Most Americans will celebrate Today by getting drunk on beer, and killing some fish. It's always fascinating to me how people take advantage of something like Today's holiday, while having no idea whatsoever what it was, or who suffered so that they could have a day off of work.
In 1894, workers for the Pullman railway car Company were forced to live in company housing in Pullman Illinois (A Chicago suburb.) Workers weren't allowed by the Company to buy a house, Water, Sewer, and natural gas rates for the worker's housing was controlled by the Company, and was way way above normal. the town itself was owned by the Company, and there was no democratically elected City Government. The Company had laid off workers, and lowered the wages of the rest of it's work force, but did not lower rents, or utility rates!!!!! (All in the name of Company profits!!!)
Workers organized, became part of the American Railway Union, and started a Strike in May of 1894.
Because "Pullman cars" had become such an integral part of railway traffic here in the US, the strike, and it's accompanying Boycott pretty much shut down rail traffic. 125,000 Railway workers from 29 railroad Companies were in support of the strike.
The US Attorney General (Richard Olney) received a $10,000 bribery check from the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad
(About $250,000 adjusted for inflation.)
Olney convinced President Grover Cleveland that this was all going to destroy the economy, by shutting down mail service over the railroads, so Cleveland sent in thousands of US Marshals, and 12,000 US troops!!!
When the shooting stopped, dozens of workers had been killed and maimed.
The Public was so horrified in the aftermath of this carnage that Congress enacted Labor day as a National Holiday to keep from being dragged out and placed on a guillotine.
So when you drink that next beer Today, and impale another worm, remember that you're doing it to celebrate people who were taken advantage of by Corporations, and their government marionettes. Remember that it was living in the squalor of Company built shacks, while having to "Pay" most of your earnings for the "Privilege" of having that shack to live in. Remember that there are people who would love nothing more than to see workers living in that situation again... All so THEY can make a buck! ------> Remember it could be you!!!