BATON ROUGE – As families all over Louisiana mark the end of a challenging summer and the beginning of an exciting school year ahead for many, we call to mind the millions of working men and women throughout our country’s history whose work we honor with the holiday. The long weekend, like the weekend itself, comes as a result of organized labor unions. Fighting for workers’ rights and dignity in the face of exploitive and abusive industry practices, organized labor has made the American dream a reality for many of our working families.
Child labor laws, sick days and bereavement leave, overtime pay, and the forty-hour work-week are only a handful of the workplace protections won by the struggle and organized efforts of labor unions in this country. Their tireless efforts in the face of corporate greed and management exploitation give voice and power to working families and strengthen our economy. Labor unions have been and continue to be the strongest, most successful method for working families to achieve the dignity and security they deserve.
“We are all thankful for the efforts of the working men and women whose labor makes our way of life possible,” said Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, chairwoman of the Louisiana Democratic Party. “Our state is stronger when labor unions are stronger, and the working families that drive our economy are protected. We honor the great work labor unions do for our working men and women, and for Louisiana.”
###