I’ve always found it a bit ironic that the way we celebrate “Labor Day” here in the United States is by not laboring at all.
We use it to mark the last big weekend of the summer…swimming pools have their last hurrah before closing, some cities have huge fireworks displays, we may eat or drink a bit too much…and then start Laboring all over again.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there is still disagreement on the history of the holiday.
The USDOL website states, “Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor” had the original idea, while others suggest “Matthew Maguire, a machinist, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.” (Either way, it was somebody called “McGuire/Maguire”)
Nonetheless, by June 1884, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday.
So…let me throw out just a little idea…
The reason for Labor Day is obviously to celebrate the worker.
However, the worker — no matter where he or she labors — has no job without a customer.
When you return to your place of business on Tuesday…whether it is an office, factory, farm, store, or in your home…let’s make it Customer Day.
Let’s make a special effort to recognize and celebrate the people and organizations spending their money and time with us, making it possible for us to continue to work.
…that’s not really a bad idea for EVERY day, by the way.
Not Labor Day…CUSTOMER Day!
September 3, 2010 · 1 comment
I’ve always found it a bit ironic that the way we celebrate “Labor Day” here in the United States is by not laboring at all.
We use it to mark the last big weekend of the summer…swimming pools have their last hurrah before closing, some cities have huge fireworks displays, we may eat or drink a bit too much…and then start Laboring all over again.
The USDOL website states, “Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor” had the original idea, while others suggest “Matthew Maguire, a machinist, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.” (Either way, it was somebody called “McGuire/Maguire”)
Nonetheless, by June 1884, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday.
The reason for Labor Day is obviously to celebrate the worker.
However, the worker — no matter where he or she labors — has no job without a customer.
When you return to your place of business on Tuesday…whether it is an office, factory, farm, store, or in your home…let’s make it Customer Day.
…that’s not really a bad idea for EVERY day, by the way.