Labor Day
By Richard Rost
8 months ago
Today is Labor Day here in the United States. The holiday was first recognized in the late 1800s to honor the contributions of American workers, especially the labor movement that fought for things we take for granted today - like the 40-hour work week, weekends off, and safer working conditions.
For many people, Labor Day has also become the unofficial end of summer - one last barbecue, parade, or trip to the beach before the fall season kicks in. Well, unless you live here in SW Florida where we've got a couple more months of hot & humid while we wait for the end of hurricane season which is when our NICE weather starts. But in any case, it is worth remembering why the holiday exists in the first place.
I have been self-employed since 1994, when I was just 21, but before that I saw firsthand some of the abuses that employers try to get away with. One of the worst was when I was made "quote unquote" a manager. I was running a small training department of three people, and because of that title, they switched me to salary and expected me to work 50 or 60 hours a week with no extra pay. That kind of thing is exactly why the labor movement was so important - people stood up so employees could not be taken advantage of like that. Needless to say, I did not stay with that company very long.
So even though I work for myself now, I am grateful for the protections that exist in the workplace today. They make life better not just for employees, but for everyone who benefits from a fairer system.
So whether you are grilling out, hitting a parade, or stuck in traffic coming home from the lake, take a moment to appreciate the hard work - yours and everyone else's - that keeps things moving.
And maybe, if we are lucky, one day we will get to live in a world like Star Trek's, where labor is not about punching a clock or fighting for fair pay - and where people are not struggling just to make ends meet - but instead about doing something meaningful that makes life better for everyone. Until then, enjoy your day off.
Happy Labor Day. LLAP my friends. I will see you tomorrow with a regular video.
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Intro Labor Day in the United States is more than just a day off or the unofficial end of summer. On this page, you'll find some thoughts about the origin of Labor Day, the important achievements of the labor movement like the 40-hour work week and safer conditions, and a personal perspective on appreciating what workers have fought for throughout history. Take a moment to learn about why this holiday exists and the value it brings to all of us.Transcript Hi everyone, this is Richard Rost with Computer Learning Zone.
Today is Labor Day here in the United States. The holiday was first recognized in the late 1800s to honor the contributions of American workers, especially the labor movement that fought for things we take for granted today, like the 40-hour work week, weekends off, and safer working conditions.
For many people, Labor Day has also become the unofficial end of summer, one last barbecue, parade, or trip to the beach before the fall season kicks in. Well, unless you live here in Southwest Florida, where we have got a couple more months of hot and humid weather while we wait for the end of hurricane season, which is when our nice weather starts.
In any case, it is worth remembering why Labor Day exists in the first place.
I have been self-employed since 1994, when I was just 21 years old. Before that, I saw firsthand some of the abuses that employers try to get away with. One of the worst was when I was made a quote-unquote manager. I was running a small training department of three people, and because they added that title to my name, they switched me to salary and expected me to work 50 or 60 hours a week with no extra pay. Keep me as an hourly employee, please.
That kind of thing is exactly why the labor movement was so important. People stood up to employers so they could not be taken advantage of like that. Needless to say, I did not stay with that company very long.
Even though I work for myself now, I am grateful for the protections that exist in the workplace today. They make life fair and better, not just for employees, but for everyone who benefits from a fair system.
So whether you are grilling out, hitting a parade, or stuck in traffic coming home from the lake, take a moment to appreciate the hard work, yours and everyone else's, that keeps things moving.
Maybe if we are lucky, one day we will get to live in a world like Star Trek, where labor is not about punching a clock or fighting for fair pay, and people are not struggling to make ends meet, but instead about doing something meaningful that makes life better for everyone.
Until then, enjoy your day off.
Happy Labor Day, live long and prosper my friends, and I will see you tomorrow with another regular video.Quiz No quiz available.Summary Today's Computer Learning Zone tutorial is a special message in honor of Labor Day here in the United States. Labor Day was first recognized in the late 1800s to pay tribute to American workers, especially those involved in the labor movement. Thanks to their efforts, we have important workplace standards that many of us rely on today, such as the 40-hour work week, weekends off, and safer working environments.
For a lot of people, Labor Day also signals the unofficial end of summer. It is often a final chance to enjoy a barbecue, take in a parade, or spend a day at the beach before the pace of fall begins. Of course, if you live in Southwest Florida like I do, summer seems to drag on a bit longer, and we are still waiting for the end of hurricane season before we get that stretch of nice weather.
Regardless of how you spend the day, it is important to pause and remember why this holiday exists. The protections and rights we have now are a direct result of the struggles and achievements of those who came before us.
Personally, I have been self-employed since 1994, when I started working for myself at 21 years old. Before that, I witnessed some of the unfair practices that some employers use. One example was when I was promoted to what they called a managerial position, leading three people in a training department. That "manager" title meant I was switched from being hourly to salaried, and suddenly I was expected to work 50 or 60 hours every week with no extra compensation. In situations like that, staying hourly would have been far better.
These kinds of experiences highlight the importance of the labor movement, which has helped protect countless workers from being taken advantage of by employers who want to push boundaries. I did not stay at that company much longer, but the lesson stayed with me.
Now that I work for myself, I remain grateful for the workplace protections that have become the norm. They help ensure not just fairness for employees, but a better environment for everyone who participates in our economic system.
So, as you spend your Labor Day relaxing, grilling, enjoying local festivities, or just making your way home from an outing, take a moment to appreciate all the hard work that goes into keeping our society running.
Maybe someday we'll reach a future more like what you see in Star Trek, where people do not have to clock in or scramble for a fair paycheck, but instead can focus on work that truly matters and improves the lives of others.
For now, enjoy your well-earned day off.
Happy Labor Day to you all. You can find a complete video tutorial with step-by-step instructions on everything discussed here on my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.Topic List This is a holiday greeting and a reflection on Labor Day, not a tutorial video. |
