Labor Day Nurse

It’s Labor Day, and Nurse Brigid is at work. Her place of employment is open year-round just like a hospital, and she is ready to give professional nursing care to any worker who might need her help. She is a noble nurse. I grew up believing that every worker in our country is a noble person, and that every act of labor is a beautiful thing. My father and his friends were involved in the early days of the labor movement, so of course, Labor Day was a big event in our household. I remember going down to the local union hall with my dad and sitting on his lap while he and his buddies swapped stories. Mother Jones was a heroine, Samuel Gompers and Jimmy Hoffa were saints, and anyone who crossed a picket line was a scab. I was also taught that anyone willing to work long, hard hours could obtain the American Dream. My father wasn’t a rich man, but he was able to put a roof over my head, food on my plate, and send me to good schools. Unfortunately, times are changing. In celebration of Labor Day, please read Andy Stern’s post, Restoring the Promise of the American Dream. He brings up a lot of good points including information about the health care system.