Labor Day thoughts

Labor Day is a day we are supposed to be celebrating workers and their labor. Its a holdover from our days when we actually had Unions that functioned in the United States. We don’t now. Labor Day should be on May First like it is in the rest of the world, but the US forced it to September for fear of being labeled communist.
The United States is fundamentally anti-labor. We don’t respect, appreciate or understand that PEOPLE, CITIZENS are workers. Our own citizens are the people we are celebrating.
Here are the major items labor has been responsible for:

• Child labor laws
• Work safety laws
• Weekends
• 40-hour work weeks
• Vacations
• Workman’s compensation
• Life insurance
• Employee Healthcare
• Maternity leave
• Minimum wage
• Social Security
• And most importantly a check on capital.

As a check on capital, labor has its most value and this is where we are missing it’s strength. Yes, unions have problems and unions as any bureaucracy can be inefficient and create costs… but what would you rather have? Capital dictating the rules of the game or would you rather that people, workers have a rights? A union gives an individual worker a chance against the power of capital. Without labor, the continued degrading of an Americans works life and security will continue.

I don’t know the answer to a lot of problems, but i know one thing… without a check on the power and wealth of capital, the American worker will continue to have their life, well being and safety erode… there is a new future, but we have to find it.