Labor Day Remembrance

September 3, 2012 - In your travels, you’ve probably seen the bumper sticker that says, “Unions: From the Folks Who Brought You the Weekend.” Because of the nature of our industry, many of us aren’t always able to fully enjoy our weekends, but the message reminds us of how much we owe the labor movement. Thanks to unions, we have safer working conditions, vacations, employer-provided health care, life insurance—the list goes on and on. The people who fought for these improvements often paid dearly, sometimes with their lives, for job conditions that many of us don’t give a second thought to.

ALPA continues this legacy, striving for a better quality of life for its members while working through the Association’s Air Safety Organization to maximize safe and secure airline operations. In the 150-plus years of the labor movement, the key to success has always been member unity. Early labor leader Samuel Gompers once said, “Where trade unions are most firmly organized, there are the rights of the people most respected.”

On this Labor Day weekend, whether you’re flying a trip, barbecuing with family, or participating in a community event, please take a moment to think about how much we’ve accomplished. Like freedom, our workplace benefits can be lost and are something that we must to continue to fight for. Our greatest hope for success is substantially improved when we work together.

Have a safe Labor Day Weekend.