Introduction to Labor Day and Labor Movement in America

introduction of labor day and labor movement in the United States

labor day and labor movement in the United States

the first Monday in September every year is a federal legal holiday in the United States? Labor Day. Nowadays, for most Americans, Labor Day means the end of the long summer, the last carnival of barbecue parties and gatherings, a three-day holiday (Saturday, Sunday and Monday are closed), crazy discounts from major businesses, and the beginning of a new semester for students.

Of course, there are also some people who can't stand the fact that Labor Day is swallowed up by consumerism such as parties, revelry and shopping, and completely depoliticized. They constantly remind and appeal to everyone not to forget their original intention, the origin of Labor Day and the heavy and bloody history of the American labor movement. For foreigners who are used to May 1 ST International Labor Day, they will inevitably wonder what is the connection and difference between September Labor Day and May International Labor Day in the United States.

Labor Day in the United States originated from the street movement in new york: On September 5, 1882, the Central Labor Union in new york organized thousands of bricklayers, printers, blacksmiths, railway workers and cigar-making workers to go on strike for one day and held a parade in new york, demanding to work eight hours a day. At that time, American workers worked more than 1 hours a day on average, 6 working days a week, and it was common for them to work 12 to 15 hours a day. Some employers even required their workers to work on holidays and Sundays. It was not uncommon for them to work 24 hours a day during the day shift. What really connects the movement for an eight-hour working day with May 1st is the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions of the United States and Canada, which was established in 1884 and is also the largest and most influential trade union organization in the United States? The predecessor of AFL-CIO. On the day of its establishment, the organization put? Since May 1, 1886, eight hours should be the legal hours of daily labor? The demands and action plan are written into the organizational resolution, and the organizational strategy is to negotiate with the employer first, and if the negotiation fails, the strike will take place. On May 1, 1886, with Chicago as the center, nearly 5, workers in the United States took part in a large-scale national strike and demonstration. On May 3, the Chicago authorities dispatched police to suppress it and shot and killed two people. On May 4, the workers continued to work in the name of? Hay market square? Protests were held in the local area. Because unknown people threw bombs at the police, the police finally fired again, killing four workers and seven policemen. Later, the incident was characterized as? Hay market riots? , also known as? Hay market tragedy? Yes, this is the so-called same event, different expressions. But what is certain is that May Day International Labor Day is made up of? Hay market incident? From here.

In 1894, approved by the US Congress, President Grover? The law signed by Grover Cleveland makes the first Monday in September a federal holiday every year. The Labor Day in the United States was originally set in September to commemorate the strike of the central trade union workers in new york on September 5, 1882. However, it is undeniable that the failure to choose May, which is more influential and significant in history, as Labor Day reflects the attitude of the American government authorities to deliberately keep a distance from the rising * * * capitalism, socialism and anarchism. Jokingly summarizing the relationship between Labor Day in the United States and May Day International Labor Day is that American workers started the international workers' movement, which produced May Day International Labor Day, but they chose to celebrate the holiday in September in a low-key way, deeply hiding their achievements and fame.

today, more than 1 years later, the development of American labor movement has entered a stable low tide.

according to the latest data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 213, 14.5 million workers in the United States had joined trade unions, accounting for only 11% of the total employed population, while in the 195s, when trade unions flourished, the proportion was higher than 3%. Today's trade union members are mainly concentrated in civil servants and service industries with the lowest hourly wage. For example, the proportion of civil servants such as teachers, police officers and firefighters in public schools is as high as 35%, while the proportion of employees in private enterprises is only 6.7%.

The author's MPA (Master of Public Policy Management) recently joined the New York City Government and became an entry-level ordinary rookie? Official ape? . Today, MBA (Master of Business Administration) is selling insurance, and it is appropriate for MBA to be a civil servant. However, the classmate spoke out that his meager pre-tax annual salary of $4, was not enough to repay the student loan, and he was forced to deduct the union membership fee of $23.5 every two weeks. Because the benefits and treatment of civil servants in new york are exercised by the corresponding trade unions? Collective bargaining power? (collective bargaining) is the result of direct negotiations with the government authorities, so new civil servants automatically join the trade union and are represented, and they have no right to choose not to join or not to be represented.

what has been accompanied by the development of the labor movement in the United States is to limit the unlimited expansion of trade union power? Right to work law? (right to work law)。 So-called? Right to work law? It is to legislate to prohibit trade unions from reaching an agreement with employers in enterprises, and to make joining trade unions and paying membership fees a necessary condition for obtaining employees' jobs. At present, 24 States in the United States have signed it? Right to work law? These include Michigan and Indiana, which have traditionally had strong trade unions. ? Right to work law? It has an important influence on attracting foreign investment. The author has participated in many investment promotion meetings organized by American States and local governments. If it belongs to signing? Right to work law? One of the 24 States, without exception, right-to-work state? (Signed? Right to work law? This sentence will appear prominently in the publicity materials of the state. And the governor of South Carolina once told me without hesitation that Boeing moved the second assembly line of the 787 Dreamliner from Wan Li, not far from Washington State, to South Carolina because the state signed the contract? Right to work law? The state, the trade union power is very weak.

Americans' attitude towards trade unions and labor movements is far from being as indiscriminate as that towards Labor Day.

According to the latest Gallup poll in August, 53% of Americans think that the existence of trade unions has positive significance, 38% people have no good opinion of trade unions, and think that their existence hinders economic development. In the 195s, 75% of Americans had a good opinion of trade unions, and only 14% opposed their existence.

it is worth noting that 71% of the overwhelming majority of Americans believe that it should be widely promoted and signed? Right to work law? .

Americans' ambivalence about trade unions and labor movements is fully reflected in the retail giant Wal-Mart.

During Labor Day, many Wal-Mart supermarkets in the United States opened 24 hours a day, and their online stores also opened? Celebrate Labor Day and reward yourself for your hard work by shopping? On the surface, Wal-Mart likes Labor Day, but after careful study, it is found that Wal-Mart is famous? Anti-labor? Enterprise, it does not allow workers to form trade unions, in order not to compromise with trade unions, Wal-Mart will not hesitate to close one of its supermarkets in Quebec, Canada.

So, whenever Labor Day comes, Wal-Mart's double? Personality? The contradictory and tangled thoughts about Labor Day will be teased and mocked by busybodies. ;