Labor Day

Ever wonder what Labor Day is for? And why do we take a day off for this "Labor" Day?

Labour Day is an annual holiday that resulted from efforts of the labour union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. The celebration of Labour Day has its origins in the eight hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest. On 21 April 1856 Stonemasons and building workers on building sites around Melbourne, Australia, stopped work and marched from the University of Melbourne to Parliament House to achieve an eight hour day. Their direct action protest was a success, and they are noted as the first organized workers in the world to achieve an eight hour day, which subsequently inspired the celebration of Labour Day in September and May Day. [link]