Labor history is the story of how people have fought for justice on the job and continue to fight today. But nobody makes labor history on their own. It took a lot of people working together to end slavery, make child labor illegal, make racial and gender discrimination illegal, establish a minimum wage, start the Social Security program, set health and safety standards and so on and so forth.

We've got a long ways to go in the USA to make sure that everyone has the opportunity for a decent well paying job with dignity. We've still got a lot more labor history to make and you are cordially invited to take part.

The people in the photo above were making Illinois labor history by peacefully occupying the Chicago Republic Windows and Doors plant to keep it from being closed down. Yes, that is against the law, but sometimes breaking the law is the only way to get justice done.

Making hi-quality windows is important to millions of Americans who need them to fend off brutal northern winters. It can also be a good paying job. Good paying jobs mean that people buy more products and services. That pumps money back into the economy to create even more jobs.

So when you stand up for justice, either on your own job or in support of others, you are not only doing the right and decent thing, you doing what's best for our economy as a whole.