International Labor Day, May 1, is a holiday used to pay tribute to the workforce around the world. So why does this holiday exist and how many years have we celebrated International Labor Day? Please join Mykingdom to find out through the article below!
Origin of International Labor Day May 1
Karl Marx considered shortening working hours to be the fighting task of the proletariat since the founding of the First International. The slogan of an 8-hour work day began to appear in some regions of the country. England - one of the countries with the most strongly developed industry at that time. After that, this movement gradually spread to neighboring countries.
Then, the event of British workers and civil servants migrating to America occurred, leading to the movement requiring 8-hour work to develop strongly in the United States in 1827. The core cause comes from the rights of people. Labor was not respected nor fully met, workers in the US decided to join strikes to force factory owners to implement their demands.
The strike in the industrial city of Chicago was the first shot that started this fighting movement. There are about 40 thousand people who do not go to the factory to work. Instead they organized rallies and street protests with a series of banners reading “From today no worker will have to work more than 8 hours a day! Must do 8 hours of work, 8 hours of rest, 8 hours of play!”
That same day, 5,000 strikes occurred with the participation of nearly 340,000 workers in other industrial centers in the United States. The fight for workers' rights is attracting more and more participants. Accordingly, the protests in Chicago became increasingly fierce.
However, how can the authorities respond so easily? Factory owners began to evict striking workers, hired workforce from other cities, and even spent money to hire provocateurs and ask the police to suppress worker protests. Violent conflicts occurred, killing and injuring hundreds of workers, and many union leaders were arrested.
According to a report by the American Federation of Labor, in American history, there has never been such a strong and comprehensive uprising among the working masses. Realizing that it was impossible to completely suppress, on May 1, 1868, the American authorities were forced to pass the 8-hour workday law at agencies and enterprises belonging to the Government. However, private enterprises are not affected and still maintain working hours from 11 to 12 hours.
The reason the law was announced on May 1 is because this is the start of the accounting year at most factories and enterprises in the United States. New contracts between workers and business owners will also be signed on this day.
Since then, May 1 has become International Labor Day, a day when workers stand up to fight for their rights, a day of rest as well as praise for workers and working people around the world. .
Significance of International Labor Day May 1 for the world in general and Vietnam in particular
Today, International Labor Day, May 1, is considered a day of praise for the workforce who have strived to fight for peace, democracy and social progress. At the same time, the May 1 holiday is also an opportunity to express determination to accomplish new labor goals, while also expressing solidarity among other workers around the world.
In Vietnam, the first International Labor Day on May 1 was held in 1930. That was the first time in history that the labor movement in Indochina, our country's working class, was under the leadership of The Communist Party of Vietnam organized street protests to show revolutionary solidarity with the working class around the world. Not stopping there, May 1 of that year was also the time when workers fought directly with the French colonial imperialists, making demands for France to improve working conditions, increase wages and reduce working hours. This event was also the premise for the Soviet - Nghe Tinh movement.
The activities were held on International Labor Day, May 1
On May 1 every year, our State will give students as well as the workforce a paid holiday to show gratitude. International Labor Day 2024 takes place on Wednesday, so there will be a holiday as usual and no compensation because this is a working day of the week.
A typical activity that often takes place before a holiday is that business owners and employers will organize conversations to listen to employees express their thoughts, wishes and problems. makes workers frustrated, thereby taking some actions to resolve those effects and help the working environment become better.
In addition, some unions in businesses also organize the "Thank you workers" program to express gratitude to those who have accompanied the unit in the process of maintaining and developing a sustainable economy. In general, the activities organized are aimed at recognizing the efforts and dedication of employees - which are considered a valuable source of capital for the business.
In 2024, we will celebrate the 138th anniversary of International Labor Day, May 1 . This is an opportunity for workers to review the history of struggle and construction of the working class. At the same time, the celebrated holiday also contributes to affirming the role and great contributions of labor to the development of the entire society.
