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A day to remember the working man

2 min read

The U.S. Department of Labor sums up the observance of Labor Day succinctly.

Celebrated the first Monday of September, the holiday now more than 100 years old 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.”

Indeed.

While we do not subscribe to the tenet that no man achieves anything on his own – individual accomplishment and achievement are absolutely real and to be commended – the efforts of the working man and woman are, well, as American as the apple pie they bake, the Chevy they build, and the flag they sew.

Times are tough for workers these days.

Unemployment numbers continue at record highs, full-time employment with benefits remains hard to come by, and recent college grads, even those with “marketable” degrees in such things as business, nursing and law, are having difficulty finding work.

It is gratifying to see that finally – finally – there is some recognition that it is the economy, after all, that is America’s greatest challenge and that putting people back to work should be a primary goal.

To labor.

It is we who made American great.

And it is we who are the key to our country’s recovery.

Hope everyone had a safe and happy Labor Day weekend. May next year’s holiday -and the next, and the next- be marked with more employment opportunities, a much healthier job market, and an economy on the upswing for us all.

– Observer editorial