The Explosive History of Labor Day

Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday of September in the United States. The holiday is often associated with end-of-summer festivities and retail sales. Yet, its origins are deeply rooted in the labor movement’s struggles and sacrifices.?

I sat down with Vanderbilt University 's Jefferson Cowie a couple of years ago on my Get Hired podcast to discuss the holiday. The episode is still a point of pride for me . Also, I find the story fascinating. I want to share some of the history behind Labor Day with all of you.

The Birth of Labor Day

The road to Labor Day becoming a national holiday was long. The holiday was first celebrated and organized by the Central Labor Union in New York City on September 5, 1882. In addition to celebrating labor unions, the organizers of the holiday hoped to bring attention to the power of workers.

“You have all these competing ideas swirling around in the late 19th century," Cowie told me when we recorded the episode in 2022. "There’s socialists and pure and simple trade unionists who just want to bargain for better conditions, and there are people trying to overthrow the system.”?

The holiday and parades soon spread to other cities. Yet, it wouldn't be recognized as a federal holiday until 1894.

The Haymarket Affair: Catalyst for Change

One of the most impactful moments in the creation of Labor Day happened on May 1, 1886. On that day, tens of thousands of workers left their jobs and were joined over the next few days by even more. What were their demands? Cowie said they wanted an eight-hour workday, which was a radical idea at the time.

A clash in Chicago between striking workers and police broke out on May 3, resulting in two of the strikers being shot and killed. Angered over the deaths, pro-labor organizers put out a call to gather the following night in the city's Haymarket Square, near the center of the city.?

While the gathering was peaceful, the police marched in to disperse the meeting as it was winding down. An unknown person tossed a bomb into the chaos. One officer was killed by the explosion. Several other people, police and at least one attendee were killed after gunfire erupted. Dozens more were injured.

“It ended up with a lot of the leaders of the anarchist movement of Chicago being rounded up and then they were hanged,” Cowie said.

Anti-labor governments started crushing local unionization efforts using the Haymarket incident to tar all pro-labor activists with the same violent brush. Yet, the labor movement marched on and especially outside the U.S., used May 1 as a time to recognize workers and pay tribute those convicted surrounding the Haymarket riot. Scores of countries now celebrate International Workers' Day on May 1, but not the U.S.

The U.S. would not officially recognize Labor Day until 12 years later, when a strike at the Pullman Company in Chicago spread across the country and shut down much of the nation's railways. The strike created immense tension throughout the country. As a peace offering, Labor Day was made an official holiday soon after the strike was broken.

Due to May 1's ties to the Haymarket Affair, the U.S. government opted for the September time period first celebrated in New York City in 1882.

“They put it all the way at the other end of the season to make it a little more tame,” Cowie said.

The Rise and Fall of Workers’ Rights

Despite the establishment of Labor Day, the fight for fair labor practices was far from over. The early 20th Century saw significant advancements, such as the introduction of the eight-hour workday, but many workers continued to face exploitative conditions.

While incredibly difficult for the entire U.S., the Great Depression ushered in the New Deal, which was President Franklin Roosevelt's landmark legislative package focused on pulling the country out of the financial downturn. The New Deal led to substantial changes, empowering unions and establishing standards that significantly improved workers’ rights.?

“What the New Deal leadership … realized was if we’re going to get out of this depression, what we need to do is get some money in workers’ pockets,” Cowie said.

The strong protections labor unions enjoyed during the next several decades would not last, however. Organized labor was dealt a significant blow in the 1980s when President Ronald Reagan broke an illegal strike by the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization, known as PATCO.?

"After PATCO, strike rates fall to almost zero," Cowie said. "The strike, which is the ultimate weapon that workers have, the ability to withhold your labor until you get what you think you need is taken away. This defangs organized labor."

About 20% of American workers were in a union as of 1983, according to the Pew Research Center . That number fell to 10% as of last year.

Despite the struggle organized labor encountered in the latter part of the 20th Century, Labor Day serves as a reminder of several incredible chapters of American history.

You can hear the Get Hired episode about Labor Day wherever you like to listen, including Apple Podcasts by clicking here. You can also read a transcript of the show by clicking here .

Mental health has a lot to do with how we perform in the workplace. On last week's episode of Get Hired with Andrew Seaman, I talked AbbVie 's Demetris Crum , who goes by D, to hear what job seekers need to know about mental health benefits before accepting an offer. He also gives tips on how to identify companies that prioritize well-being and effectively advocate for your own mental health needs in the workplace.

A transcript of the conversation is available by clicking here . You can listen to the episode above or on Apple Podcasts by clicking here .