**For Immediate Release**
August 28, 2019
Dear Editor:
The days are getting shorter, the wheat has been harvested, the yellow school buses are on the road and another Labor Day Holiday is upon us.
Let’s not forget the reason that we enjoy the day off with picnics, parades, family gatherings, bridge walks - the list goes on.
Workers are the backbone of our country that keeps our economy, defense and lifestyle as we know it going. Workers in fields such as industrial, healthcare, police and fire protection, retail and service, utility, construction, education, armed forces, science and technology - and the list goes on.
The point is - without workers, the wheels would not turn in the process of making and being the greatest country in the world. Technology, although it can be helpful, is becoming harmful to the work force in many ways by eliminating many jobs. These include online banking, self-scanners in supermarkets, online ordering in retail - the list goes on. Remember, these items do not pay taxes or buy any products.
Organized Labor has fought for all workers over the years to make things better. Another concerning change brought on by the technology shift is that in many educational systems, they are not even required to teach cursive writing to our young people of tomorrow’s workforce. In my opinion, about 20% of the graduates today go on to higher learning and the other 80% choose to go directly to work. We need to take advantage of vocational education and apprenticeship programs available so we don’t lose these necessary skills and maintain a highly skilled workforce for the future.
Let’s pause for a moment and think about the purpose of this holiday - to celebrate the importance and struggles of the American workforce.
Have a happy and safe Labor Day weekend!
Richard Cummings
President, AFL-CIO
St. Clair Co. Central Labor Council