Be Proud This Labor Day, Because It’s Your Holiday

File:Pullman strikers outside Arcade Building.jpg
Pullman strikers outside Arcade Building, Chicago, where Labor Day was born. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Happy Labor Day. Be Proud. No matter what your job, you are what is great about America. Whether you are a janitor or an executive, a school teacher or a plumber, a homemaker or a garbage collector, your hard work and determination has made this country great.

Every job is important; every job impacts others. A leader can have great ideas, but without the secretary, ideas are just words. Without parents taking an interest in their children, the teacher is nothing but a babysitter. Take a moment to pat yourself on the back and say ‘great job,’ and ‘thank you.’

A little history: On May 11, 1894, the employees of the Chicago Pullman Palace Car Company went on strike in protest to wage cuts and the firing of union representatives. On June 26, a boycott of all Pullman railway cars called by the American Railroad Union crippled railroad traffic nationwide.

The federal government sent troops to Chicago to break the strike. This unleashed a wave of riots leading to deaths of more than a dozen workers. To calm the violence, and to placate the workers, Congress made Labor Day a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

In this election year, watch for new government promises to help the economy. Word has it that the following will also be included:

  1. A Promise for a Weight Loss Bailout
  2. Clear Skin for the Middle-Class.

And several more surprises ….

But no matter what, have a great day and BE PROUD.

Joseph Reisman, of Joseph S. Reisman & Associates, has been serving tax prep and business accounting expertise from his Coney Island Avenue office for more than 25 years. Check out the firm’s website.