A sudden economic downturn prompts one of the country’s leading businesses to slash worker wages by 25% while providing no relief on the rent workers must pay on housing owned by that same employer. Moves to boycott the company and go on strike result in deadly riots that shake the nation, prompting the president to create a national holiday to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of American workers.
The company was railroad manufacturer Pullman, the year was 1884, the president was Glover Cleveland, and the holiday was Labor Day.
Much has changed in the world since then, but the struggles between workers and their employers continue to this day.
So on this Labor Day, AFGE National President Everett Kelley is calling on members to recognize the importance of union solidarity.
“This year has tested us like never before. Our members have faced mass firings, attacks on the civil service, and attempts to silence the very people who keep this government running. Federal workers have been used as political pawns. And we have seen firsthand what it looks like when rights we fought for get stripped away overnight,” President Kelley says in a Labor Day video message.
“But here is what I also know: AFGE has never backed down. We fought back in the courts. We fought back on Capitol Hill. We fought back in the streets and in the press. And we are winning.
“The work AFGE members do has far-reaching effects across this country and around the world. When public servants have the resources and support they need to do their jobs, everyone wins. That’s why AFGE remains committed to standing up for our country, our democracy, and the union workers who keep this country running.
“As we celebrate Labor Day, take a moment to rest. You have earned it. Honor the movement that came before you and the battles that were fought so you could stand where you stand today.
“And then get back up. Because the fight continues, and we need every one of you in it.”
Click here for a Labor Day op-ed from President Kelley published by the Detroit Free Press.
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