Happy Worker's Day

The summer is about to be officially over (not that you could tell from the temperatures in Kansas City).  Swimming pools will soon be closing however, most of the kids are already back at school (and the rest soon will be), and along with the rest of the nation I find that I am more than ready for a three-day weekend to let off a little steam.

In my own case, it might have something to do with having begun my week by traveling last Sunday and having labored a considerable (and perhaps inordinate) number of hours training for my chosen profession.  The fact that such efforts may well be in vain (something to do with old dogs and new tricks that I seem unable to recall in my depleted physical and mental condition) has nothing to do with the honest effort expended by such exertion.  I find however that my well-deserved bit of rest has been ruined by by the holiday that in title at least celebrates such efforts, Labor Day.  

For it seems as though the extended weekend we get away from our jobs cannot even manage to rise to the level of carrying the stigma of being a Hallmark Holiday.  We cannot even happily revel in rampant consumerism, safe in the knowledge that the increasing credit card debt we saddle ourselves with will put money back into the economy in more direct way than the food stamps or unemployment benefits that the government apparently prefers.  Instead, we will have to grudgingly accept that whatever merrymaking we choose to participate in will in fact celebrate the labor movement in this country.  

Don't get me wrong, there was a time in this country when such a movement was perhaps necessary.  People often worked too many hours and in conditions that would be considered unsafe by any standards today; but unlike the long weekend that I at least need, that time has long passed.  Legislators and government regulators have long since stepped in to insure that citizens are protected, producing as many positives as negatives in their often misguided efforts to correct past ills.  Even without organized labor as a force in this country, it hardly seems possible that evil corporations could have their evil way with their workforce ... even in Right to Work States.

The impetus for the festivities this weekend therefore, is little more to me than a reminder that another President (Grover Cleveland) once attempted to placate organized labor with a national holiday after using government troops during a strike back in 1894.  And since the current Administration seems to use its bureaucratic thugs on employers rather than employees, the holiday seems more like a hollow remnant that does little more than highlight the sorry state of jobs in this country.  

The numbers have only gotten worse since I wrote about this back in January of 2010, with employment (or more accurately unemployment) still the largest problem that this nation faces.  And while Union jobs are a small percentage of the entire workforce, the growth of high paying, union-protected government jobs seems to be the only employment expansion going on.  This not only highlights the astonishing incursion of that government and its minions into the present and future in this country, but the control of organized labor in today's government.  And it is that very incursion that perhaps most contributes to the stagnation; both in terms of growing the economy and restraining the runaway spending that plagues government.  A government that pays more to its own unionized staff than the private sector does (or can afford to), while imposing its will upon private corporations has done nothing to promote growth or alleviate the current malaise.

A willingness to gift large parts of GM and Chrysler to their Unions, ignoring the limitations of the Constitution and legal traditions regarding preferred debtors, and the nonsensical interference with Boeing's attempts to build production lines where it wants to cannot help but make one wonder who is indeed in control of policy in Washington itself.  And while there has always been a fear of government and religion having far too cozy a relationship, one cannot help but wonder instead if equal or greater concern should be directed at the affinity of the labor movement with those in power these days.  

Celebrating the labor movement in this country hardly seems patriotic, though it could be considered politically expedient.  Certainly, labor unions are seen by as  large contributors and equally large voting blocks by those running for elected office these days; and not to be trifled with.  The influence of labor leaders over policy and legislation is often far greater than their actual numbers would seem to justify as a consequence. Perhaps then, it's long past time that the unrecognized leverage of Unions took its place along with corrupt lobbyists and evil corporations as an unhealthy influence on the direction in which the ship of state sails.

Now as luck would have it, the KC Irishfest is going on this weekend.  I am determined to attend at least one day of these festivities (and perhaps even tip back a pint or two).  I refuse however to acknowledge the motivation for the holiday that it falls within.  So it is with truly mixed feeling that I wish you what I choose instead to call a "Happy Workers Day".   

