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Labor Day is a federal holiday celebrating the contributions and success of American workers; the day also commemorates the American labor movement which fought for worker’s rights and saw the emergence of shorter work days and the end of child labor in the United States.
Labor Day was first observed in September 1882, as 10,000 workers came together for a parade in New York City. The parade inspired workers across the country, and soon over half the states were celebrating a worker’s holiday. It was in 1894 that Congress passed legislation and President Grover Cleveland signed the bill officially designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day.
Labor Day Statistics, Census Bureau
- Largest occupations
- Retail salespersons: 4,528,550 employees
- Cashiers: 3,541,010 employees
- Combined food preparation and serving workers, including fast food: 3,426,090
- There were 15.3 million employed female workers age 16 and over in service occupations in 2015
- There was a 1.8 percent increase (143.7 million) in employment in the U.S. between December 2015 and December 2016
- $51,212 and $40,742: the 2015 real median earnings for male and female full-time, year-round workers, respectively
- 108 percent is the projected percentage growth for wind turbine technicians from 2014 to 2024
- 26.4 minutes is the average time it took workers to commute to work in 2015
As you enjoy the long weekend with barbecues and by taking advantage of shopping deals, take the time to celebrate your labor force contributions and those of the workers who came before you. Happy Labor Day from the NAWRB Team!