Every time I see a craftsman working at his trade, I say to myself “I know that man.”

What I mean by that is, I worked with my hands and know what it takes to turn out a good product. For those among us that never created a finished product may never understand the satisfaction that is generated by the work of an artisan or a good mechanic.

Labor that is purchased by those who have the means to pay for it may never understand the mindset of the craftsman. On the other hand, many people do get it. There is a satisfaction that I refer to that manifests in their hobbies of the non-physical worker.

By and large we all appreciate the talent of the people who create, such as the engineers and architects but experienced craftsman are often the “onsite engineers.” Contractors with little or no formal architectural training have been known to re-engineer a plan that they perceive as not workable.

We are a myriad of various talents and abilities, and all workers at all levels are worthy of respect. But respect means all workers should earn a living wage and have decent working conditions.

That is what Labor Day is all about. Traditional labor unions are not adversaries of the employer, they are partners in the enterprise and the workers deserve a living wage.

Ernie Fazio