights of Labor. Today this is the AFL-CIO. Despite the historical connection, and the attempt to call this the cause of today's Labor Day, this was hardly the motivation for a national holiday. Where did it all begin? In 1884 the Knights had decided that after May 1st of that year the American worker would not work for more than a 40 hour work week: 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Sound Familiar?
Two years later, on May 1st, the Knights, and other local labor unions, staged the largest strike in U.S. and at that point world history. Almost 400,000 workers went on strike to demand a 40 hour work week. American businesses, who mostly considered laborers as products to be bought and sold, did not want to lose the advantage they had in bargaining power over their workers. So they went to the Federal Government and asked them to put down the strike.
President Grover Cleveland was more than willing to comply. The result was less than optimistic. During an attempted break up of a demonstration in Chicago, a bomb went off killing several strikers and local police. The leaders of the Chicago labor movement were arrested, tried, and convicted in a kangaroo court for what became known as the Haymarket massacre. They would later be pardoned but not before one of them killed himself.
Several years later the country faced the greatest depression in its history. In 1894 workers at the Pullman Train Car Company went on strike to demand better wages and working conditions. This strike gained notoriety for its leader, a future presidential candidate named Eugene Debs. Cleveland was once again asked to put down the strike. Only this time as he faced reelection he needed labors support to get the Democratic nomination. The strike was broken up, Debs would be later tried and found not guilty as a national hero, but not before a concession was made by Cleveland who gave labor a national holiday. Fearing a backlash from business over adopting the international May 1st, Cleveland borrowed from the Knights of Labor and dedicated the first Monday in September.
Postscript to that story: Cleveland lost the nomination anyway to William Jennings Bryan who was nominated from the floor of the Democratic Convention after his famous "Cross of Gold" speech. Just goes to show Triangulation doesn't work in the 19th century either.
Now some of you might ask why is all this important? Isn't it just good enough to know that Labor got a day for itself? You don't hear veterans complaining about Veterans Day being in a cold month like November or descendents of President's Lincoln and Washington complaining they have to share a day. I suppose it's not that important except for one small detail.
To make sure that no one in this country remembered May Day political groups since the twenties, and almost every President since Dwight Eisenhower, has declared May 1st to be two important holidays. The first is Law Day: a recognition of the role our laws and system of justice play in protecting our freedom. The second is Loyalty Day: A reaffirmation of loyalty to the United States and for the recognition of the heritage of American Freedom. Loyalty day in particular was created by executive order and has been reaffirmed by many of Eisenhower's successors...including George W. Bush.
Here's my point. Why does America, a country founded on the notion of the people and not the king as Sovereign, need a day for us to reaffirm our loyalty to ourselves? Why are we made to forget the historical significance of labor in this country and a particular political philosophy around the world? How come our government doesn't want to recognize a belief system that placed greater value on labor than as simply goods to be bought and sold? I have my own answer but I'll let you the reader think about it. I know this is rather long and boring and a little preachy. I'll understand if you don't read this. Those that do. Think about it.
And just in case you're wondering if I'm being a little two x-files for you consider this. Last year thousands of illegal immigrants came out all across the country to protest President Bush's immigration proposal and to demand recognition of Hispanic immigrants in the political and economic sphere's of American society. What day was that protest held on....May 1st!
Enjoy the start of a new school year. |
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