History UsefulNotes / LaborDayInTheUnitedStates

Today, Labor Day is considered the symbolic end of summer. It used to be the last day before the kids have to go back to school, but most districts nowadays have long since moved the first day of school to a week or more before Labor Day. In much of the country, this is when outdoor municipal pools close for the season and certain businesses end extended "summer hours". It is also, for whatever reason, culturally considered by some to be the end of when it is acceptable to wear white shoes (or white things in general). Almost everybody gets off from work on this day (unless you work in retail, restaurant, or healthcare industries, ironic). The UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague plays its first game of the season on the Thursday following Labor Day, and the first college football games are played the week before. In Canada, the UsefulNotes/CanadianFootballLeague has a special weekend of traditional rivalry games—Winnipeg at Saskatchewan[[note]]adjacent provinces in the near west[[/note]], Hamilton at UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}}[[note]]about 70 km/45 miles apart in the most populous province of Ontario[[/note]], Edmonton at Calgary[[note]]the two largest cities in the western province of Alberta[[/note]], and Ottawa at UsefulNotes/{{Montreal}}[[note]]respectively in Ontario and Quebec; the rivalry resumes in 2014 with Ottawa coming back to the league after an 8-year absence[[/note]].

The modern Labor Day tradition developed in Canada in 1872, when parades were held in support of a nine-hour workday/forty-five hour work week and a strike by the printers' union. Originally, Labour Day (the Canadian spelling) did not have a set date -- the 1872 parades were held in April, for example. In 1882, the Canadian tradition was imported to America by labor leader Peter J. [=McGuire=], who started the tradition of holding it at the start of September. In 1894, both the US and Canada passed legislation making Labor Day a national holiday, held on the first Monday of September. In the US, the day was chosen at least in part due to fear that honoring the labor movement on May 1 (as the rest of the world do) would embolden [[DirtyCommunists radical communist]] and [[BombThrowingAnarchists anarchist groups]], especially after the 1886 Haymarket riot.

The modern Labor Day tradition developed in Canada in 1872, when parades were held in support of a nine-hour workday/forty-five hour work week and a strike by the printers' union. Originally, Labour Day (the Canadian spelling) did not have a set date -- the 1872 parades were held in April, for example. In 1882, the Canadian tradition was imported to America by labor leader Peter J. [=McGuire=], who started the tradition of holding it at the start of September. In 1894, both the US and Canada passed legislation making Labor Day a national holiday, held on the first Monday of September. In the US, the day was chosen at least in part due to fear that honoring the labor movement on May 1 (as Europe does) would embolden [[DirtyCommunists radical communist and anarchist groups]], especially after the 1886 Haymarket riot.

->''Labor Day! Labor Day!\\

-->-- "The Most Unwanted Song" by Komar, Melamid & David Soldier

Schools are closed and pools are open!''

Today, Labor Day is considered the symbolic end of summer. It used to be the last day before the kids have to go back to school, but most districts nowadays have long since moved the first day of school to a week or more before Labor Day. In much of the country, this is when outdoor municipal pools close for the season and certain businesses end extended "summer hours". It is also, for whatever reason, culturally considered by some to be the end of when it is acceptable to wear white shoes (or white things in general). Almost everybody gets off from work on this day. The UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague plays its first game of the season on the Thursday following Labor Day, and the first college football games are played the week before. In Canada, the UsefulNotes/CanadianFootballLeague has a special weekend of traditional rivalry games—Winnipeg at Saskatchewan[[note]]adjacent provinces in the near west[[/note]], Hamilton at UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}}[[note]]about 70 km/45 miles apart in the most populous province of Ontario[[/note]], Edmonton at Calgary[[note]]the two largest cities in the western province of Alberta[[/note]], and Ottawa at UsefulNotes/{{Montreal}}[[note]]respectively in Ontario and Quebec; the rivalry resumes in 2014 with Ottawa coming back to the league after an 8-year absence[[/note]].

Today, Labor Day is considered the symbolic end of summer. It used to be the last day before the kids have to go back to school, but most districts nowadays have long since moved the first day of school to a week or more before Labor Day. In much of the country, this is when outdoor municipal pools close for the season and certain businesses end extended "summer hours". It is also, for whatever reason, culturally considered by some to be the end of when it is acceptable to wear white shoes (or white things in general). Almost everybody gets off from work on this day. [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball The NFL]] plays its first game of the season on the Thursday following Labor Day, and the first college football games are played the week before. In Canada, [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball the CFL]] has a special weekend of traditional rivalry games—Winnipeg at Saskatchewan[[note]]adjacent provinces in the near west[[/note]], Hamilton at UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}}[[note]]about 70 km/45 miles apart in the most populous province of Ontario[[/note]], Edmonton at Calgary[[note]]the two largest cities in the western province of Alberta[[/note]], and Ottawa at UsefulNotes/{{Montreal}}[[note]]respectively in Ontario and Quebec; the rivalry resumes in 2014 with Ottawa coming back to the league after an 8-year absence[[/note]].

