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WebLabor Day is a dedication to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national acknowledgment to the contributions that workers have WebNov 18, · Labor Day is a dedication to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national acknowledgment to the contributions WebThe first celebration of Labor Day occurred in New York City on September 5, , when an estimated 10, garment workers held a parade that ended in a picnic with labor WebEssay. Introduction: A special day devoted to workers and working-class people, Labor Day (or May Day), is a public holiday in most countries. In more than 80 countries, it is WebAug 25, · In most countries, Labor Day is known officially as International Workers’ Day. It isn’t in September, though. It’s on May 1, which is why it’s also referred to, in ... read more
This movement started as a response to demands from the skilled workforce for public recognition of organized labour and its crucial role in society. Labour Day started as an important day of celebration for the vast variety of skilled workers, but because of the economic changes in Canada and the negative effects of the second industrial revolution its importance has diminished over time. Popular labor unions of this period included the National Labor Union, founded in ; the Knights of Labor, founded as a secret society in , becoming open to the public in ; and the American Federation of Labor, founded in While they all wished to arrive at the same conclusion the unions had different ideas of the best way to reach that point; for example, the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor had nearly opposite stances.
Under Terence V. Powderly, the Knights of Labor sought to reform by means of negotiating rather than strikes, not to say that some branches of this loosely organized group did not resort to such measure; but the AF of L, with Samuel Gompers as their leader, believed that without some occasional strong action that no change would be made and that all benefits would be reaped by the employer, leaving the laborer with no improvements Document I. The American Federation of Labor also differed from some labor unions in the fact that it solely focused on feasible economic goals and was an organization of craft….
Across the united States, there was a rise of big business and corporations during the period of time between the American Civil War and World War I, or the Gilded Age. The growth of labor and corporations continuously changed the balance between economic and political power within the government, as well as within corporations. This change in the economy was accompanied by a conflict between the employers and the employees. The employers would not give their workers the rights that they had deserved. This led to the creation of labor organizations which is an organization of people who work in the same skilled occupation who act together in strikes and protests to achieve better pay, shorter hours, and safer worker conditions.
The unfair and…. In , United States census records counted at least 1. Many others may not have been reported. Most child laborers worked in agriculture, but many children did domestic work such as preserving food, taking care of children, cooking, and cleaning while others were employed in industrial situations most commonly in the glass and textile industries, as well as mining History of Child Labor; Credoreference. Living in the new industrial cities often meant settling for poor housing, sometimes with little heat and no sanitation. Factories offered jobs, but the pay was low, the hours were long, and the work was back-breaking and often dangerous. Many jobs involved rigid and monotonous routines amid smoke and deafening noise; moreover, supervisors closely monitored their workers and tolerated no complaint.
In short, companies treated workers—especially immigrants, who spoke little English—as little more than muscle power. Because they needed wages to live, and because they were not organized to demand better working conditions, workers had little choice but to take whatever work they could find. Most of [the immigrant workers] who came to the United States to pursue their dreams found that life was far from easy. As factories began to take over cities, more and more men, women, and children rushed to get jobs. However, as seen in Document C, not all factories were the best environment, especially for children.
As stated in the document, these jobs were counter-productive to the healthy growth of children under the age of sixteen. As stated in Document B, the conditions in many factories were quite unsanitary and often led to disease not just for the workers, but also for the consumers of the product. Factories were also a dangerous environment. For example, it was very easy for a machine worker to lose fingers and sometimes even limbs. These conditions, along with long unfair hours would prove to be too much for workers and often led to strikes. HOME ESSAYS Labor Day.
Labor Day Good Essays. Open Document. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. Labor Day is a dedication to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national acknowledgment to the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country. It has evolved from a purely labor union celebration into a general "last fling of summer" festival. The origin and deeper meaning of the day has been forgotten, or never actually known to many. The beginnings of the American Labor Movement started with the Industrial Revolution.
Once factory systems began to grow, a demand for workers increased. They hired large amounts of young women and children who were expected to do the same work as men for less wages. New immigrants were also employed and called "free workers" because they were unskilled. Child labor in the factories was not only common, but necessary for a family's income. Children as young as five or six manned machines or did jobs such as sweeping floors to earn money. No laws prevented the factories from using these children, so they continued to do so. These were makeshift construction houses, dirty and unbearably hot.
