May Day Workers Day: Why Is May 1st Called Workers Day? What Is May Day And Why Is It Celebrated?

May 1 was chosen as the date for International Worker’s Day to commemorate the Haymarket Riot in Chicago in 1886.

The Haymarket Riot, which was a violent confrontation between police and labour protesters, soon became a symbol of workers’ rights across the world.

“Throughout Latin America, throughout Europe and in North America, to many, the day became this holiday to celebrate working people.”

To honor the Chicago workers, the International Socialist Conference in 1889 named May Day a labor holiday, birthing what many nations now call International Workers’ Day.

May day is set aside to revisit and acknowledge the historic struggles and the subsequent gains that have shaped the ideas of social justice and basic rights in workplaces across the world.

In addition to remembering the past, efforts are also made to empower the workers of today with the required knowledge of their rights and responsibilities.

Traditionally, May 1 was associated with a rural pagan festival celebrating the arrival of spring, across Europe. However, over the years, the day has come to be recognised for its association with the Labour Movement.

The implications of May Day have changed drastically in the most-pandemic world. Explaining further, the International Labour Organization said that in the post-pandemic world building back the labour community requires making deliberate and coherent policy choices.”

This includes not only generating jobs but also providing decent working conditions for everybody, extending social protection, protecting workers’ rights and encouraging social dialogue.

In several countries, Labour Day or May Day is also a national holiday.