Politics & Government

Labor Day: Do You Support Unions?

Membership is on decline but some argue that unions help all workers.

It's Labor Day, a holiday established to celebrate American workers and their contributions to society.

The first Monday in September was  established as a federal holiday in 1894. From the beginning, Labor Day has been a way to show "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations."

But union membership has been declining for decades, from a high in the 1950s, when more than a third of American workers were union members, to today. Only about 12 percent of workers are unionized now, with just 7 percent of private workers covered.

Find out what's happening in Huntingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Some argue that unions are outdated. Others say unions help all workers by raising income and beneifts everyone.

Have you ever been a union member? Do unions have a place today? Do you think unions can help you ?

Find out what's happening in Huntingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Please tell us in the comments.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here