As you enjoy the day barbecuing, shopping, boating or snoozing in your hammock, here are a few Labor Day conversation starters.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the first observance of Labor Day is believed to have been a parade of 10,000 workers on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, organized by Peter J. McGuire, a Carpenters and Joiners Union secretary. "By 1893, more than half the states were observing a “Labor Day” on one day or another, and Congress passed a bill to establish a federal holiday in 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed the bill soon afterward -- designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day."

What are we celebrating? The hard work of 152.8 million people agreed 16 and older who made up the labor force as of May 2007. That's 82.1 million men and 70.7 million women.

Huge pay gaps still exist. Men earned a median of $41,386 in 2005 while women earned a median of $31,858.

That could partially explain why 7.6 million people, or 5 percent of the workforce, moonlight, or hold down more than one job. Of these moonlighters, 4 million work full time at their primary job and part time at their other job, says the yet-to-be-released Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2008. About 310,000 moonlighters work two full-time jobs.

About 28 percent of workers 16 and older work more than 40 hours a week. Eight percent work 60 or more hours a week.

That could explain why loyalty may be a thing of the past. The median number of years workers have been with their current employer is about four years. Only nine percent of those employed have been with their current employer for 20 or more years. Overwork could also explain the popularity of self-employment. About 10.6 million people are self-employed, says the 2008 Abstract, and another 10.3 million are "independent contractors." Other workers with alternative work arrangements include 2.5 million on-call workers, 1.2 million temporary help agency workers and 813,000 workers provided by contract firms.

And the number of people who work at home is about 4.8 million.

Americans work in a wide variety of occupations, notes the 2008 Abstract. Here is a sampling:

Occupation -Number of employees

• Teachers - 6.8 million

• Farmers and ranchers - 784,000

• Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists - 767,000

• Chefs and head cooks - 313,000

• Taxi drivers and chauffeurs - 82,000

• Firefighters - 253,000

• Pharmacists - 245,000

• Roofers - 242,000

• Musicians, singers and related workers - 203,000

• Gaming services workers (gambling) - 106,000

• Tax preparers - 98,000

• Service station attendants - 96,000

Happy Labor Day from Realty Times.

Published: September 3, 2007

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