Labor Day 2024
(this text was modified and condensed from the original 8/30 members email re Labor Day)
Labor Day is a federal holiday that recognizes the importance and contributions of organized labor throughout our history. American workers did not always have the right to unionize - several court cases throughout the 18th and 19th century ruled that unions were criminal conspiracies and that workers could not legally take part in them. It took decades of fighting from groups like the AFL to secure basic rights we now take for granted - things like the five-day workweek, the 40-hour workweek, federal holidays, sick leave policies, and anti-discrimination ordinances came about from struggles, not just by asking nicely. Our union ancestors endured beatings from strikebreakers and much worse just to gain access to things like drinking fountains and restrooms at work sites. They believed in the power of unified people to impact change and kept fighting for better conditions long after they had achieved their initial goals.
Yes, I acknowledge that many people reading this are at least tangentially aware of this history but I wanted to mention it due to its relevance to our modern work as an employee association. We fight for a variety of workplace conditions and benefits when we negotiate with management, some of which might seem like obvious requests and some of which might seem utopian. That said, we’re never going to stop reaching for the stars: things that seem ridiculous or impractical today might be commonplace in just a few decades if employee groups like us across the world keep pushing. The world is not set in stone but is something we actively shape from clay, and the combined forces of people can alter the realm of what we think is possible in the blink of an eye.
The City of Tempe could not provide the services it does to the community without its workers. No amount of automation or self-help services can ever make up for the hard work (dare I say labor) that you all put in every day to make this City what it is, one of the fastest-growing and highest-regarded parts of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Never forget that you make all of this possible nor your power as a member of UAEA to build the better world we want to see.