I used to view Unions as 'special interests' who were only about getting their members unjustified high wages - basically, more harm than good.
After learning more about the history of the 'labor movement' in the US - how a society of serfs becomes a society with a strong middle class - I was amazed that this important part of our history is practically ignored in our schools' history classes. It's a remarkable history of workers developing grass-roots movements and often bravely fighting - and being shot - for core rights we take for granted today across the political spectrum.
There's a real education to be had about not only labor, but democracy and what's needed for people to protect their rights against overpowered elites.
In honor of the holiday, I'd suggest people do some reading on the history if they're not aware of it.
I don't have too many specific references handy for a good overview now, but if you want some flavor with anecdotal stories, Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States" has some great stories. Unions have declined to a fraction of their peak, and 80% of Americans on the bottom get 0% of the nation's economic growth over the last 30 years (since Reagan), unprecedented - it's an education people need to keep the US a place where poor and rich alike prosper, in the times of global competition, etc.
Happy Labor Day - a holiday I don't think would have a chance of getting passed today.
After learning more about the history of the 'labor movement' in the US - how a society of serfs becomes a society with a strong middle class - I was amazed that this important part of our history is practically ignored in our schools' history classes. It's a remarkable history of workers developing grass-roots movements and often bravely fighting - and being shot - for core rights we take for granted today across the political spectrum.
There's a real education to be had about not only labor, but democracy and what's needed for people to protect their rights against overpowered elites.
In honor of the holiday, I'd suggest people do some reading on the history if they're not aware of it.
I don't have too many specific references handy for a good overview now, but if you want some flavor with anecdotal stories, Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States" has some great stories. Unions have declined to a fraction of their peak, and 80% of Americans on the bottom get 0% of the nation's economic growth over the last 30 years (since Reagan), unprecedented - it's an education people need to keep the US a place where poor and rich alike prosper, in the times of global competition, etc.
Happy Labor Day - a holiday I don't think would have a chance of getting passed today.