Remembering Those Whose Sacrifices Created Labor Day

There is a great history of the Labor Day holiday over at Popular Progressive that I would like to encourage everyone to go read.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold of the nation, the average American in the late 1800s worked 12-hour days, seven days a week in order to make a basic living. Children were also working, as they provided cheap labor to employers and laws against child labor were not strongly enforced.

With the long hours and terrible working conditions, American unions became more prominent and voiced their demands for a better way of life.

As you sit and relax and enjoy family and friends on this paid day off, it is important to remember the sacrifices of those workers who organized and formed unions and fought for basic worker protections that we enjoy today.