United Prayers Across America
A National Prayer Project to Awaken the Sleeping Giant

Conference Call #38

The Meaning of Labor Day

Marti Snyder

September 4, 2006

Good evening, everyone. In honor of the date, my talk tonight is about Labor Day, and my quote is from Samuel Gompers, founder and longtime president of the American Federation of Labor:

Labor Day differs in every essential way from the other holidays of the year in any country. All other holidays are in a more or less degree connected with conflicts and battles of man’s prowess over man, of strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one nation over another. Labor Day…is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race or nation."

The labor movement created Labor Day, celebrated on the first Monday in September, to honor the achievements of American workers. Labor Day is an annual national tribute to the contributions that workers have made to our country.

The Central Labor Union organized the first Labor Day holiday, which was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. In 1884, the Central Labor Union selected the first Monday in September to be the annual date of Labor Day, and they encouraged organizations in other cities to follow New York’s example and celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday in September as well. As labor organizations flourished, Labor Day was celebrated in many cities during the late 1880’s, and Congress voted to make Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894.

The Central Labor Union proposed that Labor Day would consist of a parade to demonstrate "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations," followed by a festival for workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day all over America. Later, civic leaders were invited to make public speeches to emphasize the contributions of American workers to the economy and social fabric of the nation. The American Federation of Labor convention of 1909 resolved that the Sunday before Labor Day would be "Labor Sunday," and this would be a day to honor the spiritual and educational attributes of the labor movement.

American workers have been thought of as the backbone of one of the greatest economies in history, including the high standard of living enjoyed by many Americans. They are often seen as the core of society in supporting the democratic political ideals of our society. This is indeed a day when it is fitting to honor the hard work and tremendous productivity of the American Worker.

Marti Snyder is a direct descendant of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams. She has always had a deep love for America and the sight of our flag. Marti has a large flagpole and beautiful American Flag in her front yard which she looks upon in gratitude and amazement every day. She has been interested in the course of politics and God since childhood.

Marti was a Political Science Major at the University of Oregon and, after leaving college, she found Transcendental Meditation. She was initiated in February of 1976 and has been practicing and studying TM for 30 years.

Currently Marti is a homemaker, in slightly rural California, with her husband Jeff, a man of great spiritual depth. Marti has two step-daughters, Ashley, 20, and Jennifer Rose, 13. She fills her days with her family, and is grateful to have time for spiritual practice, study, and reflection.