Labor Day Conflict

I had been putting forth considerable effort in the last week in training for a new career, so I was more than little grateful yesterday with the realization that there would be a three day weekend to recharge my batteries. (I was also feeling a little smug over the timing of this mini vacation, in spite of the fact that I had little or nothing to do with it.) 


Recognizing that 'there is no such thing as a free lunch' however, I could not help but realize that there would invariably be a price to pay for the fortunate circumstance of my first paid work holiday. The bill didn't take long to show up. You see, the joy of this short furlough from my labors made me curious as to their cause (and curiosity is normally a dangerous thing). 


As with I am sure many of you out there, I had long taken the concept of a "Labor Day" weekend for granted. As kids, Labor Day traditionally marked the end of summer vacation and the beginning of school. While schools around the country can now begin a little earlier or later depending on the vagaries of state attendance requirements (and since most of those in government education camps are no longer required to work the harvest with their parents), the necessity of reducing the costs of climate control for their buildings, and the prognostications of weather guessers as to how many bad weather days will be required during the school year; most openings still closely mirror in some way this three day weekend. 


It is also the traditional weekend for the closing of outdoor swimming pools in much of the country, in spite of the fact that often there is still plenty of warm weather to follow. Like the opening of school, this was a heartfelt tragedy of youth for many of us, as swimming pools were both a source of entertainment and a summer refuge for many us. As we grew older, these sites even became educational; as we gradually began to recognize the necessity social networking (though we just called it 'hanging out with our friends' at the time) and the increasing hormonal challenges that were eventually presented by a burgeoning maturity. I had never bothered then, nor do I recollect ever being taught at the time, what it was that the actual holiday symbolized. 


Having opened this Pandora's Box however, I was now bound to perform the research (and write about it). Now according to the definitive (but sometimes questionable) source Wikipedia, Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894, with legislation rushed through Congress a mere six days after the ending of the Pullman Strike (back when Congress didn't rush most of the legislation that it writes through). 


The idea apparently was to create a holiday as a peace offering to labor unions that had suffered mistreatment and death at the hands of the military and US Marshalls during this strike. The September date was chosen apparently, in order to prevent potential confusion with the May Day (or International Workers Day) celebrations; which not only carried overt Communist connotations, but carried the additional baggage of commemorating the violence that erupted during yet another labor strike and demonstration, the Haymarket Affair of 1886. 


The bottom line here apparently, is that the holiday that we are all currently enjoying was manufactured by the federal government as a way of distancing itself from the abuse that it had committed in the name of, and as a small punishment to the 'big business' interests that it far too often finds itself under the thumb of. It was likewise seen as a sop to the labor movement in this country that it alternately and frequently finds itself in the same position with. (This is the kind of distasteful and tainted process that makes Hallmark's avaricious efforts at holiday creation seem almost saintly by comparison.) 


Now I have made no secret of my opinions of the labor movement in the past, but one cannot help but concede at least a modicum of sympathy to union labor in this case. While I am sure that not all of the actions perpetrated by striking workers were laudable and that a close examination of the facts at the time would find plenty of fodder for recriminations on both sides, one cannot help but be sympathetic (and even to admire) those willing to be injured or even killed while standing up for their beliefs and what they felt were their rights. 


Much like the contention from which it was born, I cannot help but feel conflicting emotions as I enjoy the rest and respite provided as a result of this Labor Day holiday. While certainly appreciative of the short breather provided by this holiday, I am disdainful of the concept of celebrating organized labor at a time when we force two of what are considered this country's most famous presidents to share a holiday. While I am more than willing to accept the temporary ease provided to write this piece, I must admit to feelings of remorse at its source. 


Perhaps I should instead acknowledge the guilty pleasure of an unasked for gift from the hands of my oft-stated enemy, accept it as a form of absolution for the embarrassed confession that I make here, and simply enjoy what promises to be a gorgeous weekend here in the Kansas City area. Then again, that might be doing too much work ...