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Labor Day, Voter Identification and a Fighting Legislator

 

As we go through a year, the first indication that summer is unofficially over has traditionally been Labor Day, not that the temperature, weather or other natural events seem to suggest otherwise. We have become conditioned to accept that first Monday in September holiday as a line between summer vacations and the fall and early winter holidays.

The observance of Labor Day started more than a century ago. According to the U. S. Department of Labor, “the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.” In short, it was a celebration of the efforts of the working class and its contribution to the building of an American society. The union and guild members who celebrated this holiday were truly a strong segment of society, as evidenced in the fact that in the 1940s around 40 percent of the workers were unionized.

Today, union membership has diminished and it represents only about 14 percent of the labor force. But we would be remiss if we did not point out that these groups brought about major changes in American society - the 40 hour week, child labor laws, safety standards, minimum wage and overtime, support for the creation of the Social Security system, backing the civil rights movement and more. That people are hostile to unions is more a reflection of the deep divide that marks the body politic today than it is of a hostility toward working people by working people.

So this weekend as we celebrate Labor Day, take a moment to consider why this holiday was created and that, without a labor movement a century ago, there may not have been many of the great social and political programs - both liberal and conservative - of the 20th and 21st century.

Speaking of programs, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania plan to protect against voter fraud (fraud that has not been evident in any measurable way) is taking another small step toward ensuring that our citizens’ constitutional right to vote is protected. On page 10 of this issue readers will see how the Commonwealth plans to address the citizen identification papers process. PennDOT is handling the matter. Somehow, that does not make us feel any better about the efficiency needed to protect our enfranchisement. Unlike what some may claim, voting is a right, an essential part of what makes this democracy in a republic work. It is unacceptable that some want our government to repress that right by making it difficult to participate in our American experiment.

Thankfully, citizen groups and individual legislators are stepping into the fight to protect our voting rights by helping people obtain their photo identification.  At least then we will all have our papers, please.

Speaking of legislators, State Rep. Rosita Youngblood,  who stood before large community audiences in Germantown and told of state regulations being by-passed and legislation regarding public money ram-rodded through on a greatly modified project in her district,  (as reported on page 2 in this issue), earns a salute for her work with other members of the state House of Representatives on a bill to insure community participation in the funding process.  The proposed bill mandates community input on projects funded with taxpayer dollars and, even though officially offered by Republicans Mike Turzai and Mike Vereb, distinctly carries the imprint of Rep. Youngblood’s efforts.

The bottom line is, talk is cheap. Rep. Youngblood got down to work and made sure that citizens, wherever they live, have a right to learn about, speak on and work for or against the use of public money in their community.

Scott Alloway

Associate Editor