'Labor' shouldn't be dirty word

Believe it or not, Labor Day Weekend means more than the practical end of summer. Maybe this one can be the start of something new.

Most likely founded by Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, Labor Day began on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City. The U.S. Department of Labor describes it as "a creation of the labor movement... 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."

Perhaps not since 1882 has the labor movement - unions - been a bigger target for its critics than it is today. Don't buy it? Consider the union referendum in heavily Democratic Wisconsin's recall vote this summer. And yes, we count ourselves among those who see more fault than virtue with the way many unions are run.

In our view, the greatest need for most unions a century ago has passed. Across a burgeoning nation, the safety of workers was too often an afterthought, if it was a thought that occurred at all. On railroads and construction sites and in factories from sea to shining sea, unions were essential to stand up for those who had no voice, and no options. They hold a legitimate, honorable place in the history of making this great nation. Sadly, their safety role has not been eliminated so much as it has instead been commandeered by a fat federal government.

Today we see too many unions bent on achieving the lowest possible production for the highest possible pay and benefits. We see employees who are inept by any measure not just protected, but rewarded by their unions. We see a decent idea that in too many instances has outgrown its usefulness.

But we also see good people, hard workers and big thinkers, who are part of union structures, and it is with these individuals that we place high hopes for the re-emergence of a strong American middle class. Unions could lead that charge, so long as they focus on improving products and productivity rather than taking from those who have and giving it to those who haven't.

To us, Labor Day isn't a tombstone over a long-dead and undearly departed ideal so much as it represents what a unified nation might accomplish if it works together. Now that would be something to celebrate.