Overview

• The U.S. observes Labor Day on the first Monday in September, widely seen as the unofficial end of summer with parades, picnics and back-to-school routines.
• The holiday traces to an 1882 New York City labor-union parade often credited to organizers Matthew Maguire and Peter McGuire.
• Chicago shaped the cause through the eight-hour-day movement, the Haymarket Affair and the Pullman conflict that prompted federal recognition under Grover Cleveland.
• Union density has fallen from mid-20th-century highs to 5.9% in the private sector, with nearly a third of public employees unionized and about half of union members working in government.
• Modern observances emphasize retail sales that keep many employees on the job, while editorials urge honoring all forms of work beyond organized labor.