International Workers’ Day | 01 May 2020

Why in News

Every year, 1^st May is celebrated as the International Workers’ Day and as Labour Day in different parts of the world to commemorate the contributions of workers and the historic labour movements.

• It is a day when the International Labour Organisation (ILO), nations, employers and workers from all over the world commit themselves towards the collective efforts of promoting decent work for all.
• In 1889, the Second International, an organisation created by socialist and labour parties, declared that 1^st May would be commemorated as International Workers’ Day from then on.
• On 1^st May 1904, the International Socialist Congress at Amsterdam, the Netherlands called for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day for the class demands of the proletariat and made it mandatory upon the proletarian organisations of all countries to stop work on this day.

Historical Perspective

• USA
  
  • The USA celebrates Labor day on the first Monday of September, every year. The USA recognised the day as a federal holiday in 1894.
    
    • Canada also celebrates the Labour day on the same day as the US.
  • Labor day was designated as a day in support of workers by trade unions and socialist groups in the memory of the Haymarket affair of 1886 in Chicago, USA. It gave the workers’ movement a great impetus.
    
    • Haymarket Affair was a peaceful rally in support of workers which led to a violent clash with the police, leading to severe casualties. Those who died were hailed as “Haymarket Martyrs”.
    • Workers’ rights violations, straining work hours, poor working conditions, low wages and child labour were the issues highlighted in the protest.
• USSR
  
  • The Soviet Union and the Eastern bloc nations started celebrating the Labor day after the Russian Revolution, 1917.
    
    • Impact of Russian Revolution: New ideologies such as Marxism and Socialism inspired many socialist and communist groups and they attracted peasants and workers and made them an integral part of national movement.
  • It became a national holiday during the Cold War.
• India
  
  • In India, Labor day was first celebrated in 1923, after the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan initiated the celebrations and Comrade Singaravelar (Singaravelu Chettiar) continued the celebrations.
  • Comrade Singaravelar was one of the leaders of the Self Respect movement in the Madras Presidency and passed a resolution stating the government should allow everybody a national holiday on Labour Day.

Source: IE