Are You Working This Labor Day?
September 1, 2008 by Cherie Burbach
Filed under Parenting
It’s Labor Day here in the U.S., and I’m wondering how many of you are actually working rather than taking time off?
While I’m (due to the magic of technology) actually writing this on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, it will post on Monday and appear as if I am working. Still, in order to take Monday off I had to work ahead. There are tons of industries that can’t take off, such as law enforcement and health-care. And for those that have to work today know that you are not forgotten in our day of rest.
When I was in the world of marketing, there were quite a few Labor Days that I actually decided to work in order to catch up on my workload. I look back on those days and just shake my head. Where did all that work actually get me? More than that, it didn’t allow me the time to appreciate what Labor Day is all about.
President Bush said in his weekly radio address that Labor Day:
“…marks the traditional end of the summer season. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the contributions of hardworking Americans all across the country – from teachers, farmers, and health professionals, to firefighters, police officers, small business owners, and workers on the assembly line.”
While I might think that I’m overworked now, I know there was a time when it was much worse for workers in the world. Their contributions are what made it possible for me to have a reasonable work day, and for that I have to take a minute and say thank you.
As a personal trainer, I don’t really take days off. If one of my clients wants to train on a holiday then I usually train. The only exception is Christmas.
That seems to be the norm these days…. working every day of the week.
Being a programmer, I have both the best and worst of this. There are (brief) times when my schedule eases up… usually a day or two after having a release. But short of that, thanks to a law that affords “professionals” and in particular “Computer workers” no rights or protections under fair labor practices, I have spent plenty of holidays and weekends, not to mention 24 hour “shifts” when deadlines loom (and in my industry they seem to always be looming).
Of course now for all the good the Internet and mobile phones bring, it also brings the office to you, so now, even when I am not working, I am only an e-mail or phone call away from logging in and working. (I even had to do so while on vacation in Disney World last year).
Yes, there were times that conditions in this country are worse, but honestly… unless we watch carefully, we are going to wind up there again.