These days, when most people think about Labor Day, they think about the country’s children going back to school or about getting a great price on a new mattress or other type of household item during a Labor Day Weekend Sales Spectacular.

I think unions have often received a bad rap. They’re why goods “made in America” cost so much, right?  Unions have forced brands, chartered to maximize profits, to off-shore production. Unions, and the labor movement, have led to increased unemployment.

That’s how the thinking generally goes.

If we only think of ourselves as consumers, fixated on prices, irritation might be justified, but we’re not just consumers (unless we were born very rich or got very lucky). We’re all citizens and neighbors.  Most of us work, in some capacity, or at least, benefit from people who do work. And the health and safety —the dignity of work — means a lot.

Assuring the ability of hard-working people to take care of themselves and their families and not put their lives in jeopardy is as important now as it ever was.

As we’re seeing growing income disparity, and as many other movements have been stepping up with a greater sense of purpose, we have to realize that there’s a work-income component to every major challenge our society faces.

Labor issues have to be part of any strategy for making ours a more prosperous and just society.

Today’s labor movements might be different than those of the past, but they’re just as important. In light of this question (Why do we celebrate?), I looked at some profiles of labor heroes/heroines.

I learned about Hattie Canty, who, originally from Alabama, found herself in booming Las Vegas in the ‘70’s, the sole support for eight children.

After stints as a private maid, cook, and janitor, she secured employment at a casino. During this time, she became involved in the Culinary Union, an affiliate of the Hotel & Restaurant Employees International Union. She went on to hold positions of leadership, at one time, serving as president where she helped mount a successful strike.

She sought to secure living wages for union members as well as health insurance benefits. She also tried to bring more diversity into the union’s board.

Ai Jen Poo started organizing domestic workers in NYC In 2000. In 2010, it seemed her efforts finally paid off when the New York state legislature passed the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights.

The bill gave domestic workers the same lawful rights as other types of employees, such as vacation time and overtime pay. Similar legislation is now on the books in eleven different states.

I realize we have come a long way from child labor and sweatshops populated by first waves of European immigrants. We’ve gotten used to the idea of an eight-hour workday, but the issue of workers’ rights are still of vital importance, especially in the days of COVID.

We consider people involved in the preparation of the food we eat “essential  workers,” and yet conditions at beef and poultry plants have led Moore County in Texas and several areas of Iowa to be designated “hotspots,” surpassing more populated urban areas in number of COVID cases.

The physical nature of the work, the pace of work, and the proximity of workers presents extra health threats.

And schools and hospitals — while we often don’t think of worker safety in such environments, that the federal government would threaten schools with the prospect of withholding funding without assuring rapid testing and consistent protocols to guarantee safety is unbelievable. Not making every effort to assure reliable supply of personal protective equipment for hospital staff is also hard to fathom.

Assuring health and safety and fairness within our county’s workforce is as important now as it ever was.

Lest we forget why we celebrate Labor Day, let’s remember some of the courageous and principled men and women who have gone before us.

Remembering people who stepped out of their comfort zone, often opening themselves up to extra difficulties, in the cause of representing the safety and dignity of others, is no small thing.