Celebrating Labor Day and Bradley County's Workforce

Labor Day has been celebrated on the first Monday in September in the United States since the 1880s. In 1884 President Grover Cleveland sought to ease tensions and end classes between labor unions, the U.S. Military and U.S. Marshalls by making Labor Day a national holiday. The proposal was unanimously approved by Congress and since then all 50 states have made Labor Day a state holiday.

Traditionally, most Americans celebrate Labor Day as the symbolic end of summer.
Some areas celebrate with parades, community picnics, barbecues and fireworks displays.
Others like to spend the day on the water with family and friends.

Regardless of how you choose to spend this holiday, it’s a good time to reflect upon the economic and social achievements of the American worker, and especially those in Bradley County. Our workforce has gone through many changes in the last century. We are far removed from the days of the foundries and textile mills which made Bradley County an industrial center. But these jobs fed our families, built our schools and churches and laid the groundwork for the future. Our economy, both nationally and locally, is making an unprecedented transition into high-skilled, information-based industries. Bradley County workers are ready.

Even though the economy is down and unemployment is up across the country, Bradley County has not felt the recession’s impact as sever as some areas in Tennessee. Several factors have combined to help our community weather this economic storm. One of them is our pool of excellent employees.

Our hard working, trainable workforce is one of the key elements in attracting Wacker Chemie to Bradley County and the prospect of 500 to 600 good paying hi-tech jobs. The new GE lighting distribution center located on Lauderdale Highway now has 340 employees. This year Whirlpool chose to keep its appliance manufacturing plant in Cleveland, saving hundreds of jobs and creating 500 new jobs. Through regional cooperation, Volkswagen chose to locate its North American headquarters and manufacturing plant  in Hamilton County at Exit 9, just about 5-miles from the Bradley County line. VW vendors are now looking at Bradley County as a place to locate their supply depots and manufacturing facilities which will potentially create hundreds of additional jobs for Bradley County citizens. As Mayor, I give a lot of credit for these successes to the Bradley County worker. You are one of the main reasons that Bradley County is Tennessee at its best.

For information about Bradley County Government and services visit our interactive website at www.bradleyco.net