What New Yorkers Really Think About Work This Labor Day

Labor Day weekend is here. For a lot of us that means cookouts, back to school shopping, even one last summer trip. But it is also a holiday about work and how people feel about their jobs and paychecks. A new survey from WalletHub shows what is really on people’s minds this year.

Working Hard But Feeling It Less

Some people say they are working harder this year than they did last year. Many are even worried about the future. About two out of five think artificial intelligence could end up taking their jobs.

Money On People’s Minds

Almost everyone says they want a raise. A lot of people do not even make a budget for Labor Day. More than half say they will spend less this year than last year, and a some admit the holiday makes them overspend.

How Labor Day Started

Labor Day began in New York City back in 1882 when ten thousand workers marched in a parade. In 1894 it became a national holiday and by 1940 the forty hour workweek was the law.

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That was a big change since workers in the 1800s often put in twelve hour days. Today only about ten percent of workers are in unions, compared to more than a third back in the 1950s.

Travel And Cookouts

About one in four Americans say they will travel this Labor Day weekend. Gas prices are a little lower than last year which helps. New York City is even one of the top spots in the country for Labor Day trips. Most people though are staying close to home. More than half say they will celebrate and many are planning to barbeque.

Shopping And Sales

Labor Day is also a big shopping weekend. Stores are offering deals of up to seventy percent off. Everything from TVs to grills to school clothes is marked down. Even if people are spending less this year, the sales are still hard to ignore.

Work, Pay And Time Off

The survey also looked at everyday work life. The average household income is about seventy eight thousand dollars and the average hourly pay is thirty six dollars. Most full time workers have health insurance, but a lot of people are not using all their vacation days. Last year that added up to billions of dollars in lost time off.

Why Labor Day Still Matters

Labor Day is more than a long weekend. It is a reminder of the workers who came before us and the ones still trying to get better pay and better hours today. It started here in New York and all these years later, it still belongs to everyone who works hard every single day.