Today, as we gather together to grill processed meats, shop for incredible bargains, and relax watching some baseball, we should take a moment to consider why we celebrate Labor Day.

As early as the 18th century, local unions were formed in the US. Things moved slowly at first. Without a way to communicate swiftly between spread out towns, unions remained small and quaint. In 1834, the first major strike in US history took place in Lowell Massachusetts. As per the nature of the work, these first strikers were women. THey did not see any action on their grievances until 1845, when they petitioned the Massachusetts legislature, but the ball began to roll.

After the Civil War, trade unions began to sprout across the country. Strikes for better working conditions and higher wages began to blossom across the country. Most were peaceful, but some ended tragically. Groups like the NLU, the Knights of St. Crispin, the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor toiled endlessly to better the conditions for their members.

The labor movement continued onward as the 19th century turned to the 20th. Immigrants, seeking education and protection from sweatshops and oppressive working conditions, joined the union ranks. The development of the assembly line increased productivity, but also increased business magnates' greed. During the 20s and 30s, labor tensions grew more pronounced and violent, fueled by a worldwide depression and the rise of totalitarian regimes in Russia and Germany.

Newspapers and (later) radio commentators denounced labor leaders and workers, calling them anarchists and Communists. In some unions, there were unsavory alliances made with organized crime members. When World War II dragged the US into its bloody grip, labor and management forgot their differences for the good of the nation and the world.

Over the past 50 years, labor has declined as a prime force in America. Deals struck by labor bosses for convenience's sake have weakened their position. Many businesses have moved their operations to so-called "right-to-work" states, or overseas to take advantage of cheap, exploitable labor. Many conservatives consider labor unions today in much the same way they regard the civil rights movement: maybe important a long time ago, but an annoyance now.

I believe, however, that the labor movement is still viable and important to the well-being of the United States. So when you have that third hamburger, try on those spiffy shorts you got, or cheer 'cause your team scored a game-winning home run, thank unions. They made it possible to enjoy them on your day off.