Labor Day Trivia : September 2011

Labor Day trivia- Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September (September 5 in 2011) that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.
The Labor Day Holiday was created by Labor Unions as a day to celebrate the achievements of working people and the value of work. More Pennsylvanians celebrate Labor Day than in any other State in the Nation. Join us as we carry on this great American tradition, which started over 100 years ago.

Origin of Labor Day

Labor Day was created to pay tribute to the social and economic achievements of U.S. workers in 1882.
The first big Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882, by the Central Labor Union of New York. It was first proposed by Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor in May 1882.

Historic signing

President, Grover Cleveland, signed the bill that designated the first Monday in September as Labor Day.

Modern-day workforce

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately how many people age 16 and older are in the nation's workforce, 154 million people in workforce 2011

Fastest-growing careers

Occupation do experts say will grow at the fastest rate from 2002 to 2014, home health aide fastest growing career.

Annual median income

The annual median income for a male year-round worker in 2005, annual median income 2005 $41,000

Holiday's infamous roots

Infamous incident in U.S. history led to the establishment of Labor Day as a federal holiday, Pullman Strike
The Pullman Strike was a nationwide conflict between labor unions and railroads that occurred in the United States in 1894. The conflict began in the town of Pullman, Illinois on May 11 when approximately 3,000 employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company began a wildcat strike in response to recent reductions in wages, bringing traffic west of Chicago to a halt. The American Railway Union, the nation's first industry-wide union, led by Eugene V. Debs, subsequently became embroiled in what The New York Times described as "a struggle between the greatest and most important labor organization and the entire railroad capital" that involved some 250,000 workers in 27 states at its peak.

First states to honor Labor Day

The first U.S. state to declare Labor Day a state holiday, Oregon, United States

Labor Day around the globe

Labor Day on May 1, +China labor day May 1,