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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Crisis Assistance Ministry

Charlotte, NC

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Labor Day

For most Americans, Labor Day evokes parades, backyard barbecues, and the unofficial end of summer. But the laid-back holiday we observe today is a far cry from the original “workingman’s holiday” that grew out of a particularly tumultuous era in our history.

September 7, 2020

For most Americans, Labor Day evokes parades, backyard barbecues, and the unofficial end of summer. But the laid-back holiday we observe today is a far cry from the original “workingman’s holiday” that grew out of a particularly tumultuous era in our history. 

Labor Day 2020, coming as it does amid another precarious period in our nation, is a fitting time to re-examine the holiday’s activist roots and reimagine its meaning today.

Photo courtesy of CNBC.com

When the first Labor Day parade stepped off on a September day in 1882, 10,000 workers risked their jobs to march through New York City, demanding “Less Work and More Pay”1. While it didn’t become a national holiday until over a decade later, the event’s organizers envisioned an annual day of solidarity among workers across all industries.

Labor movement organizers were in full swing back then, rallying, striking, and sometimes dying in protest of unconscionable working conditions.  Those efforts eventually secured many of the standards we now take for granted, including the 8-hour workday, a federal minimum wage, and the abolition of forced child labor.  

And while workers today are indebted to those pioneers who laid the groundwork for improved conditions, this Labor Day reminds us that the fight to ensure that all workers have the dignity of safe working conditions and a fair wage is far from over.

The economic devastation wrought by COVID-19 has laid bare persistent inequities that have too-often been camouflaged by low overall unemployment and a booming stock market.  Among them:

  • Large sectors of the workforce are not adequately protected, including those who labor in service industries, childcare, and home health. These front-line workers are among the lowest paid, are disproportionately women and people of color, and often lack paid time off and health insurance.
  • Pandemic-related job loss has devastated the livelihood of many people of color at the same time the coronavirus has threatened their very lives.  Since February, Black and Hispanic Americans have lost their jobs at a rate of 1.4 times that of white Americans2. These groups are also more than 4.5 times more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 than their white counterparts3.
  • Economic recovery from the pandemic is likely to exacerbate the existent disparities.  Traditionally, recovery after an economic downturn has been described using letters of the alphabet:  “V”-shaped for a  sudden drop followed by a rapid recovery, “U” for an economy that drags along at the bottom before rising again; “L” for a drop followed by a prolonged recession, or “W” for a more volatile pattern.  But some experts are now predicting a “K”-shaped recovery, in which the most privileged among us quickly regain lost ground and reach even greater wealth while the most vulnerable fall further behind.
Infographic courtesy of Citizens for Tax Justice

What has been catastrophic for millions has been a windfall for some.  Since March 18, American billionaires have increased their combined wealth to more than $3.65 trillion4. According to the Brookings Institution, the top 1% of American families now holds more wealth than the entire middle class5.

And the middle class is shrinking.  The concentration of gains at the top of the economic ladder and losses at the bottom accelerate a decades-long trend.  From 1971 to 2019, the percentage of adults with middle incomes has shrunk from 61% to 51%, while those in the lower income and upper income tiers increased by 4% and 6%, respectively6.

Labor Day this year, stripped of its traditional big parades and large-scale gatherings, offers a time of reflection. How can we ensure that all workers have access to safe working conditions, adequate health care, and fair wages? Our foremothers and forefathers in the labor movement left a powerful legacy: Collective action as the path to meaningful and lasting change.  We may not be able to march shoulder-to-shoulder right now, but we can work together to create a nation where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

1 “What is Labor Day? A History of the Workers’ Holiday”, New York Times, September 1, 2018.
2 “Unemployment and Income Have Long Differed by Race. Coronavirus hasn’t helped”, USA Facts, August 7, 2020.
3 “COVID-19 Hospitalization and Death by Race/Ethnicity”, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 18, 2020.
4 “Making Billions v Making Ends Meet: How the Pandemic has Split the US Economy in Two”,  The Guardian, August 16, 2020.
5 “Charts of the Week: Americans’ Wealth and Debt”, Brookings Institution, July 12, 2019.
6 “6 Facts About Economic Inequality in the U.S.”, Pew Research Center, February 7, 2020.

Filed Under: Advocacy Tagged With: labor

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Crisis Assistance Ministry

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    Charlotte, NC 28206
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We had an unusual 🐿️ visitor this morning. While we DO specialize in stabilizing families through emergency basic needs and financial empowerment, our services are designed for neighbors of the human variety! 🤣 
Fortunately, our little squirrel buddy has been successfully relocated to the outdoors where they can continue to take care of their family too 😁 🎉

crisisassistmin

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Pulitzer Prize-winning author Matthew Desmond’s thought-provoking message will help us understand the systemic issues contributing to poverty and inspire us to be part of the solution here in our own community. Tickets are free, but required. Seating is Limited. <Link in Bio>

crisisassistmin

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We aren't throwing a big party, but we ARE asking friends and neighbors to make a direct contribution to help stabilize families facing a financial crisis. Your help with this Non-Event will make more stories like this one possible. Join us with a gift to help neighbors avoid eviction and loss of utilities and to empower more people with the tools to rebuild financial stability for themselves. Don't Save a Date . . . Save A Future.

crisisassistmin

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We love sharing our mission with corporate #volunteers like this team from @humana today. Thanks to their help, families will find essentials like clothing, shoes, school supplies, and household goods—free of charge— in our store while they continue to build financial stability. #thankful

crisisassistmin

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Instead of planning a fancy gala, we're inviting you to skip the party (and all those costs) and instead make a direct contribution to stabilize families experiencing financial crisis right here in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
It's our NonEvent 2023, and your gift will help hardworking neighbors escape the threat of eviction or loss of utilities while empowering families with the resources to stabilize their families . . . and their future.
SAVE A FUTURE: https://crisisassistance.org/mobility

crisisassistmin

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What a wonderful day to welcome #volunteers from @DukeEnergy during their Summer of Service. Nearly 100 Duke employees spent part of their day helping with everything from painting barrels to inspecting donations and stocking the store. A GREAT way to spend a Friday here in the Queen City!

crisisassistmin

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This might look like a #Barbie appreciation post, but actually it is a shout out to Team @duke_energy and the 100+ folks who spent their day as #volunteers here today!

crisisassistmin

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Starting the day with a wonderful snack ministry from @elevationchurch for day 6 of #loveweek2023! Thank you for making sure families seeking help today have a little nourishment along the way.

crisisassistmin

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Today's LOVE WEEK 2023 #volunteers from @elevationchurch created no-sew blankets for families who shop here free of charge, staffed the checkout counters in the store, and prepared newly arrived clothing from corporate donors for future shoppers. With help like this, more than 80 people per day find essentials to help stabilize their families when they visit our Free Store. #thankful #loveweek2023

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