Labor Day Countdown

Labor Day in the United States and Canada is celebrated on the first Monday of September each year. It honors the contributions of workers and the labor movement, recognizing the social and economic achievements of organized labor that led to protections including the eight-hour workday, workplace safety regulations, child labor laws, and the right to collective bargaining. The origins of US Labor Day trace to the labor movement of the late 19th century, when industrialization drove workers to endure 12-hour days, six to seven days a week, often in dangerous conditions. The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882, in New York City, organized by the Central Labor Union. Workers paraded through the streets and held a festival in a city park. Oregon became the first state to make Labor Day a public holiday in 1887, and by 1894, 30 states had adopted it. Congress declared Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894, just days after President Grover Cleveland ordered federal troops to suppress the Pullman railroad strike — a move widely seen as an attempt to repair relations with the labor movement. Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer in the US. Swimming pools close after Labor Day weekend, school begins in most states, and the NFL season kicks off shortly after. Over 40 million Americans travel on Labor Day weekend, making it one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Barbecues, picnics, and fireworks are traditional ways to celebrate.

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