Labor Day 2012--Lest we Forget

The Labor Day Weekend is not just about beer and barbeques.

Although my friends know that I actually am quite fond of each, during the Labor Day weekend I often find myself rather sad and frustrated by how little attention is paid to the history of this celebration or it's meaning.

It also generally falls within days of the anniversary of my dad's birthday. Perhaps, that accounts for some of the sadness.

In the 60's back when organized labor still a vital force in this country, my dad, Fred Smith, known as Smitty (and in his later years as Pappy) to his friends and family, organized a UAW local in the factory where he worked and became it's first president.  One of his favorite stories back when I was growing up was about his involvement in the Longshoreman's Strike of 1934 in an era when the Unions made tremendous strides and gave common working people some degree of power in this country.  It was intense.  At one point he had to dive behind a stack of shipping pallets with National Guard bullets whizzing around him.

Nowadays, after decades of corporate and conservative foundation dollars being spent to fund anti-union propaganda and slick teams of lawyers, it seems many folks won't even take the risk of a boss being a bit bent out of shape with them for considering signing a union authorization card.  If they only knew. 

Many of the privileges and rights we enjoy today and take for granted were the result of years of struggle.  Countless people died in the effort to curb the unlimited power of the "owning class" over the workers whose daily efforts actually were the source of the wealth.  The eight hour day, the 40  hour work week, the paid vacation, paid sick leave, workman's compensation, unemployment insurance? It took massive strikes and rallies, as well as concerted legislative and electoral campaigns over the course of decades to accomplish all that.

If you've been paying attention, you'll notice that for the past several decades there has been a concerted effort to destroy the unions and return us to the days of "laissez-faire" capitalism. The recent Republican attacks on public employee unions is only the latest effort in a concerted strategy.

So beyond enjoying the beer and barbeques, this Labor Day it might be a good thing to take some time to remember the heroic efforts made by millions of people over the years in the struggle, the immense contributions that organized labor has made to our way of life.  Take some time to consider what you might be able to do to strengthen the union movement.  Without a seat at the table, the folks who actually work for a living, who actually produce the goods, and provide the services are left with the crumbs.