Labor Day， the first Monday in September， is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength五一勞動節(jié)的由來， prosperity， and well-being of our country.

　　Founder of Labor Day

　　More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance， there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.

　　Some records show that Peter J. McGuire， general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor， was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."

　　But Peter McGuire"s place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire， a machinist， not Peter McGuire， founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire， later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson， N.J.， proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What