The United States had the highest job-related fatality rate of any other industrialized nation in the world. Men and women earned twenty to forty percent less than the minimum deemed necessary for a decent life. People lived and worked in unhealthy environments in poverty with little food. The country was growing and its economy was rising, but its people were miserable. The first large national labor organization to become popular was the Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor. It was founded in by garment workers in Philadelphia who believed that one union of skilled and unskilled workers should exist. The union was originally a secret, but later was open to all workers, including blacks, women and farmers. Celebrations were low-key and quiet during the Great Depression , even though membership in labor unions grew.
With the economy fragile and the availability of work limited, workers did not want to risk their jobs. With the start of World War II , industry boomed and the economy recovered, and Labor Day returned to its pre-Depression style of celebration. Southern New Jersey beaches continued to be popular destinations with attractions for the entire family. The Labor Day parade remained a staple of the holiday but changed in scope to become more patriotic and family-oriented while still showing worker solidarity.
Labor Day also changed significantly as the Philadelphia region shifted from production to the service economy, which meant fewer manufacturing jobs but a growing prominence of unions representing government employees, teachers, and others in the public and service sector. Big city parades, whether in Philadelphia or Wilmington, Delaware, did not attract as much attention. The holiday became associated more with commercial sales and end-of-summer rituals than with the interests of labor. During election years, it also signaled the kick-off of political campaigning as candidates participated in Labor Day events to connect with voters. Beginning in , the Made in America music festival on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway became a hallmark event of Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia.
Although union rallies continued to occur, the view of Labor Day as an extended weekend to be spent with family or on the beach remained a mainstay in the region. Author information current at time of publication. Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. Labor Day festivities grew more elaborate in Philadelphia in the s to include increasingly extravagant celebrations, primarily with parades by worker organizations, unions, and fraternal orders. The four young women marching on Christian Street in this image from the Labor Day parade were part of the celebratory color guard for the Quaker City Drum and Bugle Corps, a subgroup of Philadelphia's Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World IBPOEW. The IBPOEW began in as an African American alternative to the racially restrictive Order of Elks.
The Philadelphia IBPOEW Quaker City Lodge began in and accepted thousands of working-class African Americans as members. Members of the Quaker City Lodge and their children participated in the Drum and Bugle Corps, wearing elaborate costumes and performing routines to provoke the crowd's excitement. This view from the Camden side of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge shows vehicles leaving Philadelphia on the Friday before Labor Day in As thousands of families left Pennsylvania for the New Jersey shore, police and rescue workers throughout the Mid-Atlantic came up with a campaign to get people to drive slower. The bridge maintenance workers pictured here warned drivers about the dangers of speeding and gave them a pamphlet containing safety tips for traveling.
Crowds of people opted to leave the city of Philadelphia over the Labor Day weekend to travel to the beaches of New Jersey. For working-class families, the growing availability of mass transit was welcome, with buses providing cheap transportation away from the city and allowing them to travel with more family members than would fit in a single car. Philadelphia's Union Bus Terminal, located on Filbert and Thirteenth Streets, scheduled additional buses to Atlantic City around Labor Day weekend to handle the volume of travelers. Hordes of people, pictured here on the Friday before Labor Day in , stood in lines at the busy terminal, waiting to board and get a step closer to starting their vacations. As the destination for some Labor Day travelers, Atlantic City, New Jersey, offered families the opportunity to enjoy a variety of entertainment.
Pictured here in , the beaches of Atlantic City first became a popular Labor Day playground in the early twentieth century. The number of people lounging on the beach, walking the boardwalk, and riding amusements declined in the s and s, as crime rates increased, other destinations beckoned, and tourism slipped. The legalizing of gambling in the city in led to the construction of new casinos and resorts in Atlantic City, drawing more tourists and more entertainment in casino showrooms. Protests were done and rallies were carried out. It took a long time for the government to make laws against the unjust treatment of the labour class by the industrialists. A special day to celebrate the efforts put in by the labourers was subsequently recognized.
Labour Day is a special day dedicated to the labour class to recognize their hard work and efforts. It is celebrated across the globe in various countries. The history and origin of Labour Day differs in different countries. With the growth of industrialization in Canada towards the end of the 19 th century, the labour class became loaded with work. Their number of working hours and the amount of work increased drastically while their wages continued to be meagre. They were exploited to the core and this exploitation caused a lot of distress among them.
