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Labor Day 2014

Labor Day became a national holiday in 1894, a tribute to trade and labor unions of the day who worked to improve the working conditions and pay levels of the American workers. Over the last 120 years, the nature of labor and of the workplace has changed dramatically, beyond the imaginations of the labor leaders of the time.

Today’s manufacturing workers, for instance, are no longer muscling, hammering and bolting things together. Now they are controlling computerized machinery that has taken over much of the work – and eliminated many of the jobs.

Computers have freed a lot of nine-to-five office workers from regimented schedules. More and more workers are telecommuting, working from home or from wherever they can plug in a lap top computer.

For many of today’s workers the challenge is to adapt to new technology, to be creative problem solvers. Even farmers are using GPS systems and computerized systems in their tractors to plant, fertilize and cultivate their fields.

As technology advanaces, the workplace changes even faster. As much as the workplace has changed in the past 120 years, it may change even more in the next 12. Workers being educated and trained today may have totally new systems and job requirements.

With all that in mind, it’s still as important as ever that we take a day to honor all those who do whatever it takes to get the job done in America.

Happy Labor Day to all.

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