The work we do matters, and Labor Day is the perfect time to reflect on why it’s important, how we think about work and the way we as a society treat those who do it.
Going to work is about more than just clocking in and doing what you have to do to collect your paycheck. Labor Day is a celebration of the deeper meaning of work. It recognizes the massive societal and economic impacts that American workers have had and the contributions they’ve made to the success of our country.
While celebrating and relaxing are an important and meaningful part of the holiday, taking time over the long weekend to reflect on the value your work creates would also be time well spent.
This reflection is worthwhile because the deeper meaning of your labor isn’t always apparent or top-of-mind. If you take some time to think about it though, you’ll discover that the job you do has benefits that reach far into society.
For example, on the surface, it may seem that the job of a truck driver is just to transport goods from point A to point B. That may be the driver’s primary duty, but the impact of completing that task extends far beyond the driver, the party they receive the goods from and the party they deliver them to.
If a truck driver delivers food, for example, they’re helping to feed people. They could say the same if they’re transporting kitchen appliances or farming equipment. They’re also helping to support the jobs of workers at the companies they move goods to and from, enabling them to put food on the table for their families.
Preparing a single meal typically requires the labor of many, many people. The farmer who grew the food, the companies that made the farm equipment used, the workers that packaged the food, the truck drivers who transported it, the workers at the grocery store that sold it, the people who cooked it and many more all played a crucial role.
The truck driver is not an island. They’re a part of a huge group of people who worked together to bring that meal to that family. This coordination and collaboration play a massive role in the success of our country. It enables us to achieve the high standards of living and well-being we enjoy.
This doesn’t just apply to truck drivers. You can use this same thinking in regards to virtually any other job as well. Mechanics enable people to get to work, where they perform labor that helps others and earn money with which to care for their families. Teachers educate children so that they can grow up and contribute to society. IT workers enable businesses, as well as critical facilities like hospitals, to function and help protect our online data.
When you think about labor in this way, it makes sense that we have a holiday to celebrate it. It also makes sense that there are people out there fighting to make sure that this work is properly valued and that we treat the people we rely on to perform it with respect.
Unions were responsible for the creation of this holiday, and they continue to play an integral part in its observance today. They also play a crucial role in ensuring that American workers receive fair treatment from their employers. Unions fight for fair wages, improved benefits, safer workplace conditions and more.
According to AFL-CIO, union members typically earn around $204 more per week than non-union workers. Today, 10.7 percent of wage and salary workers are members of unions, and public support reached a 15-year high this year of 62 percent.
Sometimes, it’s easy to take labor for granted and forget the larger meaning of our work. For those that have pulled themselves out of poverty — perhaps with the help of unions — its meaning is fresher in their minds. Labor Day provides an opportunity to reflect on our work, the value it provides to society and how we want society to treat those who perform these essential duties.
Kate is a health and political journalist. You can subscribe to her blog, So Well, So Woman, to read more of her work and receive a free subscriber gift! https://sowellsowoman.com/about/subscribe/