OCR Text |
Show . . WHOM CAN WE THANK FOR THIS? Labor Day is meant for rest and recreation, but that shouldn't rule out constructive activity. Why not, then, set aside a little time to consider why it's one of vile equal employment opportunities. But organized la- The way the meaning of the word "labor" has changed over the years is one clue to why this anniversary is increasingly in-creasingly significant to all Americans. When the holiday holi-day was started nearly a century ago, men really labored and hard. Then the one-day respite provided much-needed much-needed relief from toil. Today, people still work diligently and ambitiously but the enervating drudgery and sheer expenditure of muscle are no longer the standard pattern . . . thanks to modern facilities and a huge expansion in creative occupations. oc-cupations. Moreover, the worker of 1969 has both the opportunity and energy to enjoy his day off and the fruits of his labor. This has been brought about by the ingenuity of industrial science, which coupled with a remarkable partnership between employer and employee has made the American worker the most productive in the world. In counting our Labor Day blessings, we should bear in mind the need to maintain a bala ce in the relations between be-tween management and employees. While resolving to extend the cooperative spirit that enhances our economy, organized labor and management might do well to sign another pact: a contract to work iointly to improve the lot of those who still do not share in the material and social benefits of our times. Industry has already taken substantial steps in that direction through such efforts as manpower training for the hard-core unemployed and affirmative action to provide pro-vide equal employment opportunities. But organized labor's la-bor's participation is vital to making these programs more effective, and the determination to make such a contribution contri-bution is an appropriate Labor Day resolution. |