Labor Day 2025

Dumping the day's catch; Fresh Oysters! (click to enlarge)

Today, in the United States, we recognize Labor Day.  It is an official holiday, a day to be thankful to all those who have labored over the years to make our country better.  

According to the United States Department of Labor:

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.  By 1894....Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday....

End of a hard, hot day!  Engineer, Steam Locomotive (click to enlarge)

Labor Day has become less of a recognition of workers' labor in the U.S. and more of a recognition of the end of summer, beginning of autumn, closing of many swimming pools and tourist attractions, children back in school and the start of the "popular" (rather than meteorological) transition from summer to autumn.  It is the beginning of that collective deep, cleansing breath we take before the onset of winter.  

Repairing a switch point. (click to enlarge)

There doesn't seem to be much traditional "labor" anymore as my generation would think of it.  But there is still some really grueling jobs out there that most of take for granted.  A lot of what used to be manual labor today is now done with machines and the workers operate those machines to accomplish their tasks. That use of machinery, at least, seems to result in fewer injuries to workers as the machine takes the place of human back-breaking work.  

Some jobs, such as oystering (photo at top), is still very tough work. The United States doesn't manufacture nearly as many goods as in the past and we seem to have become a "service" oriented country and economy.  We "do" more than "make."  

When I was young there were a lot more manufacturing plants, such as steel mills, automobile factories, etc., heavy industries—places that built lots of things.  There was a lot more what we called "manual labor."  Today, labor seems more cerebral and less physical. There are lots of things created, but many of them are computer-based and service oriented. But, it is all labor of once sort or another.  Without those workers performing their jobs, the country would stop.

Shoveling fish (click to enlarge)

I wanted to post a few images of some of the jobs that are still done by hand.  Jobs most of us would not want.  I try to photograph those who do these types of jobs as they are becoming more and more scarce.  Preservation of our past, so to speak.

So, from me to all of you who labor daily in every way, thank you.

Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.  

Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

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