What the World is Looking for

The first observance of Labor Day is believed to have been a parade on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, probably organized by Peter J. McGuire, a Carpenters and Joiners Union secretary.

By 1893, more than half the states were observing a "Labor Day" on one day or another, and a bill to establish a federal holiday was passed by Congress in 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed the bill soon afterward, designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day.

Who Are We Celebrating on Labor Day?

149.1 million
Number of people age 16 or older in the nation's labor force. Among the nation's workers are 80.0 million men and 69.1 million women. These men and women represent 66 percent of the civilian adult population.

Employee Benefits

82%
Percentage of full-time workers age 18 to 64 covered by health insurance during all or part of 2003.

79%
Percentage of workers in private industry who receive a paid vacation as one of their employment benefits.

Salary & Wages

$40,668 and $30,724
The annual median earnings, respectively, for male and female full-time, year-round workers in 2003.

Our Jobs
Americans work in a wide variety of occupations. Here is a sampling:

Occupation	Number of employees
Gaming services workers	85,000
Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists	718,000
Chefs and head cooks	281,000
Firefighters	258,000
Musicians, singers and related workers	179,000
Bakers	183,000
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs	286,000
Service station attendants	96,000
Farmers and ranchers	825,000
Pharmacists	232,000
Teachers	6.5 million

7.3 million
Number of workers who hold down more than one job. "Moonlighters" comprise 5 percent of the working population. Of these, 3.8 million work full time at their primary job and part time at their other job, and about 293,000 work full time at both jobs.

10.3 million
Number of self-employed workers.

20.3 million
Number of female workers in educational, health and social services industries. More women work in this industry group than in any other. Manufacturing was the most popular industry among men, with 11.3 million workers.

15.8 million
Number of labor union members nationwide. About 13 percent of wage and salary workers belong to unions, with New York having among the highest rates of any state - 25 percent. North Carolina has one of the lowest rates, 3 percent.

4.5 million
The number of people who work at home.

The Long and Winding Road — to Work

24.3 minutes
The average time it takes to commute to work.

Of the 233 counties with populations of 250,000 or more, Queens (41.7 minutes), Richmond (41.3 minutes), Bronx (40.8 minutes) and Kings (39.7 minutes) -– four of the five counties that comprise New York City - experienced the longest average commute-to-work times.

More Than 100 hours
The amount of time the average American spends commuting to work each year. (This exceeds the typical two weeks of vacation time taken by many U.S. workers over the course of a year.)