Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September. It is a day to honor the contributions of workers to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country.
The history of Labor Day can be traced back to the late 19th century, when the labor movement was gaining momentum in the United States. In 1882, the Knights of Labor, a national labor union, proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate the achievements of workers. The following year, the American Federation of Labor (AFL), another national labor union, adopted the proposal and began lobbying Congress to make it a national holiday.
In 1887, President Grover Cleveland signed into law an act making Labor Day a national holiday. The first Labor Day was celebrated on September 5th, 1887.
Labor Day is a day for all Americans to celebrate the contributions of workers and to reflect on the importance of economic justice. It is also a day to recommit ourselves to fighting for the rights of all workers. At Just Economics we ask our community to both celebrate the past and present victories for working people and to engage in local efforts to create more just and sustainable workplaces in Western North Carolina and beyond.
In Buncombe County, we face the highest cost of living in the state yet we do not have wages that compete with other metro areas in North Carolina. As a “Right to Work” state with “Fire At Will” laws, workers have few outlets to advocate for themselves.
One way to engage in local efforts to support working people is to support public policy efforts that positively impact workers. For example, the federal minimum wage has not been raised since 2009 and it is currently $7.25 per hour. This is not enough to live on anywhere in the country and certainly not here in Western North Carolina. While 29 other states have a higher minimum wage than the federal, North Carolina is not one of them.
Raising the minimum wage would boost the economy and help to reduce poverty. Studies have shown that raising the minimum wage would lead to increased consumer spending, which would in turn create jobs and boost economic growth. Raising the minimum wage would also help to reduce poverty, as it would put more money in the pockets of low-wage workers.
Another way we can support workers this Labor Day is by advocating for quality of life policies such as paid family leave and paid sick days for all workers. Paid family leave and paid sick days are essential benefits that should be available to workers in every industry. These benefits promote a happier, healthier workplace and lead to longevity of employees.
When employees have access to paid family leave, they can take time off to care for a new child, a sick family member, or an aging parent without worrying about losing their job or income. This can reduce stress and improve the overall well-being of employees and their families.
Paid sick days also provide important benefits for employees and employers. When employees have paid sick days, they can stay home when they are sick without fear of losing their job or pay. This can help to prevent the spread of illness in the workplace and improve productivity. Additionally, paid sick days can help to reduce absenteeism and turnover, which can save employers money.
Locally, Just Economics has been advocating that local municipalities and counties pay a living wage to their workers. We have also worked alongside Asheville firefighters for an hourly living wage and we have supported the efforts of the local chapter of the North Carolina Association of Educators in advocating that Buncombe County increase their public schools supplement to help pay education staff a living wage.
This Labor Day, we are in the midst of a major election cycle and voicing our support of worker justice issues can help to elevate the dialogue about these important worker friendly policies.
In addition to supporting worker-friendly public policy, we can show support for local workers this Labor Day weekend and beyond in a variety of ways including supporting CWA workers on strike, supporting Mission Nurses in their negotiations with HCA as they face a potential strike, learning more about local worker justice campaigns and sharing social media content uplifting the plight of workers.
Labor Day is a day to celebrate the contributions of workers and to commit to advancing economic justice. Here in Western North Carolina we have a lot to celebrate and a lot to continue to fight for. Join us!
