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Labor Day and Celebrating Organized Labor

8/31/2019

1 Comment

 
I understand that there are many ways to focus one’s attention this weekend. KU and K-State will play their first football games under the leadership of new head coaches. Families all across the state will have gatherings. This weekend is the last break before the real start of another school year. On Labor Day, Hoisington, KS will host their annual Labor Day Parade, serving as a venue for candidates in local elections as well as Congressional candidates for 2020 elections. I walked that parade many times, and it is a good one.

As we wrap up the dog days of August, bringing another summer as well as swimming pools to a close, let’s remember Labor Day was established to recognize workers. It is on that day we should remember and be thankful that it was organized labor that brought the middle class lifestyle to this country and works to sustain it today. Despite recent declines in participation and status, labor unions still set the bar and significantly impact the lives of all workers and their families.

As I’ve shared before, I believe Wichita is an excellent example of the value of organized labor to the overall economy of the area. Their best local economy was when the aircraft industry and the Machinist Union were at their strongest. That is not surprising given there was much more disposable income to circulate in the community. 

Until the American people better understand the connection between organized labor and the benefits to all workers and the middle class in general, I fear the path of decline will only continue. So, in the original spirit of this celebration, here is my salute to the men and women who are our educators, laborers skilled and unskilled, firefighters, law enforcement officers, postal workers, civil servants, and workers of all kinds. You certainly have my thanks and appreciation but also my hopes for a better future.
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1 Comment
Larry Dreiling
9/3/2019 07:09:36 pm

I can remember working around Union typographers when I worked in Hutchinson. Good people.

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    John W. Carlin​—​61st Speaker of the Kansas House, 40th Governor of Kansas, 8th Archivist of the United States, and student of leadership

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