OT: The origin and history of Labor Day

For all you guys who work, have a great day, we earned it.

And for once, I aint working on labor day.

Here's to the Boeing machinists, I hope you put the dirty bastards in the
dumper.

<klink>

****************************
Labor Day: How it Came About; What it Means


"Labor Day differs in every essential way from the other holidays of the
year in any country," said Samuel Gompers, founder and longtime president of
the American Federation of Labor. "All other holidays are in a more or less
degree connected with conflicts and battles of man's prowess over man, of
strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one nation
over another. Labor Day...is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect,
race, or nation."
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor
movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of
American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the
contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being
of our country.
Founder of Labor Day


More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there is still
some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.
Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the
Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American
Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from
rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."
But Peter McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged.
Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded
the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew
Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association
of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving
as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that
the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a
committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.
The First Labor Day


The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in
New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The
Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on
September 5, 1883.
In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as
originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations
in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a
"workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of
labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial
centers of the country.
Labor Day Legislation


Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. The
first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed
during 1885 and 1886. From them developed the movement to secure state
legislation. The first state bill was introduced into the New York
legislature, but the first to become law was passed by Oregon on February
21, 1887. During the year four more states - Colorado, Massachusetts, New
Jersey, and New York - created the Labor Day holiday by legislative
enactment. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania
had followed suit. By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor
of workers, and on June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the
first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of
Columbia and the territories.
A Nationwide Holiday


The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take were
outlined in the first proposal of the holiday - a street parade to exhibit
to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor
organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation
and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for
the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were
introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic
significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American
Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was
adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational
aspects of the labor movement.
The character of the Labor Day celebration has undergone a change in recent
years, especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge
parades have proved a problem. This change, however, is more a shift in
emphasis and medium of expression. Labor Day addresses by leading union
officials, industrialists, educators, clerics and government officials are
given wide coverage in newspapers, radio, and television.
The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living
and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us
closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and
political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay
tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength,
freedom, and leadership - the American worker.

Scott wrote:

> "Labor Day differs in every essential way from the other holidays of the
> year in any country," said Samuel Gompers, founder and longtime president of
> the American Federation of Labor. "All other holidays are in a more or less
> degree connected with conflicts and battles of man's prowess over man, of
> strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one nation
> over another. Labor Day...is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect,
> race, or nation."
> Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor
> movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of
> American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the
> contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being
> of our country.

Sounds about right - the workers get one day a year, those who own the
means of production get the other 364. Ain't capitalism great!



(Joke, OK, look, smiley ---->


--
"A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of
the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." - Thomas
Jefferson

"BarryNL" <n@n.nl> wrote in message
news:431cbc10$0$11069$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl...
> Scott wrote:
>
> > "Labor Day differs in every essential way from the other holidays of the
> > year in any country," said Samuel Gompers, founder and longtime
president of
> > the American Federation of Labor. "All other holidays are in a more or
less
> > degree connected with conflicts and battles of man's prowess over man,
of
> > strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one
nation
> > over another. Labor Day...is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no
sect,
> > race, or nation."
> > Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor
> > movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of
> > American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the
> > contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and
well-being
> > of our country.
>
> Sounds about right - the workers get one day a year, those who own the
> means of production get the other 364. Ain't capitalism great!

Yes, yes it is.

>
>
>
> (Joke, OK, look, smiley ---->



>
>
> --
> "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of
> the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." - Thomas
> Jefferson

Dennis

"Scott" <pugetsounddiver@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Here's to the Boeing machinists, I hope you put the dirty bastards
> in the dumper.


And we wonder why our manufacturing jobs are going offshore.



-hh

H Huntzinger wrote:
> "Scott" <pugetsounddiver@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>Here's to the Boeing machinists, I hope you put the dirty bastards
>>in the dumper.
>
>
>
> And we wonder why our manufacturing jobs are going offshore.

Erm, people who will work for $2 a day? (and consumers who will happily
buy stuff made by people for $2/day). Maybe you should be protesting
against Nike instead of Boeing machinists.


(Here we go again...)

--
The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well
as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets,
and to steal bread. - Anatole France.

"H Huntzinger" <{NOSPAM-rm_to_reply}rec-scuba2005@huntzinger.com> wrote in
message
news:{NOSPAM-rm_to_reply}rec-scuba2005-A79DCA.07101106092005@news.isp.gigane
ws.com...
> "Scott" <pugetsounddiver@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Here's to the Boeing machinists, I hope you put the dirty bastards
> > in the dumper.
>
>
> And we wonder why our manufacturing jobs are going offshore.

Do you have a pension plan and health insurance?

Maybe you can explain why machinists shouldnt.