Many of them fell ill due to the constant work load and many even lost their life owing to this reason. In order to raise their voice against this injustice, labourers from different parts of the country joined hands. They carried out various movements against the tyranny of the capitalist class. In Canada, the Labour Day is celebrated on the first Monday of September. The labour class in the country was given its rightful rights after a lot of struggle. A number of movements were carried out in this direction by the labour unions. It was the Toronto Printers Union that demanded lesser working hours in early s.
In March , they went on strike to get their demands fulfilled. They also conducted demonstrations for the rights of the workers. The printing industry in the country suffered immense loss due to this strike. Trade unions were formed in other industries too and soon they all came together to raise their voice against the industrialists. Around 24 leaders were arrested for instigating people to go on strike. Going on strike was an offence at that time. The law did not even allow the formation of trade unions. However, the protests continued and they were soon released. Few months later, similar parade was organised in Ottawa. This forced the government to revise the law against the trade unions. Canadian Labour Congress was eventually formed.
During the late 19 th century, the trade unions in the United States suggested a special day to mark the contribution of the labour class towards the society. The growing exploitation of the labour class in the United States led to the Central Labour Union and Knights of Labours joining hands. Together, they led the first parade that marked a significant movement against the industrialists who were exploiting the labourers by paying them meagre wages and forcing them to work for long hours. The first parade was held in New York City.
Workers from various organizations participated in it to stand for the cause. Their demands were eventually heard. In the year , Labour Day was observed as a public holiday for the first time in Oregon. By as many as 30 states in United States began celebrating Labour Day. The day is celebrated to honour the American Labour Movement. Alternatively, it is said that it was Peter J. McGuire from the American Federation of Labour who first suggested that a special day must be dedicated to the labourers. He came up with the proposal in May after having seen the annual labour festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Just as in Canada, Labour Day in the United States is also celebrated on the 1 st Monday of September each year. Labour Day is a time to relax and rejuvenate. It is also the time to honour those who fought for the rights of the labourers and brought about reforms.
It is only because of the few people who came forward and encouraged others to do so too that the labourers were given their lawful rights. International Labour Day. Slogans on Labour Day. Paragraph on Child Labour. Article on Child Labour. Home Essay Essay on Labour Day. Related Posts.
From the period of organized labor enhanced the position of workers to a certain extent. Organized labor is defined as bunch of workers united as a single who would then bargain with employers to improve economic status and working conditions and through the use of organized labor political standings of workers. Organized labor had a good affect on workers since the hours at work was gradually decreasing due to labor unions while the wages were increasing. Labor groups such as the Knights of Labor and the AFL emerged seeking better rights of labors. The U. S government also passed laws preserving the rights of labors in most cases such as the two Sherman acts that were passed in but other laws passed were used to keep a stable monopoly of railroad transport.
Riots and strikes by labor unions were not a pivotal point to promoting the positions of workers as it actually did the opposite as hoped. Strikes and protests ended up bloody like the Haymarket riot and strike of Working conditions were still unchanged for employees and profits were being brought into employers due to the advancement in technology. Organized labor from improved the positions of workers only to a certain level. In an effort to organize themselves to better their situation, laborers created unions that ultimately proved to be largely ineffective. Among the first to be organized was the Knights of Labor, which was open to all workers, even women. The Knights were poorly organized and lacked a central direction, so it was unsurprising when it declined and then, after a failed strike against Gould railroad, disappeared altogether.
The American Federation of Labor AFL appeared even before the Knights began to decline and became the most important and enduring labor group in the country. It differed from the Knights in that it rejected the idea of one big union for everyone and embraced instead the idea of an association of essentially autonomous craft unions. It also differed in that it represented mainly skilled workers and was generally hostile to the idea of women entering the work force. The AFL supported the immediate objectives of most workers: better wages, hours, and working conditions. It hoped to attain its goals by collective bargaining, but was willing to use strikes if necessary. This willingness to strike resulted in the AFL being associated with radicalism and anarchism, an association that turned public sentiment against it, and doomed the organization to be widely ineffectual.
