Celebrate Labor Day With Labor Family

Labor Day is more than a long weekend — it is a reminder of the sacrifices and victories of working people over generations of struggle. Labor Day was first celebrated in 1882 by the Central Labor Union in New York City. Just a few years later, following national strikes and the tragic Pullman Strike of 1894, it became a federal holiday. The day honors the dignity of work, the strength of working-class solidarity, and the belief that every worker deserves fair pay, safe working conditions, and a voice on the job.

Labor Day is a time to reflect on the historic struggles for the eight-hour workday, child labor laws, and the right to organize — all hard-won by workers standing together. But it is also a celebration of today’s workforce: postal workers, construction workers, nurses, electricians, teachers, farm workers, and more who keep our communities running.

As workers’ rights are facing increasing attacks from the billionaires and current presidential administration, we encourage locals to connect with their AFL-CIO state federation, central labor council, or local community organizations to organize an action that will show privatizers, union busters, and any politician that wants to harm working people’s rights, that we are fighting back.

This year, let’s make Labor Day more than a holiday. We are taking to the streets to show that working people are united against the current administration’s hostile policies and actions targeting our communities. Visit aflcio.org to find your state federation or central labor council and reach out today to plug in to their work for Labor Day 2025. ■