"BarryNL" <no@spam.com> wrote in message
news:431d7fe3$0$11064$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl...
> H Huntzinger wrote:
> > "Scott" <pugetsounddiver@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >>Here's to the Boeing machinists, I hope you put the dirty bastards
> >>in the dumper.
> >
> >
> >
> > And we wonder why our manufacturing jobs are going offshore.
>
> Erm, people who will work for $2 a day? (and consumers who will happily
> buy stuff made by people for $2/day). Maybe you should be protesting
> against Nike instead of Boeing machinists.

And Hugh's point when right over your head.

"Scott" wrote in message news:EDhTe.2$a17.689@news.uswest.net...
> Do you have a pension plan and health insurance?
>
> Maybe you can explain why machinists shouldnt.

Just curious... What are these machinists making per hour? Is it possible
that the rate is set at a level that would be appropriate for them to be
handling their own retirement and health insurance?

"Grumman-581" <grumman(five)(eight)(one)@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:P7jTe.228642$0f.14832@tornado.texas.rr.com...
> "Scott" wrote in message news:EDhTe.2$a17.689@news.uswest.net...
> > Do you have a pension plan and health insurance?
> >
> > Maybe you can explain why machinists shouldnt.
>
> Just curious... What are these machinists making per hour? Is it possible
> that the rate is set at a level that would be appropriate for them to be
> handling their own retirement and health insurance?

Top wage is $28 an hour.

The issue is that Boeing and its stock holders are simply greedy bastards.

Boeing has exploited everything and everyone, and what they are doing, or
trying to do is simple corporate greed.

*****************************************
Machinists Strike Boeing for Penions and Healthcare

SEATTLE, WA, SEPT. 1: Machinists union members voted overwhelmingly by 86
percent tonight to strike Boeing at 12:01 a.m. Friday over issues of
pensions, health care and job security.

Picket lines will go up at the world's largest airplane maker at 12:01 a.m.
Friday. The IAM represents 18,400 members at Boeing plants in Washington,
Kansas and Oregon.

"This strike is not about economics, but a corporate strategy to break the
workers who have built this Company. There is no reason for any takeaways in
this round of bargaining, and the contract is filled with them," said Mark
Blondin, President of Machinists District 751. "The economic and benefit
package is less than what was offered in 2002, even though Boeing profits
have tripled in the last three years."

The Union had three top issues and Boeing refused to address any of them. On
our top issue of pension, the $6 increase is the lowest percentage increase
since the plan was established in 1955.

In health care, Boeing proposed huge takeways with monthly premiums nearly
three times higher, as well as increased co-pays and deductibles.

Boeing refused to offer any sort of job security language despite increased
orders and production rates projected well beyond this contract and instead
offered language to eliminate more jobs.

There are takeaways throughout the offer such as:

Eliminating retiree medical for new hires
Cutting Wichita out of the economic package
Multiple machine operation to cut out three of four jobs
Reducing medical benefits after layoff from six months to three months

"This is the same fight all across America to maintain the standard of
living for working families who generate the profits for the corporate
elite. Those at the top are not giving back and neither should our members,"
stated Blondin. "Boeing refused to bargain fairly about our needs and,
instead, threw money hoping to buy their workers with cash incentives. Our
members showed they have true ethics and integrity by rejecting this offer."

"This strike did not have to occur. We made our top issues clear months ago
and simply asked Boeing to do the right thing for their workforce. What they
offered was dead wrong. The Union is ready to sit down and negotiate a fair
agreement at any time and any place, as soon as Boeing is ready to do the
right thing and address our members' issues. Until then, our members will be
on the picket lines, and Boeing won't have any planes to deliver. For how
long, depends entirely on Boeing," Blondin added.

For more information, go to www.iam751.org.

Scott wrote:
> "Grumman-581" <grumman(five)(eight)(one)@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:P7jTe.228642$0f.14832@tornado.texas.rr.com...
>
>>"Scott" wrote in message news:EDhTe.2$a17.689@news.uswest.net...
>>
>>>Do you have a pension plan and health insurance?
>>>
>>>Maybe you can explain why machinists shouldnt.
>>
>>Just curious... What are these machinists making per hour? Is it possible
>>that the rate is set at a level that would be appropriate for them to be
>>handling their own retirement and health insurance?
>
>
> Top wage is $28 an hour.
>
> The issue is that Boeing and its stock holders are simply greedy bastards.
>
> Boeing has exploited everything and everyone, and what they are doing, or
> trying to do is simple corporate greed.
>


Boeing the corporation has a responsibility to it's shareholders, the
investors in the company. Workers are just an asset, and if the job can
be done cheaper and make more profits for the shareholders that is the
way the system works. If the workers want a greater say in the operation
they should invest in the company. The adversarial system in labor
disputes seems to be able to find some level of compromise, between
management and labor.

John