PMTvoice

It didn’t seem appropriate to me to entitle this particular history post,     “Odd History.” Labor Day isn’t odd. It’s been an American tradition since 1882, when it was first celebrated. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, some records reveal that “Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder 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.’” There’s absolutely nothing odd about honoring the working men and women of this country. Thank you American workers, for putting forth a team effort to build this country into the greatest country on the face of the earth.

Labor Day didn’t start as a government sanctioned holiday. It was first organized by the Central Labor Union in New York City. The CLU adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic. There’s debate whether it was Peter McGuire who first introduced the idea, or Matthew Maguire, the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J. Regardless of which gentleman it was, June 28, 1894 Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

According to the US Department of Labor, the first proposal for the holiday outlined that it should be “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.’”

To this day, we see street parades, and “recreation and amusement of the workers.” To celebrate the day and recognize the hard work of Labor families in this country, I will be relaxing with family and friends at a cabin in southern Michigan. We plan on boating, grilling, and relaxing. Hurrah for Labor Day!

On behalf of CMC Group, Inc., I’d like to thank the working men and women of the companies in our group for all of their labor. Laborers are the ones that keep this country going. Our hats off to you!