Why Labor Day is Important

Many of us look forward to a quick get away on Labor Day after a hectic school start and while the weather is still warm and comfortable.

Labor Day is an annual tribute to the contributions of workers towards the well-being and strength of our country. Celebration of Labor Day was conceived by members of the labor movement in the 1880s and later Congress passed an act making the first Monday of September the legal holiday.

We celebrate workers on Labor Day, but the labor movement allows us to experience the following benefits and rights every day:

• Child labor ended
• Legal right of workers to form unions and collectively bargain for wages, benefits, and working conditions
• 8-hour work day and paid overtime
• Workers' comp benefits for workers injured on the job
• Unemployment insurance for workers who lose their jobs
• Guaranteed minimum wage
• Paid sick leave, vacations, and holidays as standard benefits for most workers
• Passage of the Civil Rights Acts and Title VII which outlaws job discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
• Passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act
• Passage of the Family Medical Leave Act 

This Labor Day please stay safe and enjoy your time with family and friends.