Why Labor Day Matters
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The following is a message from Teamsters Local 1932 General Manager/Secretary-Treasurer Randy Korgan:
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Many of you may be enjoying the day off. If you are working then you should be earning holiday pay for a day that is intended to celebrate the Labor Movement and its ability to bring people together to fight for what is dignified and right.
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On this day, we should recognize those that sprung Labor Day into existence on September 5, 1882 in New York City. Their slogan, “Eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, and eight hours for what we will” — uttered at a time when an eight-hour workday was unthinkable — is a testament to their vision and goal of transforming our country for the better. Their dream became the standard. And if it may not be true for a large portion of the country today, let the struggles and victories of the first Labor Day organizers serve as an inspiration for us as we move forward. Their successors in the Labor Movement went on to build the American middle class, created holiday pay, premium pay, overtime pay, common-sense safety regulations, retirement security, and every other law or benefit on the books that Labor has championed since. We can win on our vision for a transformed San Bernardino too, if we stand together now, just as they did then.
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Unfortunately, many do not know who paved the way for this holiday.
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Each of us should appreciate their memory, and appreciate all workers across the country for our respective labor and contributions. Together, we are America’s ingenuity and economic power.
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Happy Labor Day 2017, Teamsters!