The first observance of Labor Day is believed to
have been a parade of 10,000 workers on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, organized by
Peter J. McGuire, a Carpenters and Joiners Union secretary. By 1893, more than half the
states were observing “Labor Day” on one day or another, and Congress passed a bill to
establish a federal holiday in 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed the bill soon afterward,
designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day.
155.2 million
Number of people 16 and older in the nation’s
labor force in June 2012.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
<
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf>
Employee Benefits
85.0%
Percentage of full-time workers 18 to 64 covered
by health insurance during all or part
of 2010.
Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance
Coverage in the United States: 2010, derived
from Table 8
<
http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p60-239.pdf>
Our Jobs
Americans worked in a variety of occupations in
2010. Here is a sampling:
Occupation Number of
employees
Actors 7,835
Computer
programmers 389,471
Cooks 1,051,896
Hairdressers, hairstylists and
cosmetologists 395,311
Janitors and building
cleaners 1,445,991
Teachers (preschool – grade
12) 3,073,673
Telemarketers 48,455
Telephone
operators 33,057
Web
developers 115,561
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American
Community Survey, Table B24124 <
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1YR_B24124&prodType=table>
26.3 million
Number of female workers 16 and older in
management, business, science, and arts occupations in 2010. Among male
workers, 16 and older, 23.7 million were employed in management, professional
and related occupations.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American
Community Survey, Table C24010
<
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1YR_C24010&prodType=table>
5.9 million
The number of people who worked from home in 2010.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 American
Community Survey, Table B08128
<
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_1YR_B08128&prodType=table>
Another Day, Another Dollar
$47,715 and $36,931
The 2010 real median earnings for male and female
full-time, year-round workers, respectively.
Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance
Coverage in the United States: 2010
<
http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p60-239.pdf>
For detailed information on the data force, visit
the Bureau of Labor Statistics at <
http://www.bls.gov/>