Explore how labor unions contributed to the rise of summer vacations by securing better work hours for employees, enabling leisure and rest in the 20th century.
The author explains that unionization played a crucial role in transforming summer from merely a hot season into a recognized time for leisure and vacation, especially for the working class. Before labor unions helped secure better working conditions, such as the concept of “8 hours for work, 8 hours for sleep, 8 hours for what we will,” most workers did not have sufficient time or resources to enjoy leisure activities like summer vacations.
With union efforts, workers gained more reasonable hours and the ability to enjoy time off, which urban planners supported by developing leisure destinations like Atlantic City, Coney Island, and Jones Beach for workers and their families. This democratization of leisure meant that summer vacation, once an elite privilege, became accessible to more people.
Thus, the correct connection that the author draws is that unionized employees benefited from changes in labor rights and were able to pursue leisure activities such as summer vacations. This reflects option D:
D. Unionized employees benefited from changes and were able to pursue leisure activities like summer vacations.