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Retirees Matter: A Retiree's Labor Day Message For Members Young and Old
For too many people, Labor Day means nothing more than another three-day weekend. But like Veterans' Day and Memorial Day, Labor Day marks a part of our heritage that should be remembered and respected. It is a holiday to reflect on our movement's history and accomplishments, a day to celebrate the values of working Americans and, especially now, a day to revitalize our unions and help everyone—members and non-members—understand why they're so important.
Far too many people, even some in union families, don't appreciate the sacrifices made and risks taken by people fighting for labor rights in the early 20th century. Sadly, they don't even know much about it. High school history books teach students about the industrialists and empire builders and their vision but the lessons rarely shed light on the struggles of those who did the real work.
The fact is, if there had been no union movement, there would be no significant middle class in America. Families would either be poor or very poor, rich or very rich. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the minimum wage and - perhaps most important of all to our quality of life - the 40-hour workweek, would not exist. Unions fought for, and won, all those benefits. Without unions, most companies' pension and medical plans would be paltry, if offered at all.
And without unions, workers in many industries would still be putting their lives on the line every day. Dangerous machinery, fire hazards and toxins in the air and water would be commonplace without the safety protections that unions demanded.
Read up on your labor history this Labor Day and you'll see what workers a few generations back did for you. Better yet, talk to some of your local's retirees and hear their own stories about fighting to organize and bargain 40 or 50 years ago.
One day, you'll have your own stories to tell: How you helped stand up to companies at the front end of the 21st century that were trying to roll back the clock on workers' rights. How you fought back when the most anti-worker administration in modern history and big business joined forces to try to destroy unions, water down labor laws, cut benefits and increase hours.
If we don't act now, we risk going back to the days when the only workplace rights belonged to employers. Think about that this Labor Day. Think about the workers who had no rights, yet bravely walked off the job en masse, demonstrated in the streets by the tens of thousands, even faced down armed police officers. Not all those workers lived to tell their stories.
It's our job, our duty on Labor Day, to remember and honor them. And there's no better way to show our respect than making sure we hold onto the rights they fought and died for.
Far too many people, even some in union families, don't appreciate the sacrifices made and risks taken by people fighting for labor rights in the early 20th century. Sadly, they don't even know much about it. High school history books teach students about the industrialists and empire builders and their vision but the lessons rarely shed light on the struggles of those who did the real work.
The fact is, if there had been no union movement, there would be no significant middle class in America. Families would either be poor or very poor, rich or very rich. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the minimum wage and - perhaps most important of all to our quality of life - the 40-hour workweek, would not exist. Unions fought for, and won, all those benefits. Without unions, most companies' pension and medical plans would be paltry, if offered at all.
And without unions, workers in many industries would still be putting their lives on the line every day. Dangerous machinery, fire hazards and toxins in the air and water would be commonplace without the safety protections that unions demanded.
Read up on your labor history this Labor Day and you'll see what workers a few generations back did for you. Better yet, talk to some of your local's retirees and hear their own stories about fighting to organize and bargain 40 or 50 years ago.
One day, you'll have your own stories to tell: How you helped stand up to companies at the front end of the 21st century that were trying to roll back the clock on workers' rights. How you fought back when the most anti-worker administration in modern history and big business joined forces to try to destroy unions, water down labor laws, cut benefits and increase hours.
If we don't act now, we risk going back to the days when the only workplace rights belonged to employers. Think about that this Labor Day. Think about the workers who had no rights, yet bravely walked off the job en masse, demonstrated in the streets by the tens of thousands, even faced down armed police officers. Not all those workers lived to tell their stories.
It's our job, our duty on Labor Day, to remember and honor them. And there's no better way to show our respect than making sure we hold onto the rights they fought and died for.