While many people in the US associate the Labor day holiday as another day off work – or the mark of the end of summer – the holiday’s 19th century inception symbolises a long history of labor struggle.
Labor Day in the US occurs on the first Monday of September, which is 3 September this year. It’s usually celebrated with parades, parties, cookouts and trips to the beach.
But the day itself is a tribute to American workers and unionising.
What is Labor Day?
The US Department of Labor describes the holiday as: “a creation of the Labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers”.
Why was the holiday created?
The holiday originated out of one of America’s dark moments in history. Following years of strikes and protests of poor working conditions by workers and labor unions, employees of the Pullam Palace Car Company, a manufacturer of railroad cars, went on strike in May 1894 outside Chicago to protest wage cuts and the firing of union representatives.
After the head of the American Railroad Union called for a strike of all Pullam railroad cars, the US government dispatched troops to Chicago, which led to riots and ultimately the death of dozens of workers.
US Congress later passed a bill making Labor Day a legal holiday amid the unrest.
When did Labor Day become a national holiday?
President Grover Cleveland signed the new bill into law in June 1894, making it a national holiday.
