Labor Day is often considered the unofficial end of summer in the United States. While the official end of summer is marked by the autumnal equinox on September 22, Labor Day weekend is typically seen as the last big celebration of the season. Many people take advantage of the long weekend to enjoy outdoor activities, barbecues, and trips to the beach. For businesses, especially those in tourist areas, Labor Day marks the end of the busy summer season. Schools usually start around this time, and the weather begins to cool down, signaling the transition to fall.
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Labor Day is a U.S. national holiday held the first Monday every September. Unlike most U.S. holidays, it is a strange celebration without rituals, except for shopping and barbecuing. For most people it simply marks the last weekend of summer and the start of the school year.
The holiday’s founders in the late 1800s envisioned something very different from what the day has become. The founders were looking for two things: a means of unifying union workers and a reduction in work time.
My great grandfather was among the founders of The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE), formed in 1863. That was one of the first labor unions in the United States. This early union was instrumental in advocating for better working conditions, fair wages, and reasonable working hours for locomotive engineers. Their efforts contributed to the broader labor movement, which eventually led to the establishment of Labor Day as a national holiday in the United States. Labor Day celebrates the achievements of workers and the labor unions that fought for their rights.
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Despite our celebrating the day in a modern way with BBQ, on-line shopping & time outside with the companionship of our four-footed family members while basically just doing "nothing", I still always take a few moments to remember my ancestors who came before me & who helped make this day possible.
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