International Workers' Day
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Official name
Also called Cause of day Observed by Date Celebrations Related with |
International Workers' Day
May Day Haymarket affair 1886 Working people and their labour unions May 1 Organized street demonstrations and street marches May Day, Labor Day, various other Labour Days |
International Workers' Day also known as May Day is a celebration of the international labour movement and left-wing movements. It commonly sees organized street demonstrations and marches by working people and their labour unions throughout most of the world. May 1 is a national holiday in more than 80 countries. It is also celebrated unofficially in many other countries.
History of Day
Haymarket Martyrs Monument in Forest Home Cemetery-Chicago,Illinois,USA
International Workers' Day is the commemoration of the 1886 Haymarket Massacre in Chicago, when, after an unknown person threw a dynamite bomb at police as they dispersed a public meeting, Chicago police fired on workers during a general strike for the eight hour workday, killing several demonstrators and resulting in the deaths of several police officers, largely from friendly fire.
In 1889, the first congress of the Second International, meeting in Paris for the centennial of the French Revolution and the Exposition Universelle, following a proposal by Raymond Lavigne, called for international demonstrations on the 1890 anniversary of the Chicago protests.May Day was formally recognized as an annual event at the International's second congress in 1891.
Subsequently, the May Day Riots of 1894 and May Day Riots of 1919 occurred.In 1904, the International Socialist Conference meeting in Amsterdam called on "All Social Democratic Party organizations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on May First for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace." The congress made it "Mandatory upon the proletarian organizations of all countries to stop work on May 1, wherever it is possible without injury to the workers."
In many countries, the working classes sought to make May Day an official holiday, and their efforts largely succeeded. May Day has long been a focal point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist and anarchist groups. In some circles, bonfires are lit in commemoration of the Haymarket martyrs, usually at dawn.
May Day has been an important official holiday in Communist countries such as the People's Republic of China, Cuba and the former Soviet Union. May Day celebrations typically feature elaborate popular and military parades in these countries.
In the United States and Canada, however, the official holiday for workers is Labor Day in September. This day was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, who organized the first parade in New York City. After the Haymarket Square riot in May, 1886, US President Grover Cleveland feared that commemorating Labor Day on May 1 could become an opportunity to commemorate the riots. Thus he moved in 1887 to support the Labor Day that the Knights supported.
In 1955, the Roman Catholic Church dedicated May 1 to "Saint Joseph The Worker". The Catholic Church considers Saint Joseph the patron saint of (among others) workers, craftsmen, immigrants and "People fighting communism".
Right-wing governments have traditionally sought to repress the message behind International Workers' Day, with facist governments in Portugal, Italy, Germany and Spain abolishing the workers' holiday, and the Conservative party in the UK currently attempting to abolish the UK's annual May Day Bank Holiday.
In 1889, the first congress of the Second International, meeting in Paris for the centennial of the French Revolution and the Exposition Universelle, following a proposal by Raymond Lavigne, called for international demonstrations on the 1890 anniversary of the Chicago protests.May Day was formally recognized as an annual event at the International's second congress in 1891.
Subsequently, the May Day Riots of 1894 and May Day Riots of 1919 occurred.In 1904, the International Socialist Conference meeting in Amsterdam called on "All Social Democratic Party organizations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on May First for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace." The congress made it "Mandatory upon the proletarian organizations of all countries to stop work on May 1, wherever it is possible without injury to the workers."
In many countries, the working classes sought to make May Day an official holiday, and their efforts largely succeeded. May Day has long been a focal point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist and anarchist groups. In some circles, bonfires are lit in commemoration of the Haymarket martyrs, usually at dawn.
May Day has been an important official holiday in Communist countries such as the People's Republic of China, Cuba and the former Soviet Union. May Day celebrations typically feature elaborate popular and military parades in these countries.
In the United States and Canada, however, the official holiday for workers is Labor Day in September. This day was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, who organized the first parade in New York City. After the Haymarket Square riot in May, 1886, US President Grover Cleveland feared that commemorating Labor Day on May 1 could become an opportunity to commemorate the riots. Thus he moved in 1887 to support the Labor Day that the Knights supported.
In 1955, the Roman Catholic Church dedicated May 1 to "Saint Joseph The Worker". The Catholic Church considers Saint Joseph the patron saint of (among others) workers, craftsmen, immigrants and "People fighting communism".
Right-wing governments have traditionally sought to repress the message behind International Workers' Day, with facist governments in Portugal, Italy, Germany and Spain abolishing the workers' holiday, and the Conservative party in the UK currently attempting to abolish the UK's annual May Day Bank Holiday.
