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Honouring Labour Day

Posted in: Holidays | Posted by Rebecca Ingram on August 30, 2018

Although observed on May 1st in most countries around the world, the first Monday in September is recognized as Labour Day in Canada and the USA. It is a statutory holiday commonly associated with the end of summer, marking the last long weekend of the season and signalling the day before school starts. Over the years, however, the origins of the Labour Day, what it means, and why it’s celebrated have all but been forgotten. Labour Day is an annual holiday celebrating the achievements of workers and can be traced to the labour unrest of the late 1800’s, the dawn of the industrial revolution, and the birth of unions. Perhaps one of the most significant developments from this period was the 8 hour day movement, which advocated eight hours of work, eight hours of recreation, and eight hours of rest per day — a concept that should be revisited more […]

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