Labor Day

Labor Day is this Monday, which marks the end of summer for many. My wife asks me...what do you want to do for your birthday since Labor Day always falls the same time as my birthday, it’s a hectic week getting the kids ready for back to school so we normally plan for a barbeque with some family and friends and call it a day. This three-day weekend for BBQS and Back to School sales should be a time honoring our country’s workers. I never gave much thought what the day really means. I came across an article and appreciated what the author had to say and wanted to share it (in part).  

 “Labor Day Is Almost Meaningless Now”.

Like many national holidays, Labor Day is suffering from neglect. Just as Memorial Day has the misfortune of being reduced to merely signaling the start of summer, Labor Day has become its holiday bookend: Another empty three-day weekend, and an excuse for Back to School sales or a final summer barbecue. This loss of meaning is a missed opportunity to re-energize the nation and reinforce the promise of Brand America.

Granted, every working stiff deserves a day off to relax and recreate, but in today's economic and labor climate Labor Day should be a more meaningful holiday of the year. American workers are suffering disproportionately in the current financial crisis as unemployment hovers around 10%, and the same percentage of Americans are over 90 days behind on their mortgages. Even the usually staid Financial Times is announcing the death of the middle class and the end of the American Dream. With an increasing belief that socioeconomic mobility is now less possible in the US than in other countries, Labor Day has the potential to reclaim some of its initial promise -- a celebration of American labor and an inspiration to the American worker.

Over the years, Labor Day has become about anything but labor. If you ask the average American, you might get references to the end of summer, the start of school and football season, or perhaps the last day you can wear white (though that rule's been outdated for some time). What you'll rarely get is a reflection on the accomplishments of American workers, a discussion about keeping labor competitive, or most importantly, anything that might inspire a new generation of workers.

There's an opportunity on Labor Day to raise awareness that American workers still make things -- really cool things -- and to inspire a new generation of makers. From wind turbine generators in Illinois to tunnel boring machines in Ohio to supersonic aircraft in Washington state, American workers still power much of the global economy, manufacturing innovative, complex products that demand tremendous skill. Despite the rise of the service economy, making things still creates real value.

Maybe we could celebrate Labor Day by supporting local labor. Rather than a protectionist campaign to Buy American or look for the union label, this could be as simple as a tax break on Labor Day for American-produced goods. Not only would it offer a boost to local manufacturers, it would raise awareness and inspire people to pursue careers in making.

People celebrate the American worker in small independent ways throughout the year. From Employee of the Month awards to magazine ratings of the Best Places to Work recognition has long been a valuable motivator for the labor force. But these efforts pale in comparison to the media frenzy that the typical American experiences daily. MTV Awards, ESPYs and Teen Choice Awards make every kid long to be a professional athlete or pop singer; what about the next great construction engineer or automated manufacturing expert? With 25% of America's youth unemployed we run the risk of losing a generation of American workers.

Labor Day presents an opportunity to amplify and aggregate some of these recognitions and keep the dreams of the next generation of American workers alive. What if we used Labor Day to give the finest examples of American ingenuity just a little taste of that spotlight? What if national awards for excellence in engineering, science and mathematics were part of Labor Day celebrations, on the order of the Oscars or (God forbid) American Idol? The attributes that make the American worker great -- collaboration, entrepreneurship and hard work -- deserve at least as much attention as a strong voice or a celebrity. 

How remarkable would it be for a 19-year-old to get as excited about being the next great engineer as the next Idol? Maybe Apple could sponsor the celebration, and Fast Company could drop a "Best Of" issue on the same day. Time magazine could complement its Person of the Year issue with a "Worker of the Year" one.

The original Labor Day got a lot right. Its creators understood that for America to achieve its promise of freedom and opportunity through sacrifice and unity, Americans had to work hard, collaborate, learn continually, and of course relax occasionally.

But, like so many other symbols of Brand America, Labor Day lost its meaning. More than anything this is a question of leadership. America has great brand assets, but they need nurturing and development. Doing what's right for the brand is not necessarily popular. Modern American politics has leaders putting more effort into their re-elections than actual leadership. Restoring meaning to Labor Day will not be the most popular thing to do, but it's the right thing to do.