On Labor Day, Remember How Much We Owe to Unionism

The labor movement in America is a story imbued with the sweat, blood, hope, and sacrifice of average folks—a testament to the belief that dignity and security are rights owed to every worker, not privileges bestowed on a lucky few. At times, the path has been tumultuous and marked by fierce struggles and wrenching sacrifices, but the impacts of organized labor endure in the core economic securities Americans cherish today.

From amidst the toxic smogs of the 19th century, factories churned out consumer and industrial goods by consuming the health and lives of working men, women, and even children. Days stretched fourteen hours or more, pay was meager, and safety was an afterthought. Early unions—the Knights of Labor, the American Federation of Labor—emerged not simply to negotiate salaries but to challenge the basic structures that relegated workers to hardship. Their strikes and protests demanded reasonable hours, fair wages, and safety and health standards so that a worker could return home with pride and health intact.

The labor movement’s greatest victories are etched in legislation that transformed life in America. The passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938, capping the week at forty hours and instituting the minimum wage, was not just a bureaucratic change but a moral one. Weekend rest, once a distant dream, became a staple of American life. Unions secured workplace safety standards, pushing for the Occupational Safety and Health Act, so factory floors became less perilous and mines less deadly.

Through the labor movement’s tenacity, child labor was abolished, overtime became a right, not a reward, and retirement was safeguarded through Social Security and pensions negotiated in union contracts. Each win rippled outward through the entire economy, benefiting not only union members but all workers—the union wage effect raised standards for everyone, union and non-union alike.

The American labor movement forged unity in the face of great adversity and hostility, banding together across ethnicities, genders, and geographies, often in defiance of the law and official and non-official violence. Pullman porters, garment workers, steelworkers—each endured hardships, sometimes sacrificing livelihoods or lives, but persevered with hope for a better tomorrow for us all. The stories of legendary leaders like Mother Jones and Cesar Chavez are iconic: they inspired generations, giving voice to the voiceless and channeling resistance into progress.

So many of the benefits that workers enjoy today—living wages, health care benefits, paid leave—flow directly from union-led demands and the labor movement’s refusal to yield. The right to organize reshaped the American economy, turning jobs into careers and factories into communities. Retirement with dignity, family-supporting jobs, health insurance, and the prospect of home ownership: these are American milestones the labor movement brought within reach for millions. We still have far to go to secure such benefits for all workers and all citizens, and only unionism and organizing in the workplace and in politics will take us forward.

In moments of economic turbulence, such as today as a lawless President seeks to undermine the economic security of Americans, it is the structures built by unions that help the American people build shelter against the coming storm. Collective bargaining is a shield against corporate and government excesses, the sword of law in our hands, and the bulwarks behind which we gather for the fight. The labor movement’s triumphs remind us that progress is forged through sacrifice, solidarity, and unyielding faith in our fellow Americans.

Labor Day is not merely a holiday—it is a living monument to the courage and conviction of American workers. It honors those whose struggles gave rise to the economic security and freedoms adored today. Remembering the labor movement is remembering that the pursuit of justice for workers led—to not just better jobs—but to a better nation.

Hold unionism and solidarity in your heart today, along with the overwhelming majority of Americans who work a job for a living; Americans have weathered far greater storms than a wanna-be king and his fascist lickspittles seeking to strip us of our freedom. We have always defeated attempted tyranny, in government and in industry, and we will prevail again – in union with our fellow Americans.

Have a wonderful and restful Labor Day – brought to you through the tenacity and grit of generations of heroic American working families.