Labor Day Facts & Stats

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the first observance of Labor Day was on Sept. 5, 1882 in New York City and included a parade of 10,000 workers. It was organized by Peter J. McGuire, Carpenters and Joiners Union secretary.

By 11 years later, more than half the states in America were observing Labor Day and in 1894 Congress passed a bill to establish it as a federal holiday. It was signed by President Grover Cleveland.

• Labor day celebrates 153.2 million people (as of July 2011) in the U.S. who are over 16 and are part of the nation’s labor force
• 84.7 percent of full time workers between the ages of 18-64 were covered by health insurance during part or all of 2009
• There are 3,039,523 teachers in the U.S.; 265,429 bus drivers; 55,733 telemarketers; 10,980 actors; and 395,503 hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists.
• 26.2 million; The number of female workers 16 and older in management, professional and related occupations. 24 million; The number of male workers 16 and older in those same occupations.
• 5.9 million; The number of people who work from home. About 11 percent of those who work from home reported working 11 or more hours in a typical day, compared to 7 percent of those who work outside the home.
• The 2009 real median earnings for male and female full-time, year-round workers is $47,127 and $36,278 respectively.
• 16.5 million commuters leave for work between midnight and 5:59 a.m., representing 12.4 percent of all commuters. About 76 percent of commuters drive to work alone. About 10 percent carpool, and 5 percent take public transportation.
• The average commute is 25.1 minutes. In New York and Maryland it’s closer to 31 minutes. About 3.2 million workers face commutes of 90 minutes or more each day.


Source: U.S. Census Bureau