The very first Labor Day parade in the United States was held on Sept. 5, 1882 in New York City. The participants brought picnic lunches, had a concert, and listened to many different speeches. In total more than ten thousand workers marched in a parade from City Hall to Union Square demanding better working conditions and more rights in the workplace. At this time, many Americans worked in physically demanding and low-paying jobs. It was common for adults and children alike to spend 12 hours a day in factories or on large farms in dangerous conditions, with more consideration given to profit than safety.
As we celebrate this 126th Labor Day, we remember the struggles and progress that were achieved by union leaders and labor activists. We remember working people standing up and demanding a better life for themselves, their families, and our country. The struggles for better working conditions, higher pay, and a fairer workplace are a familiar fight to us today.
As we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, essential and front line workers have had to withstand the worst of the hardship. These workers have had to work in the most challenging circumstances, providing services and producing the tools to fight the pandemic. Nurses, grocery store clerks, cashiers, delivery people, and so many more have once again shown us that working people are backbone of our country. They were there risking their lives so that others could be safe. Here in Suffolk County their work is why we were able to get through the worst of this pandemic. Their efforts were vital and essential to overcoming the disaster we had to endure. It is a reminder that the services and products that working people provide have always been essential and that we should be doing everything we can to make sure this work is fairly rewarded.
Until there is a vaccine, these men and women will continue to put their own health and safety at risk to help others survive the challenges thrust upon them by this public health emergency. This is not the first time we have seen such valiant efforts to keep others safe. As we approach the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, we remember those who put their own safety at risk to save others on that horrible day. All these years later, many responders are battling diseases and cancers attributed to exposure to toxic materials at Ground Zero, putting them at an elevated risk from coronavirus. We fought for health coverage for these responders because that was the right thing to do. Both then and now, these workers and volunteers have never hesitated to do what is necessary and neither should we.
There is no question that COVID-19 has hurt working people very directly. This is because the work they do puts them in more direct contact with others, than people who are able to social distance. Health care workers have been on the front lines of fighting the epidemic. Grocery store workers have been doing the important work of keeping us fed, while still dealing with customers face-to-face. Delivery people have been making sure that those of us
who cannot leave our homes are still getting the resources they need. So many more are putting themselves at risk to keep us safe. That is why we need to ensure workers receive hazard pay for what they do under such extreme circumstances. The least we can do is make sure they receive the proper pay and protections for the incredible work they do.
We also must recognize the sacrifice that so many have made by staying home to make sure this virus does not spread further. People have lost their jobs, are experiencing food insecurity, and are in danger of losing their homes. These people might not have had to go to work every day, but they too were providing a service to our community. We need to do everything we can to make sure that these workers are made whole. That they receive unemployment insurance payments in a timely manner. That we again provide the additional $600 in unemployment benefits. That we make sure people do not lose their homes because they did what was right to protect us all. That our neighbors do not go hungry because they cannot leave their homes. This is a time that calls for compassion from us all. We must recognize we are stronger as a community when we are making sure we are all doing well.
This Labor Day we are reminded of the struggle of the early labor movement. The sacrifices of our union leaders and labor activists won for us the rights we enjoy today. We are stronger as a community when we have strong unions. Today our unions are again advocating for the rights and needs of all working people. COVID-19 has created new challenges, but the needs of workers have remained the same. Better pay and more protections for working people are not only necessary for our continued recovery from the pandemic, they are also how we do right by those who have done right by us. As we enjoy our Labor Day, remember that there are people doing the essential work to keep us safe. Let us show how we value their work by doing the work to help them.
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