Facts and figures for Labor Day 2024

Labor Day these days is mostly about beaches, barbecues, ballgames, and shopping. About 67 percent of Americans plan to celebrate Labor Day, with more than 210 million having a barbecue and thousands going to college football games.

In the past, however, workers marched. The holiday’s roots can be traced back to the streets of 1880s New York City, where rival union leaders joined forces to protest unfair labor practices.

In recognition of the many ways Americans celebrate Labor Day, WalletHub, a personal finance website, offers the following information:

Among the most notable facts are nearly 690,000 workers’ lives have been saved since the Occupational Safety and Health Act was enacted in 1970 and more than $174 billion is the annual cost of worker injury and illness in the United States.

Enjoy Labor Day. I hope you have a day off and don't have to work.