Celebrations around the world
Asia
National Emblem of the People's Republic of China
Emblem of India
Coat of arms of Nepal
State emblem of Pakistan
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People's Republic of China
In the People's Republic of China, May 1 marked the start of one of the country's three "Golden Weeks". Three days off work were given, and one of the surrounding weekends was, for no more than 3 days. From 2008, only one day would still be given, with the other two days being rescheduled on Qingming in early April and Duanwu in early June, respectively. India The first May Day celebration in India was organised in Madras by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan on May 1, 1923.This was also the first time the red flag was used in India.The party leader Singaravelu Chettiar made arrangements to celebrate May Day in two places in 1923. One meeting was held at the beach opposite to the Madras High Court; the other meeting was held at the Triplicane beach. May Day is a nationwide bank holiday in India. The holiday is tied to labour movements for communist and socialist political parties. In Maharashtra and Gujarat, it is officially called Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day respectively, since on this day in 1960 each attained statehood, after the old Bombay State became divided on linguistic lines. Malaysia Malaysia started observing the holiday in 1972 following an announcement by the late Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Ismail Abdul Rahman. Nepal May Day has been celebrated in Nepal since 1963.The day became a public holiday in 2007. Pakistan May Day is official holiday celebrated in Pakistan on 1 May.It is officially called Yom-e-Mazdoor (یوم مزدور). |
Europe
Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation
Emblem of Italy
Coat of arms of Greece
Coat of arms of Spain
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United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom in recent years, the anti-capitalist movement has organised a number of large protests in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Doncaster. In London, these have resulted in clashes with the police. In 2000, the clashes ended with a branch of McDonalds being smashed and a statue of Winston Churchill being given a grass Mohawk hairstyle. The Cenotaph was also defaced with graffiti.In the last few years, demonstrations have been more peaceful, with marches and gatherings, particularly in central London. A London rally on May Day is organised by the London May Day Organising Committee (LMDOC). Russia May Day was celebrated illegally in Russia until the February Revolution enabled the first legal celebration in 1917. The following year, after the Bolshevik seizure of power, the May Day celebrations were boycotted by Mensheviks, Left Socialist Revolutionaries and anarchists. It became an important official holiday of the Soviet Union, celebrated with elaborate popular parade in the centre of the major cities. The biggest celebration was traditionally organized on the Red Square, where the General Secretary of the CPSU and other party and government leaders stood atop Lenin's Mausoleum and waved to the crowds. Since 1992, May Day is officially called "The Day of Spring and Labour", and remains a major holiday in the present-day Russia. Italy The first May day celebration in Italy took place in 1890. It started initially as an attempt to celebrate workers' achievements in their struggle for their rights and for better social and economic conditions. It was abolished under the Fascist Regime and immediately restored after the Second World War. Greece In Greece, May 1 celebrations are characterized by demonstrations. All major political parties participate. Spain In Spain, the 1st of May celebration was established after the end of Franco's dictatorship in 1975; before that, it had been celebrated during the Spanish Second Republic period (1931–1939), but it was banned afterwards by the fascist Franco regime. The first time it was celebrated was in 1977, when the Communist Party of Spain was legalized. Since then, it has become an official holiday that has been traditionally used by trade unions and leftist parties for social and labour vindications. Commonly, pacific demonstrations and parades are made in most big cities. |
Americas
Coat of arms of Brazil
Coat of arms of Canada
Great Seal of the United States
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Brazil
In Brazil, Workers' Day is an official holiday, and unions commemorate it with day-long public events. It is also when salaries for most professional categories and the minimum wage are traditionally readjusted. Canada Although celebrations by socialist, anarchist and anti-globalization activists occur on May 1 in Canada, the government of Prime Minister John Sparrow David Thompson declared in 1894 the first Monday in September as Canada's official Labour Day. May Day, however, remains an important day of trade-union and community group protest in the province of Quebec. Celebration of the International Labour Day (or Workers' Day, fête des travailleurs) in Montreal goes back to 1906, organised by the Mutual Aid circle. The tradition had a renaissance at the time of a mass strike of 1972. On the 1973 May Day, the first contemporary demonstration was organised by the major trade union confederations. Over 30,000 trade unionists took part in this demonstration. United States Labor Day is a United States federal holiday that falls on the first Monday of September. It is customarily viewed as the end of the summer, especially of the vacation season;many schools open for the year in the week after Labor Day.The United States also adopted the tradition of not wearing white after Labor Day. |