 photo by Gigi Pilcher September 01, 2003
The first observance is thought to have been a parade in New York City, in 1882, organized by Peter McGuire of the Carpenters Union. The idea caught on, and by 1893, more than half the states were holding some sort of observance to honor the nation's workers. The first Monday in September became a national holiday in 1894. Today, nearly 140-million men
and women over 16 are in the labor force - about 64 percent of
all adults. In terms of gender, 71 percent of men and 58 percent
of women are among the nation's workers. About 7 percent of all
workers are self-employed, and 6 percent have more than one job.
[Source U.S. Census Bureau] Local Ketchikan resident Kenneth Williams is one of many Ketchikan workers keeping our community running smoothly. Williams is employed by FEDEX and has lived in Ketchikan for several years.
 gigi@sitnews.org
Stories In The News Ketchikan, Alaska |
