Each Labor Day, I am reminded of my youth (1940-1957) in blue-collar East St. Louis, Illinois a bastion of intensely organized trade unions. Labor Day offered those Union men and women a grand stage on which to demonstrate their solidarity and workers' pride. Much has changed through the years. Perhaps the journey found union leaders over-reaching for benefits thus inflating construction cost. On the other hand just maybe corporate America's profit greed over-reached with business outsourcing. Today's current political wars over organized unions is just another issue that divides our people.
Those yesterday East St. Louis Labor Days kicked off with a morning parade of thousands of union members flanked by decorated floats, kids riding decorated bikes and heavy equipment vehicles winding their way through the East St. Louis city streets ending at the massive Jones' Park. The day long family picnics was the basic theme with sounds of Municipal League baseball games, horseshoes clanking, croquet games. children's' games and a beach style swimming pool. The day long event truly marked the end of summer. Traditionally, the public and Catholic schools opened their doors the next morning. As the Labor Day sun gave way to evening darkness the reality of school day routines entered the mind...a sobering thought.
I'm not sure but I don't believe Americans champion the labor work force as it once did. Most young people seem to avoid physical labor but rather pursue service type jobs.
Holy crap, if Trump builds that wall, we Americans are going to lose our low cost labor force. Our young people are going have to get their hands dirty and God have mercy, they may even sweat.
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