How did it start?

One fine September day in 1882, 10,000 workers gathered to parade in New York City to raise awareness of serious labor and safety issues. That event marked the first “known” Labor Day.

It was so successful and well-recognized, other cities and towns joined in following years and within 14 years more than half the states in this country were observing some form of labor or “workingmen’s” holiday.

President Grover Cleveland made it official in 1894 and designated the first Monday of every September as Labor Day.

Looking for a parade Monday? Buckfield is hosting one starting at 10 a.m. in the village.

Pass the ribs

Labor Day is, quite simply, a national holiday to celebrate workers. We acknowledge their contributions to the economy and to society, and we honor their achievements. And, most of us get to take the day off work.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are 158.5 million people age 16 and over now in the nation’s workforce. In Maine, according to the Department of Labor, there are 500,000 in the workforce.

How do we celebrate these workers? With barbecue.

If you’re not planning to serve something at home, the Western Maine Labor Council is hosting its annual public barbecue from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Monday at the IBEW 567 Union Hall, 238 Goddard Road in Lewiston. The food and fun are free.

More people working

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, the percent of Americans becoming employed rose 1.9 percent in 2015. That’s 141.9 million more people working in 2015 than in 2014. According to the Maine Center for Workforce Research and Information, the trend is happening here, too.

The unemployment rate — adjusted seasonally because we have such seasonal occupations here — was 4.4 percent in July 2015. In July 2016, it had dropped to 3.9 percent. But, unlike so many shifts that can be exaggerated in larger population centers, the drop in unemployment cuts across all 16 Maine counties. We haven’t seen numbers this low since 2002.

Of the 679,800 people counted among Maine’s workforce, 649,900 of them were employed last year.

Many of them are working this holiday in service and other sectors, so if you’re out and about, thank a worker.

And, if you’re looking for work, consider becoming a wind turbine service technician. It is the fastest growing occupation by projected percentage growth in the country, expected to more than double from now to 2024. If you’re not cut out for that, the number of jobs available for personal care aides will grow by another 458,100 positions in about the same time frame, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor.

Getting to work

Do you get on the road to work before dawn? You’re not alone, but then you already knew that.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 6.3 million Americans left home for work between midnight and 4:50 a.m. in 2014. That’s 4.5 percent of all commuters. By 7 a.m., there are 20.6 million more commuters on the road who are trying to get to work by 7:30.

The average length of a commute by car in the United States? According to the Federal Highway Administration, it’s 22.8 minutes.

In Maine, the commute times are generally longer, but not by much. According to Census figures, folks in York County spend the most time in their cars, commuting an average 27.2 minutes one way. Folks in Aroostook? Seventeen minutes.

And, despite the many commuting options available to us, Americans prefer to drive their personal vehicles alone.

According to the Statistic Brain Research Institute, 75.7 percent of Americans drive to work alone, compared to 12.19 percent who carpool and 2.52 percent who ride the bus. Walking to work appeals to 3.26 percent of us, which is more than double the number who ride subways.

The option least favored? Bicycles, with just .38 percent of Americans pedaling to work.

The most time-consuming commutes are in New York and Maryland, and then there are an astonishing 3.3 million people in this country who “stretch commute,” which means they’re driving 50 or more miles each way.

So, if you’re sitting in traffic on your 10-mile commute, think about what that might look like for the 50-miler.

And, if you’re one of the 6.3 million people who work at home, put your feet up and celebrate the luxury of a no-commute life.

That’s practically a holiday every working day.

jmeyer@sunjournal.com

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