Larue Haddock agreed to work on Labor Day with no guarantee she would be paid for it.
“We don’t make a penny here unless we sell something,” said Haddock, a real estate broker at Coldwell Bankers. “It doesn’t bother me. If I had said ‘no’ someone else would’ve done it.”
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Monday was a tribute to the contributions of workers like Haddock.
“It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country,” said the DOL on its website.
Haddock said the real estate agency’s office needed to be open for regular hours to field questions, help brokers showing homes and to collect rent.
There were several businesses open taking advantage of the holiday traffic. Scoops Ice Cream Parlor was one of them.
Samantha LoRe worked the ice cream counter Monday afternoon.
“It doesn’t bother me. I love working here. I just like the people, helping them, and
the employees are great. We all get along
here.”
If she had been off, LoRe would have celebrated the holiday at home with family, including some from out of town.
Fitness Unlimited opened for shorter, holiday hours Monday. The gym closed at 3 p.m. instead of its usual 9 p.m.
Tristin Worthington had front desk duty. She also said she did not mind working the holiday and there was plenty to do.
“It’s been pretty busy for a holiday,” Worthington said.
Unfortunately, Joe Stringer was called in to work Monday. As office manager of Hillside Funeral Home, it was his job to meet with a family who had recently lost someone and take care of the paperwork.
“I’m the former police chief in Washington. So, I’m quite familiar with working on weekends and holidays,” he said. “That’s what we’re here for, to serve the public.”