For some, Labor Day is a day to relax, barbecue and get ready for the school year. For others, it’s a reminder to acknowledge the sacrifices made by those who came before you in the name of better wages and work conditions.
Union leaders and elected officials chose to do the latter.
In a released statement titled “Celebrating Our Union Made City,” New York City Central Labor Council President Vincent Alvarez wanted to outline how much of the five boroughs was built by union labor.
“On the surface, the concept of ‘union made’ seems to only apply to buildings and clothing,” read Alvarez’s statement. “Digging a little deeper, though, we can see that anything created or gained through quality union labor is, in fact, union made. From our skyscrapers, to our subway and healthcare systems, union labor built our city, and we work hard day in and day out to maintain it.
“I ask you to take a moment to think about the contributions of unions and organized labor in making and keeping NYC a world class city,” continued the statement. “In fact, dig a little deeper and consider how the conditions at your own workplace are better as the result of workers having a voice. Workers are always stronger when they are able to stand together to fight for what they deserve.”
International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers President Marc Perrone stated that its a never-ending fight for labor to maintain basic rights that he feels can be trampled on at any moment.
“Now is the time for every American to stop waiting for a political savior and take steps to save ourselves,” said Perrone. “It begins with us, the leaders and members of labor, and it depends upon our ability to reach workers who are tired of being left behind to struggle alone. To anyone who has doubts about whether or not a union can help, we have one request: Ask us.”
According to a new report from the Economic Policy Institute, lower union membership has cost nonunion private sector workers $133 billion in lost wages annually. Perrone notes that a union contract is sometimes the only way to protect workers from discrimination.
Labor Day also got an acknowledgement from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
In an emailed statement, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Tom Perez said that Labor Day was about “more than picnics and parades.”
“For generations, hardworking Americans have been raising their voices, together,” read Perez’s statement. ”Giving people a voice at work—the ability to organize and negotiate for their fair share of the value they helped create—is absolutely essential to a growing, vibrant middle class. Simply put, America is stronger when more people have more.
A proclamation from President Barack Obama, also pointed out how society as a whole has benefited from the labor movement.
“Growing in numbers by the thousands, they went without their daily pay to march for their cause—setting in motion a labor movement that has inspired generations of Americans since,” wrote Obama. “Clear-eyed and persistent, these hardworking union members, and those that followed in the path they forged, helped secure privileges we now take for granted—not only for themselves, but also for their friends and loved ones and neighbors.
“Their efforts brought about weekends and 40-hour workweeks, overtime pay and a minimum wage, and the collective bargaining rights that have empowered so many,” Obama continued. “Because of the battles they waged, our Nation benefits from health insurance and Medicare, Social Security, and other retirement programs. Their legacy is one we will never stop striving to uphold.”
In a report titled “Working for Justice,” New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, outlined some of the achievements his office made on behalf of labor in New York City the past year. Among them: recovering $5.7 million for more than 3,300 low-wage workers, pursuing criminal prosecution for multiple labor violators, suing Domino’s Pizza as a joint employer responsible for labor violations committed by three francishees and getting major retail brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Gap and Bath & Body Works to sign an agreement ended “on-call scheduling” where workers are required to call in to work a few hours in advance to find out if they’re needed.
“As Attorney General, I remain steadfastly committed to ensuring that workers are paid for the work they do, that their pay lifts them out of poverty, and that undue obstacles aren’t placed in their path to job security and economic advancement,” said Schneiderman in a statement. “I celebrate the progress we made over the past year, and will continue fighting for the working men and women who contribute so much to our great state.”