Paul Krugman

Originally, believe it or not, Labor Day actually had something to do with showing respect for labor.

Here’s how it happened: In 1894 Pullman workers, facing wage cuts in the wake of a financial crisis, went on strike — and Grover Cleveland deployed 12,000 soldiers to break the union. He succeeded, but using armed force to protect the interests of property was so blatant that even the Gilded Age was shocked. So Congress, in a lame attempt at appeasement, unanimously passed legislation symbolically honoring the nation’s workers.

Thank you to our nation’s workers past and present.

Happy Labor Day.

UPDATE

From Connecticut Democratic Party Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo:

“It’s ironic that GOP Chairman Labriola wants to ‘celebrate American workers’, given his party’s opposition to the rights of people to organize and bargain collectively for their wages, the minimum wage, paid sick days, quality health care that’s affordable, and a host of other issues that affect Connecticut workers,” said DiNardo.

“In fact, one of the best ways to honor workers is to give them work. And on that score, Gov. Malloy’s 2 ½ year track record of overseeing job creation in the private sector has resulted in more than 40,000 jobs being created in Connecticut.”