Red Wing Shoe Co. is helping take back Labor Day for American workers.
The Minnesota-based company is tapping into its 115-year heritage of footwear and apparel making with its “Labor Day On” initiative, inspired by the current unemployment crisis. The company is lending its support to essential American workers in areas including construction, manufacturing and transportation, by helping them find jobs.
Instead of promoting product on the holiday, Red Wing will be promoting job positions, while encouraging brands across the country to do the same. On Labor Day, the company is transforming its network of more than 525 stores across the U.S. into job centers for people to apply for local positions. It’s also switching its customer service line, 800-Red-Wing, into a job search hotline to offer free guidance as well as to help connect those unemployed to open positions.
The company is also flipping its marketing channels for potential job listings: An advertising film on its website features clickable, open positions at Red Wing and affiliated trade partners. Lastly, it’s calling on fellow brands via an ad in today’s “The New York Times” to join the movement by posting any job openings they have on Sept. 7.
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“Red Wing knows that by shining the light on even just one job, this could be the first step in an opportunity for someone to find work and support their family,” said Dave Schneider, chief marketing officer at Red Wing Shoe Co. “Our hope is to start a movement and leverage our own channels to highlight these jobs and help Americans end Labor Day on a high note — with a new job to celebrate. We know as one brand we can’t do it alone. That is why we are calling was on brands across the country to join us in reclaiming Labor Day for the workers of this country. And right now, that means helping as many Americans as we can get back to work.”
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the Labor Day observance is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed in 1885 and 1886. From these, a movement developed to secure state legislation with the first bill introduced into the New York legislature. Oregon, however, became the first state to make it law in 1887. On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday.
