A lot of hard work went into Labor Day

As is traditional for the first week of September, Labor Day will be observed on Monday. For most, that means a three-day weekend and celebrations that mark the unofficial end of summer.

It is a time for backyard barbecues, a final summer camping trip, or maybe a visit to the Alaska State Fair, before thoughts turn to the new school year and getting ready for winter.

Labor Day’s roots are traced to the late 19^th century. So it is easy for a 21^st century society to take for granted the significance of the day, which came to be as a celebration of working people and the profound impact they had on the rise of American prosperity and greatness.

The Industrial Revolution built a solid foundation for the American economy. But it also produced dramatic income inequality.

Great wealth was amassed by the few who controlled the capital in this emergent manufacturing economy. While the many who provided the labor necessary to keep the wheels of production turning knew only the hardships of poverty.

The squalor and oppressive working conditions of this newly industrialized country eventually gave birth to positive change for a burgeoning working class. Workers became aware of their collective strength and realized they did not have to simply accept working in dangerous workplaces seven days a week for pennies an hour.

By the late 19^th century, the union movement was in fast forward, fighting to change these conditions. Over time, wages and workplace safety increased, and the work week decreased.

The 40-hour week most of us enjoy today, along extra pay for overtime, paid vacations, retirement plans and health benefits are all contributions of the union movement. The great expansion of the U.S. economy after World War II and the rise of a vibrant middle class would not have been possible with working people, whose labor produced the highest standard of living and production capacity ever seen.

The collective strength of labor forced important legislation, too. The National Labor Relations Act, Social Security Act, Unemployment Insurance Act, and Fair Labor Standards Act all provide necessary protections and establish fundamental worker rights that many take for granted today. Additionally, unions also worked to ensure passage of the Civil Rights Act, the Medicare Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act and the establishment of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

So this weekend, please remember the American worker and the vitality of labor. Without them, our extraordinary national prosperity would not be possible.