NEW YORK (WalletHub) – Labor Day in the 21st century is all about beaches, BBQs, ballgames and buying things. This year, for example, 25-percent of Americans plan to get out of town for Labor Day weekend. More than 102 million will enjoy a cookout. Thousands will pack college football stadiums. And the average Labor Day weekend shopper will spend $58 in the process, according to WalletHub’s survey.
But it hasn’t always been that way. Labor Day’s roots can be traced back to the streets of 1880s New York City, where rival union leaders joined forces to protest the unfair labor practices that plagued industry at the time.
This is not meant to take the wind from your sails as you enjoy one last dip in the summer sun. Rather, these Labor Day facts may help you cherish the holiday even more. Its place on the calendar is uniquely American – most other countries celebrate labor in May. And there’s ample reason for celebration, considering the industrial fatality rate has fallen by roughly 78-percent since the early 1900s.
So WalletHub gathered the most entertaining, educational Labor Day facts we could find to create this infographic.
By John S Kiernan
