States Building Worker Power on Labor Day
By: Ida V. Eskamani, Senior Director, Economic Justice Initiative
Today is Labor Day – recognizing the deep sacrifice and contributions of workers and organized labor in the United States.
A story not often told, Labor Day was established as a result of the Pullman Strike of 1894, where the government used the army for the first time against striking workers. Led by trade unionist Eugene V. Debs, the nationwide railroad boycott was a turning point for US labor law. The strike was violently crushed, and Debs himself served a sixth-month prison term. Workers had already celebrated the day without federal recognition, but within days of the strike’s end, Democratic President Grover Cleveland rushed a bill recognizing Labor Day, with what many describe as a conciliatory gesture following the acts of state violence against the striking workers.
Legislator Briefing:
Unionizing Gig Workers and the Illinois Victory
Hosted by SiX and the Center for State Labor Innovation
September 25, at 1pm ET / 10am PT
For Legislators and legislative staff
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It took decades for the strikers to see the fruits of their labor, but they did come. Unions are why we have weekends, child labor laws, 8 hour work days, and breaks. And today, states with high union density invest more in public education, have higher unemployment insurance recipiency rates, and have all adopted Medicaid expansion.
Today, just as it was then, unions are essential to rebalancing power between workers and capital.Trump and his billionaire buddies know this too, which is why they are diligently undercutting union workers and the right to collectively bargain. But state legislators, united with workers, can fight back by passing laws that empower workers to increase union density in the workforce – creating an economy and democracy that works for us all, not just the elite few.
Join us as we put workers over billionaires. Register for our upcoming webinar on how states are helping gig workers unionize, and check out our Real Affordability Agenda, released in partnership with May Day Strong. Also consider signing on to our #Listen2Workers pledge, a public commitment to elevate the voices and policy agenda of workers.
