Celebrate Labor Day 2023 with joy and enthusiasm!

President Joe Biden, renowned for his pro-union stance, marked Labor Day 2023 by attending the annual Tri-State Labor Day Parade in Philadelphia. During his speech, he underscored the importance of unions in the United States and highlighted the nation's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. President Biden celebrated Labor Day by emphasizing the significance of good-paying, family-supporting union jobs.

He also drew attention to positive trends in the job market, with the U.S. adding jobs, and more people actively seeking employment, which he hopes to leverage in his bid for reelection in 2024. Biden highlighted that the country is experiencing a robust job-creating period, with 187,000 jobs added in August, despite the Federal Reserve's high-interest rates.

The report from the Labor Department indicated a rise in the unemployment rate from 3.5% to 3.8%, the highest since February 2022. However, this increase was seen as encouraging because 736,000 people actively started looking for work in the past month, the highest number since January.

Labor Day, which falls on Monday, September 4, 2023, is a federal holiday dedicated to honoring the U.S. labor movement and the contributions of American workers. On this day, various institutions observe specific schedules:

Banks are closed on Labor Day.

Both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq remain closed.

City, county, state, and federal government offices are closed.

U.S. Post offices are closed, with exceptions for Holiday Premium/Priority Mail Express deliveries.

Trash collection in Syracuse experiences a one-day delay for the week, while other municipal and private haulers may follow different schedules.

Libraries, including Onondaga County's central library and city branches, are closed, with suburban branches possibly varying.

Public transportation runs on a Sunday/holiday schedule, with Centro buses operating accordingly.

On a more consumer-oriented note, most grocery stores, including Wegmans, are open on Labor Day, typically with Sunday schedules. National pharmacy chains generally maintain regular hours, though some may have adjusted schedules. Major retailers like Walmart and Target are open during their regular hours. Moreover, most restaurants, stores, and shopping malls remain open on Labor Day, often offering special sales and deals. For example, Destiny USA in Syracuse operates from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Labor Day 2023.

Parking at all downtown Syracuse meters is free on Labor Day, providing a small convenience for those enjoying the holiday.