Remember the American worker

As the Labor Day weekend approaches, the smell of barbecue is in the

air. Picnics and beach days are being planned. Families are packing

up their tents, bikes and fishing gear and heading out of town. All

over Orange County, events are being arranged for one last

celebration before the kids go back to school, the weather cools down

and the summer season officially ends.

While the way in which the Labor Day holiday is observed has

changed over the last 100 years, the reason for its existence has

remained the same. The U.S. Department of Labor describes Labor Day

this way: “It is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to

the social and economic achievements of American workers. It

constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers

have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country.”

Labor Day is a tribute to the American worker. The American worker

who did what was needed in order to provide for his or her family.

The American worker who rose up against injustice and unfair working

conditions. The American worker who persevered through terrible

hardships and survived. During the second half of the 19th century,

the labor movement gave birth to many laws and polices that we take

for granted, such as paid holidays, the eight-hour work day and child

labor laws. The force of labor has been essential to the nation, both

by adding materially to the standard of living in the United States

and by aiding in the realization of traditional values and ideals.

The first Labor Day holiday was observed in New York City, on

Sept. 5, 1882. Research seems to suggest that Matthew Maquire, who

served as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York, proposed

the holiday as a testament to his cause. Maguire’s proposal was

adopted and a committee was appointed to plan a demonstration and

picnic.

In 1884, it was decided that the first Monday in September be the

day of the “workers holiday” and as labor organizations increased and

expanded, the idea spread. Labor Day was soon celebrated in many

industrial centers of the country and then recognized through

municipal ordinance. In 1887, the state of Oregon passed the first

law acknowledging the holiday. The movement continued to grow and by

1894, the holiday for workers had been adopted by twenty-three

states. It was in that same year that Congress declared Labor Day a

national holiday.

The American worker has made considerable gains in our country,

and it is more than appropriate that the nation pays tribute to those

who have contributed so much. As you sit along a parade route or

gather together with family, please join me in remembering all of

those who worked so hard to make this nation great.

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Tom Harman is Huntington Beach’s representative

in the state Assembly. He also represents Seal Beach, Cypress, La

Palma, Los Alamitos, and portions of Anaheim, Garden Grove,

Westminster, and Stanton.