Local 5094 Members: Labor Day

Ah, Labor Day. A day off to celebrate our hard work all year round, complete with barbecues, parades, and the shore. We owe it to ourselves to have this holiday of rest, and we also owe it to our predecessors to educate ourselves on the history of Labor Day.

When did Labor Day become a holiday?

Labor Day was first celebrated in 1882, as 10,000 workers in New York City marched from City Hall to 42nd Street to express their discontent with their employment. In the years following this inaugural Labor Day celebration, its popularity grew, leading to more and more cities and people celebrating the labor movement and agitating against corrupt management. Despite this growing popularity, Labor Day was not declared a national holiday until 1894.

Why 1894?

1894 was a pivotal year for the US Labor Movement.

On May 1st, May Day riots happened in Cleveland.

On May 11th, Pullman Palace Car Company workers went on strike, followed by the American Railroad Union, shutting down mass transit in Chicago. The president at the time, Grover Cleveland, responded by sending in troops to meet the strikers, ultimately resulting in killings and more uprisings. Eugene Debs, founder of the American Railroad Union, was imprisoned for his role in the strikes and the strike was extinguished in June.

As a result of these events and public pressure, on June 28th, 1894, Grover Cleveland declared the first Monday in September a federal holiday to appease the labor movement of the United States.

Now, as we celebrate with our ice cold drinks and delicious burgers, let us remember the sacrifices of those who fought, some to the death, for workers’ rights and granted us this holiday.

In solidarity,

HPAE Local 5094 Communications Committee