1 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Hey, and welcome to the Shorty. I'm Josh, there's Chuck 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:10,319 Speaker 1: and Jerry's over there, so that makes this stuff you 3 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: should know shorties. Welcome to the Shorty. I like that. 4 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: I'm trying to switch things up because these are a 5 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: little different, you know. Sure, they're their own thing. Chuck. Yeah. 6 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,440 Speaker 1: We we decided that we needed a signal to people 7 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:26,600 Speaker 1: that this was different, and we decided against a three 8 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:33,560 Speaker 1: minute long I suggested a series of blinks, but after 9 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: a little while we figured out that wasn't gonna work. Well, 10 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: I see you're wearing white, m hm. And that's because 11 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 1: it's not yet Labor Day, and then it's acceptable. Still 12 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: is that still a thing? Oh? Was it ever? I 13 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: think so? Yeah. I think that, um, gangs of angry 14 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 1: people would beat you senseless if they saw you wearing 15 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: white after Labor Day. Gangs of angry boaters and country clubs. Yeah, 16 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: maybe clutching their pearls. We're talking Labor Day, Yeah, we 17 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:05,319 Speaker 1: are talking Labor Day. And a lot of people kind 18 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:07,959 Speaker 1: of look at Labor Day and say that's a weird 19 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: name for a day off to go have a picnic 20 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: before we have to go back to school or something. Sure, 21 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 1: and that is a pretty appropriate thought if you think 22 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 1: about it, because it really doesn't have anything to do 23 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: with labor. Um. It's a day off, which is something, 24 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: but it's not a day off for everybody. It just 25 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: seems insensible until you start to know the origins of 26 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: Labor Day and you say, oh, it came out of 27 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: the labor unions, hence the name labor Day. Let's get 28 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: back to that. Yeah, exactly. Uh, as far as national 29 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: holidays in the US and Canada, it's been around since 30 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: about eighteen, well since exactly eight And it was, like 31 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: you said, labor unions. They don't know exactly who started 32 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: this tradition, but I think scholars generally say one of 33 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: two people, both involved in labor unions probably did so. Yeah, 34 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 1: one Waster McGuire and the other one was Matthew McGuire, 35 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: two different spellings, but um they I saw somewhere that 36 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: Matthew McGuire was much more radical and that um Peter 37 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,519 Speaker 1: McGuire was much more um centrist. He was the chill one. 38 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: So he was the one that gets He got the 39 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: official credit over time, but it may have actually really 40 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:23,640 Speaker 1: been Matthew McGuire. He was just overlooked because he was like, 41 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: let's have let's have some labor party rallies and maybe 42 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: we'll throw some bombs or something. Possibly, so Peter McGuire 43 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: with a C. He was a general secretary of the 44 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 1: And I love this, the Brotherhood of Carpenters and joiners. 45 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: And I guess they mean joiner is as a woodworking joiner. No, 46 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: I think they mean like people who like to join clubs. Different. No, sure, 47 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: it's gotta be right because it's follows carpenters. But I mean, yeah, 48 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: I guess that's what that means. Nothing like a dovetailed joint, right, 49 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 1: that's what it is that really gets my blood flowing. 50 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,959 Speaker 1: But shouldn't it be jointers? I don't know. I bet 51 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: you someone will have some good information on this, like 52 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: a joiner was a former name for carpenter or something, right, 53 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,119 Speaker 1: but well, so McGuire. Peter McGuire's claimed to fame. Other 54 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 1: claim to fame was um that he co founded the 55 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 1: a f L. What, Yeah, the American Federation of Labor. 56 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 1: I thought you met the American Football League. No, who 57 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 1: was that? Well? I don't know, Okay, So the the 58 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: whoever came up with the idea it's murky, but we 59 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: actually do know. The first Labor Day that was September five, 60 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: eight two, and it took place in New York and 61 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: it was like a real deal Labor Day thing. Yeah, 62 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: the parade, Yeah, and the whole the whole reason behind 63 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: the First Labor Day Parade was like, at the time, 64 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: if you worked, you worked in a factory most likely, 65 00:03:54,680 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: and you worked anywhere between twelve and tend to twelve 66 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: to fourteen hour days, seven days a week. And so 67 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: these labor unions were starting to organize, but they were 68 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 1: you know, they were pretty good at organizing people in 69 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: their