“The voice of labor calls upon us to humanize American life...We need not only rewarding jobs. We need not only towns and cities which are productive and growing. What we need is a national community based on equity, security, and democracy.”
Our Quote of the Week marks Labor Day with a call to the humanizing of American life. The quote is as relevant today as it was when Sargent Shriver said these words 47 years ago.
In a 1972 speech about the importance of labor, Sargent Shriver addressed American workers. At the time, he was the Vice Presidential candidate on the McGovern Presidential campaign. He listed all of the challenges that workers faced. In the speech, Sargent Shriver stressed the importance of having adequate employment and good wages, but said that these elements were not enough. In order for people to thrive, it was the quality of their work that mattered. Focusing on job productivity, safety, and the rapid changes that technology was bringing, he emphasized that there was much more to job satisfaction than merely being employed. It is in this context that he spoke about humanizing American life.
As we move towards the 2020 Presidential election, we’ll be hearing the candidates speak on the issue of work. Let’s demand that they also address the many related issues that give workers dignity, safety, and stability.
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