Significance of May Day/International Labour Day

Origin

May 1 is celebrated as a International Labour Day across the world. The celebration of Labour Day has its origins in the “eight hour day” movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest. On 21 April 1856 Stonemasons and building workers on building sites around Melbourne, Australia, stopped work and marched from the University of Melbourne to Parliament House to achieve an eight hour day. Their direct action protest was a success, and they are noted as the first organized workers in the world to achieve an eight hour day with no loss of pay, which subsequently inspired the celebration of Labour Day and Day. In New Zealand, groups of workers had achieved the 8 hour working day since the beginning of organized British settlement in 1840.

Prevalence

Most countries celebrate Labour Day on May 1, known as May Day and International Workers' Day. In Europe the day has older significance as a rural festival which is predominantly more important than that of the Labour Day movement. The holiday has become internationalised and several countries hold multi-day celebrations including parades, shows and other patriotic and labour-oriented events.

How celebrated across world

1. In Canada, Labour Day has been celebrated on the first Monday in September in Canada since the 1880s. The origins of Labour Day in Canada can be traced back to April 14, 1872 when a parade was staged in support of the Toronto Typographical Union's strike for a 58-hour work-week.

2. In China, Labour Day is celebrated on May 1, and is a public holiday.In the 1990s, the Labour Day holiday was extended from 1 day to 3 days. The Chinese government made it a 7 day holiday by moving the prior and upcoming weekends together with these 3 days. The Labour Day holiday was one of the three Golden Weeks in China, allowing millions of Chinese people to travel during this period.

3. In Germany, Labour Day was established as an official holiday in 1933 after the Nazi Party, or NSDAP, rose to power. It was supposed to symbolise the new-found unity between the state and the German people. However, just one day later, on May 2, 1933, all free unions were outlawed and destroyed. But since the holiday had been celebrated by German workers for many decades before the official state endorsement, the NSDAP's attempt to appropriate it left no long-term resentment.

4. In Pakistan, Labour Day is a national holiday. Labour unions hold seminars and walks.

5. In Poland, Labour Day May 1 was renamed "State Holiday" in 1990.

6. In Slovenia, May 1 and May 2 are national holidays and work-free days throughout the country.

7. In Sweden, Finland and Norway, May 1 is a national holiday celebrated through widespread demonstrations by the entire workers' movement.

8. In Italy, May 1 is national holiday, demonstrations of the trade unions are widespread. Since the '90s, the trade unions have organised a massive free concert in Rome, with attendances topping a million people.

9. In Jordan, May 1 is a national holiday.

10. In Denmark May 1 is celebrated through widespread demonstrations by the entire workers' movement throughout the country. There are also outdoor activities celebrating the day in many major cities.

11. In Israel May 1 is not officially celebrated, but each year the socialist and Marxist youth movements arrange a parade in Tel Aviv.

12. In Korea, Labour Day is a national holiday for labourers.

13. In Iceland, 1 May is a national holiday.

14. In Ireland, Labour Day (also called May Day) is celebrated on the first Monday in May, and is a public holiday.

15. In Thailand, 1 May is a national holiday.

16. In Vietnam, Labour Day is a national holiday on May 1 following another national holiday, April 30, which is the day the North and the South were unified in 1975.

17. In Romania, 1 May is a national holiday.

How celebrated in India

India started observing Labour Day beginning on May 1, 1927. It is a public holiday with processions carried out by various labour organizations. In Maharashtra (a State in India) Labour Day is also known as Maharashtra Diwas as state of Maharashtra was created on same day in 1960.