On Memorial Day, we remember service members killed in war. On Veteran's Day, we think of those who've served in the military. On religious holidays, we remember why we have them.
For Labor Day, it seems appropriate to remember what labor has accomplished to make workplaces better.
Frances Perkins wasn't the first Secretary of Labor, but as Franklin Roosevelt's appointment for the position (and the first female Cabinet Secretary overall), she's probably the most memorable one.
When Roosevelt asked her to serve as Secretary of Labor in 1933, "She told him only if he agreed with her goals: 40-hour work week, minimum wage, unemployment and worker’s compensation, abolition of child labor, federal aid to the states for unemployment, Social
Security, a revitalized federal employment service, and universal health insurance. He agreed."
Perhaps you've been the beneficiary of one of those things. Perhaps not. But if you are, you now know who to thank.
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