Labor Day: History and Meaning.
Labor Day, celebrated on the 1st of May, is an important date to celebrate the achievements of workers throughout history.
The date was established in 1889 by the Second Socialist International , a congress held in Paris that brought together the main socialist parties and trade unions from across Europe.
By choosing the 1st of May as Labor Day, the participants of this meeting paid homage to the workers who carried out a strike that took place in the city of Chicago (USA) in 1886, demanding the reduction of the working day from 13 to 8 daily hours.
The Origin of Labor Day
The celebration of May 1st as Labor Day has its roots in the labor movements that operated in the city of Chicago, in the United States, at the end of the XNUMXth century. These movements emerged as a direct result of the precariousness of work after the Industrial Revolution.
Throughout the 12th century, workers were often subject to degrading working conditions. Working hours exceeded XNUMX hours a day, without the right to a day off, wages were low and safety and health conditions were practically non-existent, leading to accidents and affecting workers' health.
In this context, in Chicago, the terrible conditions impelled the workers to organize protests on May 1, 1886. These actions demanded, mainly, the reduction of the working day to eight hours a day (at the time in the USA it was 12 hours). . The protests in this city were organized by workers' movements linked to anarcho-syndicalism.
haymarket affair
New protests took place in Chicago on the 3rd and 4th of May, but it was the one on the 4th of May 1886 that became especially well-known when, during clashes with the police, a bomb exploded (to this day it is not known who threw it). .
The explosion killed police and demonstrators, with injuries reported on both sides. Then the police reacted by shooting at the demonstrators (some sources speak of dozens and others of hundreds dead).
This demonstration became known as the Haymarket Revolt (Haymarket Affair) because it took place in the square of the same name in Chicago,
After this protest, the reaction against the workers was extremely repressive. Leaders of the Chicago labor movement were arrested and four of them were sentenced to death without proof of their guilt. These leaders of the Anarcho-Syndicalist movement killed in 1887 became known as the Chicago Martyrs.
A few years later, in 1891, the International Workers' Congress convened, in France, an annual demonstration in honor of the union struggles in Chicago. The first demonstration ended with 10 dead, as a result of police intervention.
The date of May 1, however, only became a holiday in 1919, when on April 23, 1919, the French Senate ratified the 8 hours of work and proclaimed May 1 as a national holiday. Later, this day also became a public holiday in Russia in 1920.
Over time, the celebration of May Day as Labor Day spread throughout the world, including Portugal, which became a world landmark in the fight for workers' rights and a symbol of the importance of guaranteeing dignified and fair working conditions for all.
A Historical Curiosity
The Romans, even before Christ, already celebrated the 1st of May as a solemn date dedicated to the goddesses Flora and Maia. The party celebrated the height of Spring and a time of abundance. It was such a sacred day that all types of work were suspended, including that of slaves.
workers' rights
The ILO (International Labour Organization) suggests that workers should be entitled to a minimum of three weeks of paid leave. Despite this, many countries do not follow this recommendation.
World Labor Day
Labor Day is recognized in 157 countries. But, not everyone celebrates the date on May 1st and, in some countries, it is known by another name.
In the Vatican, on May 1st, a mass is celebrated in honor of workers, but instead of being called Labor Day, it is called Day of Saint Joseph the Worker.
In the United States of America, the date is known as Labor Day and is celebrated on the first Monday of September, marking a series of parties and attractions across the country.
Depending on the sources, the move away from the date of May 1st, either arose to demarcate the sad memory left by the people who died in May 1886 in Chicago, or it was to move the date away from the association of the celebration of leftist movements that propelled the union struggles in the US.
In Japan, it is celebrated on November 23, since 1948. It is called Kinrou Kansha no Hi (きんろうかんしゃのひ / 勤労感謝 の日), which translates as "Thanksgiving Day at Work".
In Australia, the date varies according to the region and, in New Zealand, it is celebrated on the fourth Monday of October, in honor of the struggle of national workers who will have started this movement, on that date, following the US general strike. which kicked off the festivities.
Curiosities of the Date 1st of May
Although the date is associated with Labor Day, some historical facts occurred on that day.
⦁ 1500: Pedro Álvares Cabral, stayed on the coast of the region that, in the future would be Brazil, between April 22nd and May 2nd. However, the ceremony of possession of the territory, in the name of the King of Portugal, took place on the 1st of May, naming it the land of Vera Cruz.
⦁ 1707: The Treaty of Union entered into force, which transformed the kingdoms of England and Scotland into the United Kingdom;
• 1786: Mozart's opera " The Marriage of Figaro " premiered in Vienna, Austria;
⦁ 1834: Slavery was abolished in the English colonies;
⦁ 1960: A diplomatic crisis began between the former Soviet Union and the USA, with the shooting down of the U2, a North American spy plane, piloted by Francis Gary Powers;
⦁ 1994: Motorsport suffers a great loss with the death of Brazilian Ayrton Senna, at the San Marino Grand Prix;
⦁ 2004: The European Union grew, with the entry of 10 more countries: Czech Republic, Hungary, Cyprus, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Malta.
⦁ 2011: The beatification of Pope John Paul II took place, exactly on the same day that Barack Obama said “We got him”, referring to the alleged capture and death of terrorist Osama Bin Laden, in a US operation carried out in Pakistan.
⦁ May 1st is also the birthday of the French writer Jean de Joinville (1225), the Russian poet Aleksey Khomyakov (1804) and the fourth President of the Portuguese Republic, Sidónio Pais (1872).
Conclusion
May 1st is a significant date that celebrates the achievements and struggles of workers throughout history.
Labor Day is an opportunity to remember and honor those who fought for better working conditions, and to reaffirm the importance of protecting workers' rights around the world.
Over the years, many important achievements have been achieved, such as the reduction of working hours, the creation of labor laws and the guarantee of rights such as paid vacations and sick leave.
However, there is still much to be done. In many places, workers continue to face precarious conditions, wage inequalities and lack of opportunities.
May 1st is a day to reflect on the progress made and the challenges that still need to be faced. It is also a day to reaffirm our commitment to social justice and equality in the workplace.
Together, we can continue to fight for workers' rights and build a world where decent work is a reality for everyone.
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See also:
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24 April: International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace
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March 23: Southern African Liberation Day
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March 20th is the International Day of Happiness
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February 13th is World Radio Day
11 February is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Picture: © DR