Militant labor…. Between and , American industry workers experienced both good and hard times. Labor Unions were forming, and these new creations often produced better lives for the workers. However, waves of immigrants were also coming into America, which resulted in the threat of job stability. Labor Unions and Immigration both had momentous effects upon the industry worker, for better or for worse. The labor unions were founded with the goal of helping the wage earners gain power. The two labor unions, The Knights of Labor formed in and the AFL formed in , sought worker rights, better wages, hours, and working conditions during this era.
Although they never achieved the 8 hour workday they did manage to cut the average workday for industrial workers by 30 minutes from to Doc. Due the new inventions industrial jobs that once took three to four hundred skilled workers now required unskilled laborers Doc. Although this new format produced cheaper products, it also transferred even more power to the employers. If an unskilled worker tried to join a union in attempt to better himself he was instantly fired and replaced by the abundant supply of immigrants. The labor unions were far too weak to be able to accomplish the goals they had set out for themselves. Late 19th century America was a time of both industrial prosperity and poverty among workers.
It was run by grasping corporations and proprietors. Workers found themselves alone, amidst the rest of the nation, merely individuals under the control of the lavish Rockefellers and Carnegies. Entire families found themselves working 10 hours a day, 7 days a week in unsanitary conditions just to have enough money to pay for simple necessities like food and rent. The issue of lowering working hours, increasing wages, and humanizing working conditions quickly became indispensable. While organized labor groups such as the National Labor Union, The Knights of Labor, and the American Federation of Labor all strived to resolve these issues, victories were seldom.
The crusade towards organized labor from was unsuccessful in improving the position of workers vastly because of the initial failure of strikes, the grueling feelings of superiority of employers over employees and the lack of support from the government. There were many difficult aspects to being a factory worker. The first was unfair wages. Workers could work eight-hour days and still receive barely a dollar a day. Along with unfair wages were the dangerous conditions. There were thousands of injuries and deaths each year because of the unsafe use of the machinery.
Another problem was child labor. As soon as a child was able to work a certain part of a machine they were sent to work in factory where they could be easily harmed. In response to all of these horrible things labor unions were formed to try and create safer work places. For example, the National Labor Union was formed to unite all the other labor unions, push for an eight-hour workday, and also push for labor reforms. Other labor unions also sprang up, but many did not last long and faded away. Their attempts to better working conditions were somewhat successful, but did not create as much of an effect as was desired.
Between and , there were organized labor forces popping up left and right, and the purpose of all of them was to improve the common workers position. However, few of these unions managed to bring much of a positive change. In this time of rising conflict, many labor unions attempted to speak out and demand better reward. Many of these big name companies dealt with the major manufacturing of goods such as lumber and steel, while many others were more focused on the construction of the railroads that transported these goods or the press that advertised them.
Because businesses were privately owned and singularly managed, there was little to no government attempt at setting up guidelines on how business owners should administer their employees. Taking advantage of the lack of governmental regulations, these businessmen were able to obtain massive amounts of money and power and leave their workers overworked and underpaid. People were earning low wages, which often were barely enough to feed themselves. There was no federal minimum wage, so workers would work for whatever wage they would find.
It was very difficult for them to get a financial foothold and raise themselves out of the working class. In addition to low wages, workers often had very poor working conditions. They had to work in cramped workplaces that were unsanitary and often were fire hazards. In , a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York killed workers. There was only one unlocked stairwell down, and it was engulfed in flames. Workers crammed into the elevator, or tried to escape to the roof. Not only was the building not well equipped for people escaping a fire, but the emergency services were not ready for the catastrophe they had to deal with. The conditions suffered by these workers were unjust, and would not be solved completely until much….
Labour Day, a day of celebration and collection for workers, their families, and communities. This movement started as a response to demands from the skilled workforce for public recognition of organized labour and its crucial role in society. Labour Day started as an important day of celebration for the vast variety of skilled workers, but because of the economic changes in Canada and the negative effects of the second industrial revolution its importance has diminished over time. Popular labor unions of this period included the National Labor Union, founded in ; the Knights of Labor, founded as a secret society in , becoming open to the public in ; and the American Federation of Labor, founded in While they all wished to arrive at the same conclusion the unions had different ideas of the best way to reach that point; for example, the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor had nearly opposite stances.