Today, Labor Day is considered the symbolic end of summer. It used to be the last day before the kids have to go back to school, but most districts nowadays have long since moved the first day of school to a week or more before Labor Day. In much of the country, this is when outdoor municipal pools close for the season and certain businesses end extended "summer hours". It is also, for whatever reason, culturally considered by some to be the end of when it is acceptable to wear white shoes (or white things in general). Almost everybody gets off from work on this day. [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball The NFL]] plays its first game of the season on the Thursday following Labor Day, and the first college football games are played the week before. In Canada, [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball the CFL]] has a special weekend of traditional rivalry games—Winnipeg at Saskatchewan[[note]]adjacent provinces in the near west[[/note]], Hamilton at UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}}[[note]]about 70 km/45 miles apart in the most populous province of Ontario[[/note]], Edmonton at Calgary[[note]]the two largest cities in the western province of Alberta[[/note]], and Ottawa at UsefulNotes/{{Montreal}}[[note]]respectively in Quebec and Ontario; the rivalry resumes in 2014 with Ottawa coming back to the league after an 8-year absence[[/note]].

Today, Labor Day is considered the symbolic end of summer. It used to be the last day before the kids have to go back to school, but most districts nowadays have long since moved the first day of school to a week or more before Labor Day. In much of the country, this is when outdoor municipal pools close for the season and certain businesses end extended "summer hours". It is also, for whatever reason, culturally considered by some to be the end of when it is acceptable to wear white shoes (or white things in general). Almost everybody gets off from work on this day. [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball The NFL]] plays its first game of the season on the Thursday following Labor Day, and the first college football games are played the week before. In Canada, [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball the CFL]] has a special weekend of traditional rivalry games—Winnipeg at Saskatchewan[[note]]adjacent provinces in the near west[[/note]], Hamilton at UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}}[[note]]about 70 km/45 miles apart in the most populous province of Ontario[[/note]], Edmonton at Calgary[[note]]the two largest cities in the western province of Alberta[[/note]], and UsefulNotes/{{Montreal}} at Ottawa[[note]]respectively in Quebec and Ontario; the rivalry resumes in 2014 with Ottawa coming back to the league after an 8-year absence[[/note]].

Today, Labor Day is considered the symbolic end of summer. It used to be the last day before the kids have to go back to school, but most districts nowadays have long since moved the first day of school to a week or more before Labor Day. In much of the country, this is when outdoor municipal pools close for the season and certain businesses end extended "summer hours". It is also, for whatever reason, culturally considered by some to be the end of when it is acceptable to wear white shoes (or white things in general). Almost everybody gets off from work on this day. [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball The NFL]] plays its first game of the season on the Thursday following Labor Day, and the first college football games are played the week before.

May the first, right? Not if you're American or Canadian.

The modern Labor Day tradition developed in Canada in 1872, when parades were held in support of a nine-hour workday/forty-five hour work week and a strike by the printers' union. Originally, Labour Day (the Canadian spelling) did not have a set date -- the 1872 parades were held in April, for example. In 1882, the Canadian tradition was imported to America by labor leader Peter J. [=McGuire=], who started the tradition of holding it at the start of September. In 1894, both the US and Canada passed legislation making Labor Day a national holiday, held on the first Monday of September. In the US, the day was chosen at least in part due to fear that honoring the labor movement on May 1 would embolden [[DirtyCommunists radical communist and anarchist groups]], especially after the 1886 Haymarket riot.

Today, Labor Day is viewed as the symbolic end of summer (no, this is ''not'' meant as a TakeThat to the labor movement). It used to be the last day before the kids have to go back to school, but most districts have long since moved the first day of school to the week before Labor Day. It is also, for whatever reason, culturally considered by some to be end of when it is acceptable to wear white shoes (or white things in general). Almost everybody gets off from work on this day. [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball The NFL]] plays its first game of the season on the Thursday following Labor Day, and the first college football games are played the week before. Labor Day is less of a political holiday than International Workers' Day (May 1) is in the rest of the world, with politicians only making speeches during election years[[note]]It is traditionally when election campaigns go full bore[[/note]]. Celebrations usually include barbeques, picnics, watching the game, and taking family trips.

Today, Labor Day is viewed as the symbolic end of summer (no, this is ''not'' meant as a TakeThat to the labor movement). It used to be the last day before the kids have to go back to school, but most districts have long since moved the first day of school to the week before Labor Day. It is also, for whatever reason, culturally considered by some to be end of when it is acceptable to wear white shoes (or white things in general). Almost everybody gets off from work on this day. [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball The NFL]] plays its first game of the season on the Thursday following Labor Day, and the first college football games are played the week before. Labor Day is less of a political holiday than International Workers' Day (May 1) is in the rest of the world, with politicians only making speeches during election years[[hottip:*:It is traditionally when election campaigns go full bore]]. Celebrations usually include barbeques, picnics, watching the game, and taking family trips.

Today, Labor Day is viewed as the symbolic end of summer (no, this is ''not'' meant as a TakeThat to the labor movement). It used to be the last day before the kids have to go back to school, but most districts have long since extended the year by a few weeks. It is also, for whatever reason, culturally considered by some to be end of when it is acceptable to wear white shoes (or white things in general). Almost everybody gets off from work on this day. [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball The NFL]] plays its first game of the season on the Thursday following Labor Day, and the first college football games are played the week before. Labor Day is less of a political holiday than International Workers' Day (May 1) is in the rest of the world, with politicians only making speeches during election years[[hottip:*:It is traditionally when election campaigns go full bore]]. Celebrations usually include barbeques, picnics, watching the game, and taking family trips.