Labor omnia vincit

Labor omnia vincit is a Latin phrase meaning "Hard work conquers all". The phrase appears in Virgil's Georgics, Book I, in the form Labor omnia uicit improbus ("Ruinous work overcomes all things"). The poem was written in support of Augustus Caesar's "Back to the land" policy, aimed at encouraging more Romans to become farmers.

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Labor movement

A frequent motto within the U.S labor movement, the phrase is a historically significant slogan. Used by the earliest U.S labor unions such as the American Federation of Labor and other pre-cursors to the modern AFL-CIO, the motto continues to be a traditional and defining statement of purpose on contemporary labor union emblems including the International Union of Operating Engineers and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. The motto also appears on the original 1925 flag of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the labor union of African-American Pullman Company porters founded by civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph.

The motto is used by the Geelong Trades Hall Council in Australia.

Cities, states, and recreation

The phrase is also a frequent motto across many townships, cities, and states. Currently the state motto of the State of Oklahoma and incorporated into its state seal in 1907, the motto originally appeared on the territorial seal of Oklahoma Territory. In addition, it has been known to be the motto of the city of El Eulma, Algeria as shown on its coat of arms, of the towns and cities of Bradford, West Yorkshire, West Bromwich, and Ilkeston in England, the motto of Wrexham County Borough Council in Wales and the state motto of Zacatecas and city of León, Guanajuato, Mexico. And in the city of Presidente Prudente in Brazil. It is the motto of Carlton Cricket Club in Barbados. It is also the motto of St Jago High School (Jamaica)

It is a slogan of the football clubs Rasta IL in Norway and Luton Borough Youth in England.

Educational institutions

Across the world, many educational institutions have adopted the phrase as a motto, including:

Australia
Canada
Chile
Caribbean and Central America
Ecuador
Hong Kong
India
Malaysia
Romania
Thailand
United Kingdom
United States
Ghana (West Africa)
Lesotho (Southern Africa)
Kenya ( Eastern Africa)
Other

References

  1. ^ "UBC Emblem". United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. http://www.carpenters.org/WhoWeAre/History/TheUbcEmblem.aspx. Retrieved 2009-09-12.