Under Terence V. Powderly, the Knights of Labor sought to reform by means of negotiating rather than strikes, not to say that some branches of this loosely organized group did not resort to such measure; but the AF of L, with Samuel Gompers as their leader, believed that without some occasional strong action that no change would be made and that all benefits would be reaped by the employer, leaving the laborer with no improvements Document I. The American Federation of Labor also differed from some labor unions in the fact that it solely focused on feasible economic goals and was an organization of craft…. Across the united States, there was a rise of big business and corporations during the period of time between the American Civil War and World War I, or the Gilded Age.
The growth of labor and corporations continuously changed the balance between economic and political power within the government, as well as within corporations. This change in the economy was accompanied by a conflict between the employers and the employees. The employers would not give their workers the rights that they had deserved. This led to the creation of labor organizations which is an organization of people who work in the same skilled occupation who act together in strikes and protests to achieve better pay, shorter hours, and safer worker conditions. The unfair and…. In , United States census records counted at least 1. Many others may not have been reported. Most child laborers worked in agriculture, but many children did domestic work such as preserving food, taking care of children, cooking, and cleaning while others were employed in industrial situations most commonly in the glass and textile industries, as well as mining History of Child Labor; Credoreference.
Living in the new industrial cities often meant settling for poor housing, sometimes with little heat and no sanitation. Factories offered jobs, but the pay was low, the hours were long, and the work was back-breaking and often dangerous. Many jobs involved rigid and monotonous routines amid smoke and deafening noise; moreover, supervisors closely monitored their workers and tolerated no complaint. In short, companies treated workers—especially immigrants, who spoke little English—as little more than muscle power. Because they needed wages to live, and because they were not organized to demand better working conditions, workers had little choice but to take whatever work they could find. Most of [the immigrant workers] who came to the United States to pursue their dreams found that life was far from easy.
As factories began to take over cities, more and more men, women, and children rushed to get jobs. However, as seen in Document C, not all factories were the best environment, especially for children. As stated in the document, these jobs were counter-productive to the healthy growth of children under the age of sixteen. As stated in Document B, the conditions in many factories were quite unsanitary and often led to disease not just for the workers, but also for the consumers of the product. Factories were also a dangerous environment. For example, it was very easy for a machine worker to lose fingers and sometimes even limbs.
These conditions, along with long unfair hours would prove to be too much for workers and often led to strikes. HOME ESSAYS Labor Day. Labor Day Good Essays. Open Document. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality.
Labor Day Essay,The Elephant
WebAug 25, · In most countries, Labor Day is known officially as International Workers’ Day. It isn’t in September, though. It’s on May 1, which is why it’s also referred to, in WebEssay. Introduction: A special day devoted to workers and working-class people, Labor Day (or May Day), is a public holiday in most countries. In more than 80 countries, it is WebLabor Day is a dedication to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national acknowledgment to the contributions that workers have WebThe first celebration of Labor Day occurred in New York City on September 5, , when an estimated 10, garment workers held a parade that ended in a picnic with labor WebNov 18, · Labor Day is a dedication to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national acknowledgment to the contributions ... read more
Processions are also carried out to demonstrate that the labourers stand united and will not tolerate any unreasonable demand by the capitalists. The goal was to have better wages, safe working conditions, and reasonable working hours. The labour class in the country was given its rightful rights after a lot of struggle. The AF of L was a conglomeration of twenty-five unions that included three hundred thousand workers working for increasing wages, reducing hours, and improving working conditions. Though the history and origin of Labour Day differs in different countries however the main reason behind it remains the same and that is unfair treatment of the labour class. Though, the exploitation of the labour class by the Capitalists was always evident no one took action against it.
The Labor Day parade remained a staple of the holiday but changed in scope to become more patriotic and family-oriented while still showing worker solidarity. In an effort to organize themselves to better their situation, laborers created unions that ultimately proved to be largely ineffective, labor day essay. Groff for the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. With the economy labor day essay and the availability of work limited, workers did not want to risk their jobs. From the period of organized labor enhanced the position of workers to a certain extent. Popular labor unions of this period included the National Labor Union, founded in ; the Knights of Labor, labor day essay, founded as a secret society inbecoming open to the public in ; and the American Federation of Labor, founded in This change in the economy was accompanied by a conflict between the employers and the employees.
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