Georgia workers are channeling the true spirit of Labor Day

When Labor Day was officially declared a holiday in 1894, labor in the U.S. was in a state of upheaval. Workers had no rights to unionize, let alone negotiate with employers or go on strike. The holiday — President Grover Cleveland’s olive branch to angry workers — was used as a day of political action in support of worker’s rights.

Long departed from its roots as a day of political organizing, Labor Day has evolved into a vaguely patriotic holiday marking the end of summer. But with a renewed focus on labor and worker’s rights, Labor Day is beginning to regain its color.

The labor movement sweeping the nation has taken hold in Georgia. This year, it’s been the setting of labor organizing across different industries, despite the state’s reputation of disapproving of unions.