International Labour Day is also called the International Day of Workers and also the day of May. It is used to celebrate and encourage a wide range of national and international labors. On the festival of International Labour Day, mainly 80 nations of the world are given a holiday. Canada and the United States are used to celebrating on the 1st of September and are used to declare a holiday for many types of labor achievements. It is a very big celebration for the world and is celebrated on May 4, 1886. On that big event, many of the laborers worked for nearly 8 hours, and many of the police were performing their duty to handle the people. At that time, someone threw a bomb at the crowd, and then the police started firing on the crowd, and due to this, four people were killed.
History
On May 1, 1886, labour unions in the US decided to go on strike, demanding that workers should not be made to work for more than 8 hours a day. Just three days after the strike began, a blast occurred in Chicago’s Haymarket Square, leaving many dead.
To honour those who died in the blast, the International Socialist Conference declared May 1 a day designated for laborers.
The commemorative day was established at a meeting in 1889 and gradually spread to other parts of the world.
Labor Day in India
In India, the first Labor Day was observed on May 1, 1923, in present-day Chennai. The day was celebrated by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan.
The red flag, which symbolises Labor Day, was used for the first time in India. Prominent communist leader Malayapuram Singaravelu Chettiar raised the flag and arranged meetings to celebrate the occasion.
Chettiar passed a resolution stating that the government should announce a national holiday on Labour Day in India, and since then, the country has continued to celebrate May Day.
According to an article in Al Jazeera, International Workers’ Day has always been marked by celebrations, protests, and strikes across the world. Some of the most well-known events of the day include the US civil disobedience acts against the Vietnam War in 1971.
More recently, in 2016, May Day saw a number of protests and marches around the world in places like Istanbul, Moscow, and Taipei, where workers either commemorated the holiday or called on governments to reduce working hours and increase wages.
Labour Act in India:
In India, the Child Labour Act of 1986, which prohibited employing people below 14 years, was directed towards achieving better labor standards and ensuring there was no abuse or maltreatment of children by industries.
Significance of International Labour Day
- The day has its origins in the labor union movement, particularly the eight-hour day movement, which supports eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.
- May Day has long been a crucial point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist, and anarchist groups.
- May Day has been an important official holiday in countries such as the People’s Republic of China, North Korea, Cuba, and the former Soviet Union. May Day celebrations typically feature elaborate popular and military parades in these countries.
- During the Cold War, May Day became intermittent for large military parades in Red Square by the Soviet Union and was attended by the top leaders of the Kremlin, especially the Politburo, atop Lenin’s Tomb. It became an enduring symbol of that period.
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