INTERNATIONAL WORKER’S DAY

Copyright infringement not intended

Context: International Worker’s Day is marked on 1^st May to celebrate the achievements and struggles of workers around the world.

Details

International Worker’s Day

• It is also known as Labour Day
• It is a day to celebrate the working class and their achievements.

Background

• The first Labour Day was celebrated on 1st May 1886, when thousands of workers went on strike in Chicago and other cities to demand an eight-hour workday.
  • The strike was met with violence and repression by the authorities, resulting in several deaths and injuries.
  • The event sparked international solidarity and outrage among the labour movement and led to the establishment of May 1 as a day of commemoration and protest.
• In 1889, the International Congress of socialist parties met in Paris and decided to celebrate Labour Day or Worker’s Day on May 1 as a symbol of workers’ unity and struggle.
  • Since then, May 1 has become a day of rallies, marches, demonstrations, and cultural events that highlight the issues and demands of the working class.

Labour Day in India

• In India, Labour Day was first observed on 1st May 1923, in Chennai by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan.
  • The party hoisted a red flag, which is a common emblem of labour movements worldwide.
• Labour Day is also known as ‘Kamgar Divas’, ‘Kamgar Din’, or ‘Antrarashtriya Shramik Divas’ in India.
• It is a national holiday that honours the contributions and sacrifices of workers in various sectors and industries.

Significance

• Raise awareness about the importance and rights of workers, and protect them from exploitation and oppression.
• Celebrate the dignity and value of labour, and acknowledge the role of workers in the development and progress of society.
• A reminder that workers are not mere commodities, but human beings with dignity and aspirations.

Conclusion

• Labour Day is an opportunity to reflect on the challenges and opportunities that workers face in the changing world of work.
• Labour Day is a call for action to ensure that workers have decent work, fair wages, social security, collective bargaining, and participation in decision-making. It is also a call for solidarity among workers across borders, sectors, genders, and generations to fight for a more just and sustainable world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Workers%27_Day