Delaware News


Governor’s Weekly Message Transcript: Supporting our Workforce, Strengthening our Economy

Former Governor Jack Markell (2009-2017) | News | Date Posted: Friday, September 4, 2015



Labor Day has come to represent the end of the summer – a last chance for many to enjoy the season of the beach, pools, and barbeque. But as we celebrate the long weekend with friends and families, we shouldn’t forget the day’s original intent, which remains as important as ever. There’s a famous quote that says, “without labor, nothing prospers.” From the industrial revolution to the growth of high-tech companies, the prosperity of our state and nation have been built by the hard work, perseverance, and determination of working men and women. When Congress established Labor Day as a national holiday more than 100 years ago, it marked a seminal moment in the movement to establish the rights of all workers. Today, we have our own responsibilities to better serve working families. That includes access to good health care. We’ve made considerable progress in increasing the number of people with insurance, but our focus must turn toward a more affordable system that emphasizes quality over quantity of care. And we have no more important goal than to make high quality training, as well as good-paying jobs, available to all of our people. I was proud to sign an increase in Delaware’s minimum wage. But we also know that we will only help all of our workers reach their potential and provide for their families if they get the skills required in today’s fast-changing economy. Our state must prioritize initiatives like retraining for workers in shrinking fields, as well as investments in the great teachers, hands-on programs, and higher education opportunities that will prepare our next generation for success. By giving our workers the support to make the most of their talents, we’ll honor the purpose of Labor Day, and we’ll keep Delaware moving forward.

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Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

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Governor’s Weekly Message Transcript: Supporting our Workforce, Strengthening our Economy

Former Governor Jack Markell (2009-2017) | News | Date Posted: Friday, September 4, 2015



Labor Day has come to represent the end of the summer – a last chance for many to enjoy the season of the beach, pools, and barbeque. But as we celebrate the long weekend with friends and families, we shouldn’t forget the day’s original intent, which remains as important as ever. There’s a famous quote that says, “without labor, nothing prospers.” From the industrial revolution to the growth of high-tech companies, the prosperity of our state and nation have been built by the hard work, perseverance, and determination of working men and women. When Congress established Labor Day as a national holiday more than 100 years ago, it marked a seminal moment in the movement to establish the rights of all workers. Today, we have our own responsibilities to better serve working families. That includes access to good health care. We’ve made considerable progress in increasing the number of people with insurance, but our focus must turn toward a more affordable system that emphasizes quality over quantity of care. And we have no more important goal than to make high quality training, as well as good-paying jobs, available to all of our people. I was proud to sign an increase in Delaware’s minimum wage. But we also know that we will only help all of our workers reach their potential and provide for their families if they get the skills required in today’s fast-changing economy. Our state must prioritize initiatives like retraining for workers in shrinking fields, as well as investments in the great teachers, hands-on programs, and higher education opportunities that will prepare our next generation for success. By giving our workers the support to make the most of their talents, we’ll honor the purpose of Labor Day, and we’ll keep Delaware moving forward.

image_printPrint


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.