trade, but they weren't coming together to to really 70 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 1: join their strengths. And so whoever's idea this was to 71 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 1: have this first Labor Day parade. The basis of it 72 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: was get all these different people from different unions together 73 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: and so they can see that they have all this 74 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: stuff in common, and then maybe we can really become, like, um, 75 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: a strong political force and we can agitate for like 76 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 1: a five day work week and eight hour work days. 77 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:36,359 Speaker 1: And they were successful, but it came out of this 78 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 1: first this first parade that they had. Yeah, they were like, hey, 79 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: we get all Thanksgiving, Christmas in the fourth of July, 80 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: how about one extra day off? Yeah, and and for 81 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: this first labor day and for other ones too, they 82 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: were like, well, no, you can't have the day off. 83 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: So it was a general strike, is how they took 84 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: the day off. Yeah. So enter President Cleveland, Mr Grover Cleveland. 85 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:02,040 Speaker 1: And uh is an interesting background because he was not 86 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 1: a union supporter. But everyone thinks when he signed the 87 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:09,919 Speaker 1: law saying the first Monday in September shall be Labor 88 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:14,799 Speaker 1: Day nationwide, while I grew up mustache or shaved the beard, 89 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: especially as you can tell pretty good Chuck. But most 90 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: people think that even though he wasn't a union supporter, 91 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:25,919 Speaker 1: he was trying to, uh, sort of put himself in 92 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: a better light because of some political damage earlier that year. 93 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:33,719 Speaker 1: He sent federal troops in to put down a strike. 94 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 1: And this was I mean, I know we covered some 95 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 1: of this in the Union's Long Unions episode, but a 96 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,839 Speaker 1: lot of times these strikes became you know, bloody battles 97 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: and riots, and uh, a strike by the American Railway 98 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 1: Union at the Pullman Company in Chicago did just that 99 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,359 Speaker 1: and thirty four workers died. So they think Cleveland was 100 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: like all right, Uh, you're gonna have a day off. 101 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:00,720 Speaker 1: I saw both things. I saw that Cleveland saw this 102 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:04,480 Speaker 1: as politically healing, you know, it was like like a 103 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 1: boney was tossing to the to the unions and a 104 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 1: labor in general. I also saw that that Congress had 105 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 1: a bill um going in circulation years before this happened, 106 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 1: and that Cleveland just happened to be the president who 107 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 1: was sitting at the time, and so he was the 108 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: one who signed it. And really it wasn't any any 109 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 1: political tool at all. So I saw both but either 110 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: way it did. It did come on the heels of 111 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: that for sure, and that was a that was a 112 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 1: big deal, that strike. I was looking into it, Chuck, 113 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:36,279 Speaker 1: and there's like, um, like the whole thing started because 114 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: some some workers from the Pullman Company. Pullman made railroad 115 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: cars at the time, like the popular ones like the 116 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:45,720 Speaker 1: good on the Pullman yard here in Atlanta, right right. 117 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:49,359 Speaker 1: So they went to to the head of the company, 118 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: I think either George or Charles Pullman, and said, hey, 119 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: we we want to we want to work fewer hours. 120 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,279 Speaker 1: We think we're working too much for too little pay. 121 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 1: He said, oh, that's great, I'll take it into consideration 122 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:05,159 Speaker 1: and like true Montgomery burns fashion. He fired the people 123 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 1: for even asking and so that started this whole, this 124 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: whole strike that ended up, Like you said, it was bloody. 125 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: There are riots. They were overturning railroad cars. Overturning railroad cars. 126 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: Do you know how hard that would be? I imagine 127 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 1: that was rope involved, I would hope. So, yeah, in 128 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: the Incredible Hulk, should we take a little quick break. Yeah, 129 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: I'm a little worked up. All right, We're gonna take 130 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: a quickie everybody, and we will come back and finish 131 00:07:32,320 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 1: up about Labor Day right after this, all right? So, oh, 132 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 1: what's Labor Day like around the world, Josh? It has 133 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: other names in different parts of the world's at right, Yeah, 134 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 1: and it takes place at different times, like May Day. 135 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: May one is known internationally, is like the the day 136 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: of workers, basically what Labor Day was originally to America. 