Labor Day was established as a salute to the American worker and the essential of labor to the success of our country. It became a national holiday in 1894 under President Grover Cleveland. Labor Unions began to be established as the Industrial Revolution was in full swing, and many workers were subjected to long hours and harsh conditions for minimal pay.
Over time, the Unions became more and more powerful and the pendulum swung the other way. Union bosses garnered great power and control as workers had significant dues taken out of their pay to finance the Union’s activities. More pay for less work, and guaranteed pensions of significant amounts were achieved, until the balance sometimes tipped to the point that companies continued to increase the cost of their goods until priced out of the market. This resulted in many companies beginning to look to overseas to find cheaper labor.
Many of those who work in some capacity in government jobs often have benefits and guarantees that go on throughout retirement, and send the cost of government far past sustainable limits. Thus, our country finds itself in debt to a place that is really incomprehensible. Add the corruption factor which exists in each of the above-mentioned areas, and it’s easy to see why there are problems!
Despite all that, we can still celebrate the benefits of labor, because there is still profit and blessing to be had in honest labor.
- Psalm 128:2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
- Proverbs 10:16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life:
- Proverbs 13:11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.
- Proverbs 14:23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.