Happy Labor Day

 

Hey  — it’s Mark Kelly.

For Labor Day, I wanted to take a moment to honor the legacy of the labor movement and thank its leaders for fighting day in and day out on behalf of working Americans.

Through their efforts, we’ve gained a 40-hour work week, weekends, and improved safety in the workplace.

Today, apprenticeship and training programs run by Arizona unions give young people the skills they need for good-paying careers.

And I know how important unions are to working families.

Both of my parents were union members when they were part of the West Orange Police Department. When my mom was seriously injured in the line of duty and forced to retire, it was her union that stepped up to help our family, making sure my mom got the benefits she'd earned.

It’s clear — unions are the backbone of the working class and that is certainly something worth celebrating.

Happy Labor Day, everyone.

—Mark

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Mark Kelly was a Captain in the U.S. Navy and astronaut. Use of his military rank, job titles and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Department of the Navy or Department of Defense and reference to NASA does not imply endorsement by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.