I work in the import/export business in Baltimore, which is a seaport. I'm always amused when Defenders Day (3rd Monday in September) rolls around. This is a holiday peculiar to Maryland, and celebrates the Battle of Baltimore, the failed British attack on Fort McHenry in the War of 1812, which inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star Spangled Banner, the U.S. national anthem. The longshoremen's union has this written into their contract as a paid holiday, so the piers don't work; however, since it's not a Federal holiday, Customs and other U.S. govt. offices and services are open. Truckers are always coming into town expecting to be able to pick up cargo from the piers and then find them closed. I have to explain to at least 10 companies in other states every year why the piers are closed that day.
While I'm on this subject, there's also a longshoremen's holiday called Teddy Gleason's Birthday, in honor of which piers are closed on March 17th, which is St. Patrick's Day, or the working day closest. Teddy Gleason was the president of the union for many years and his birthday was Nov. 8, but because there were already 2 holidays in November (Presidents Day and Thanksgiving) the management negotiators wouldn't allow Nov. 8, so the union settled for St. Patricks Day instead. I have no doubt there are other strange holidays in other industries which come about as a result of labor negotiations.