137 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 1: Um May Day is to the rest of the world, 138 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: especially Europe and China and some other places. And it's 139 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 1: been definitely co opted as a kind of a communist 140 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 1: day too. Interesting, Yeah, which is another reason why we 141 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:33,160 Speaker 1: don't really tend to celebrate May Day. We celebrate Labor 142 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: Day in a totally different part of the year. Nothing 143 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 1: to do with communism. Yeah, and I actually looked up 144 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: the origins of this whole white after Labor Day and 145 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: are old buddies at Mental Floss and new buddies here 146 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: at work will in mangsh I don't know if they 147 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:52,680 Speaker 1: wrote this one, but apparently that came in the eighteen 148 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: eighties or so post Civil War, when uh, new money 149 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: started happening, and apparently the old money people were like, geez, 150 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 1: there's more rich people now than ever, and we can't 151 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 1: distinguish between the rich folks. So I'm on an old 152 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 1: blue blood and this guy just made his money and 153 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,439 Speaker 1: I don't know whatever they were making back then that 154 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 1: could make you rich. Um chewing gum, radio knobs, radio knobs. 155 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:25,599 Speaker 1: He's got new money. So they felt the need the 156 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 1: old blue bloods too, uh design a bunch of silly 157 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: like fashion rules and society rules, Uh that I don't 158 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 1: know if only they would know about it. Yeah, just 159 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: doing trapped people maybe, but as a way to distinguish, 160 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 1: you know, old money and true rich people from these 161 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: vulgar new rich people. And apparently not wearing white outside 162 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: of summer was just one of those rules that was 163 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: so those were the very people who would beat you 164 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 1: senseless if they caught you wearing white. That was the 165 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 1: other part of it too, not just feeling foolish, but 166 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:03,679 Speaker 1: feeling vulnerable tremendous paint. But they do confirm that these 167 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:05,560 Speaker 1: days it's not a big deal. I think it's just 168 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 1: kind of become more of a joke now when someone 169 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: says you don't wear white after Labor Day, I see 170 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 1: you just laugh and laugh at the joke. But as 171 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: far as unions go, the US now obviously is way 172 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 1: down as far as union membership in the nineteen fifties, 173 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: and this is pretty remarkable if you ask me about 174 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: of the workforce in America belong to a union. Yeah, 175 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: it's amazing. Yeah, they've got things done back then too. 176 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: What are he's saying? I think, you know, uh, and 177 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 1: now I believe and I'm not sure when this was written, 178 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: but it's probably roughly the same. But about four I 179 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 1: saw even lower, which I mean would definitely go on 180 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 1: to explain why labor days really lost its meaning to 181 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 1: you know. Well, now I think people know it as 182 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 1: just that sort of last blast um. Even though kids 183 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: start school way early now, it used to be sort 184 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 1: of around that time when you would head back to 185 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 1: school and stuff. Yeah, I was thinking about that. It 186 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: made me nostalgic for when I was in school, like 187 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 1: seeing like, oh yeah, Labor Day right after that you 188 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:11,719 Speaker 1: would go back to school. And now it's like not 189 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 1: been in school for a full month now. Yeah, But 190 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:16,959 Speaker 1: I mean I remember having like all of June, July, 191 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 1: and August off for sure. I know, now these kids 192 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:23,560 Speaker 1: are back in school and August it's weird chumps. But 193 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 1: they do get a very quick break with Labor Day 194 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: at least, no, I know, they definitely have some pretty 195 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: killer breaks that we didn't have. For sure. They get 196 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 1: all the brakes. Well that's it, huh, that's that's one 197 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 1: in the can. If you happen to be listening to 198 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 1: this on Labor Day, pay yourself on the back because 199 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 1: you just created an s Y s K trifecta. There. 200 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: Oh that's nice, chuck, and put on something white just 201 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:49,199 Speaker 1: to stick it in the eye of those blue bloods. 202 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: If you want to get in touch with us, you 203 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 1: can go to our website stuff you should know dot com. 204 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: It's got all of our social media links. You can 205 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:59,679 Speaker 1: also send us an email. Pay attention you should address it. 206 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 1: Tore Ucky to Stuff podcast and how Stuff Works dot com.