- The first observance of Labor Day is believed to have been a parade of 10,000 workers on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, organized by Peter J. McGuire, a Carpenters and Joiners Union secretary. By 1893, more than half the states were observing a “Labor Day” on one day or another, and Congress passed a bill to establish a federal holiday in 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed the bill soon afterward, designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day.
- 154.4 million: Number of people 16 and older in the nation's labor force in May 2010.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf - 7.6 million: Number of workers who hold down more than one job. So-called moonlighters comprise 5 percent of the working population. Of these, 4 million work full time at their primary job and part time at their other job. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as cited in the Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2010, Table 596 http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
- -5.3%: Percentage decline in employment in the United States, between September 2008 and September 2009. Employment declined in 329 of the 334 largest counties (large counties are defined as having employment levels of 75,000 or more). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cewqtr.pdf
- 17.7 million: Number of commuters who leave for work between midnight and 5:59 a.m. They represent 13 percent of all commuters. Source: 2008 American Community Survey http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/users_guide/index.htm
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Labor Day Facts and Figures
Workers in the United States will celebrate Labor Day this coming Monday. Here are some facts and figures about Labor Day taken from the U.S. Census Bureau:
