[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 36 (Monday, September 7, 1998)]
[Page 1728]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message on the Observance of Labor Day, 1998

September 4, 1998

    For more than a century, we have set aside this time each year to 
pay tribute to America's working men and women. We honor the heroes of 
our past, who built our great cities, bridges, and railways; who cleared 
the fields and plowed the farms to feed our nation and the world; who 
climbed down mine shafts and up the skeletons of skyscrapers to keep 
America growing. We honor those men and women of conscience who fought 
for fair wages, decent working conditions, and equal opportunity for 
all.
    And we honor workers across America today, who are the heart of our 
nation and the engine of our dynamic economy. In large part because of 
their efforts, productivity, and commitment to excellence, our nation is 
enjoying unprecedented growth and prosperity. Our economy is the best it 
has been in a generation. Inflation and unemployment are at their lowest 
levels in nearly 30 years, while real wages are growing at the fastest 
rate in a quarter-century.
    Yet, in the spirit of those who came before us, we must not become 
self-satisfied or complacent. As we celebrate Labor Day, let us recommit 
ourselves to raising the minimum wage, to promoting training and 
continuing education for workers, to providing affordable health care to 
every family, and to building a stronger national community of people 
who believe in the value of work and who recognize the importance of 
maintaining dignity and justice for those who perform it. By doing so, 
we can make the American Dream a reality for all our people and build a 
brighter future for our children.
    Best wishes to all for a memorable holiday.
                                                  Bill Clinton

Note: This message was made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on September 4.