Labor Day is often seen as the unofficial end of summer — a long weekend of barbecues, family gatherings and time to recharge. But for those of us in the labor movement, Labor Day is a reminder of what working people have built together: protections that make life better for millions of families.
The eight-hour workday, weekends, paid sick leave, health and safety — none of these were simply handed to us. Each was fought for, often against enormous resistance. Time and again, workers were told that their demands were “unrealistic” or “bad for business.” And yet, because we stood shoulder to shoulder, we won. That is the legacy of Labor Day, and it is also our charge for the future.
Something remarkable is happening right now in this country. Support for unions is at its highest point in decades. More than 70% of Americans — and nearly 9 in 10 young people — say they support unions. That is not just a poll number; it reflects the lived experience of working people who are tired of an economy that works only for the wealthy few.
Across industries and across the nation, workers are organizing at a pace not seen in generations. Teachers, nurses, retail clerks, baristas and warehouse workers are coming together to demand their fair share. Even in so-called “right-to-work” states, where corporate lobbyists have spent years trying to weaken unions, workers are rising up and making their voices heard.
Every organizing drive, every picket line, every strike is a declaration that working people deserve more than survival; we deserve the chance to thrive. We deserve jobs that pay enough to live in the communities we serve. We deserve health care that doesn’t bankrupt families. We deserve the right to retire in dignity after a lifetime of work. And we deserve protection from being punished simply for who we are or what we look like or where we come from.
The fight for justice cannot be separated from the fight for immigrant rights. Across the country, we have seen renewed federal attacks on immigrant communities — rhetoric and policies that scapegoat immigrants, threaten mass deportations, and sow fear in neighborhoods where families are simply trying to live and work in peace. The labor movement knows that an injury to one is an injury to all. That’s why unions are standing shoulder to shoulder with our immigrant communities advocating for humane policies, resisting raids and deportations, and fighting to ensure every worker, regardless of status, has dignity and protection on the job. In San Mateo County, our unions have partnered with community organizations to provide legal resources, push for sanctuary protections and demand fair treatment for immigrant workers who too often face exploitation and wage theft.
We will not let fear divide us. When immigrant workers are attacked, we rise together — because solidarity means no one stands alone.
But hope alone is not enough. Workers also need laws that reflect our values and protect our rights. That is why the San Mateo Labor Council strongly supports Assembly Bill 288, a measure that safeguards California workers’ right to organize.
For too long, workers have been left vulnerable when corporations retaliate against organizing drives. Federal enforcement has been slow, underfunded, and often tilted in favor of billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk who want to weaken the National Labor Relations Act. Cases can drag on for years, and by the time justice is served — if it ever is — the organizing effort has been destroyed.
AB 288 changes that dynamic. It ensures that when the federal government fails, California will step in to protect workers. It says clearly: the right to organize is not optional, and corporations cannot simply ignore the law. This bill is a lifeline for workers who are standing up in the face of enormous power, and it reflects the values of our state — fairness, dignity and accountability.
The stakes could not be higher. Inequality has reached levels not seen in generations. The cost of housing, health care and basic necessities continues to rise, while too many jobs still leave workers living paycheck to paycheck. But there is also unprecedented opportunity. We have the most united labor movement in a generation, and working people are hungrier than ever for a fair economy that works for all of us.
This Labor Day, the lesson is clear: When workers organize, we win. When we build solidarity across industries, communities and borders, we change lives. And when we fight not just for ourselves but for the next generation, we create a legacy of justice that will endure.
Julie Lind is the executive officer/executive secretary-treasurer, San Mateo Labor Council.
(2) comments
She could have written this in the 1940s. The same story, successful businessmen or women are bad, workers are saints and needy. Ms. Lind tends to forget that labor unions have also destroyed or have tried to destroy livelihoods for others. Take the BART labor union or the IBEW, and the teachers unions. They control the State and are inching us toward bankruptcy. If labor union could constrain themselves and quit demanding outrageous concessions from the public and their employers, perhaps more workers are willing to join. Labor Day is for all of us, not just for labor union bullies.
An executive officer, Julie Lind, of the San Mateo Labor Council writing a guest perspective to advocate for supporting unions? Say it isn’t so. Unfortunately, the statistics reported by Ms. Lind may not necessarily be accurate or relevant. A News Release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/union2.pdf) reports that the union membership rate was 9.9% in 2024, little changed from the prior year, and the number of workers belonging to unions at 14.3 million. In 1983, the union membership rate was 20.1% with 17.7 million union members. Perhaps sentiment is high, which doesn’t mean much, because the reality is that support for unions is not at its highest point in decades. In fact, it is at one of the lowest, if not the lowest, point in decades.
Also, conflating legal with illegal immigration isn’t a selling point or a valid comparison in “fighting” for justice. Do you think supporting criminal behavior translates to supporting unions? I’d say it does exactly the opposite. I’ll push for folks to not support Assembly Bill 288 as I get the feeling the measure only supports union labor. Remember, Labor Day isn’t celebrated only by union workers – Labor Day is celebrated by everyone. Have fun at barbecues, family gatherings, and good food. BTW, are barbecues still allowed with this global warming thing? Will someone designate Labor Day as a Spare the Air Day?
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