International Labour Day, observed on May 1st annually, is a global acknowledgment of the immense contributions made by workers across all sectors.
It's not merely a day to celebrate their efforts but also to raise awareness about their rights and empower them.
For many nations, it's a significant occasion marked by national holidays, enabling organizations to initiate campaigns aimed at enhancing the well-being of their workforce.
The roots of International Labour Day stretch back to the late 19th-century labour movement in the United States.
Specifically, May 1st was chosen to honor the nationwide strike of 1886 advocating for an eight-hour workday.
However, this historic event took a tragic turn with the Haymarket Affair in Chicago, where a peaceful protest turned violent due to a bomb explosion, resulting in casualties among both law enforcement and demonstrators.
1. Despite its association with the Haymarket affair, Labour Day in Canada and the USA is celebrated on the first Monday in September, not on May 1st.
2. May Day festivities extend to over 80 countries worldwide.
3. In India, the inaugural May Day was celebrated in Chennai (then known as Madras) in 1923 by The Labour Kisan Party Of Hindustan.
4. Additionally, May 1st marks the celebration of Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day in India.
5. Canada was among the earliest adopters of Labour Day, commemorating it in 1872, a decade before its neighbor, the United States.