International Workers' Day (a name used interchangeably with May Day) is a celebration of the social and economic achievements of the international labor movement. May Day commonly sees organized street demonstrations and street marches by millions of working people and their labour union throughout most of the countries of the world — though, as noted below, rarely in the United States and Canada.

History

International Workers' Day is the commemoration of the Haymarket Massacre in Chicago in 1886, when Chicago police fired on workers during a general strike for the eight hour day, killing several demonstrators and resulting in the deaths of several police officers, largely from friendly fire. In 1889, the first congress of the Second International, meeting in Paris for the centennial of the French Revolution and the Exposition Universelle, following a proposal by Raymond Lavigne, called for international demonstrations on the 1890 anniversary of the Chicago protests. These were so successful that May Day was formally recognized as an annual event at the International's second congress in 1891. The May Day Riots of 1894 and May Day Riots of 1919 occurred subsequently. In 1904, the International Socialist Conference meeting in Amsterdam called on "all Social Democratic Party organizations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on May First for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace." As the most effective way of demonstrating was by striking, the congress made it "mandatory upon the proletarian organizations of all countries to stop work on May 1, wherever it is possible without injury to the workers."

Through all this turmoil in the northern hemisphere, the Stonemasons Society in the then colony of Victoria, now the State of Victoria in Australia led the battle for the 8 Hour Day, the most dramatic achievement of the early trade Union Movement. By 1856, Australian workers were benefiting from the results of a decision by the Collingwood Branch of the Stonemasons Society of Victoria. The same year it was recognized in New South Wales, followed by Queensland in 1858 and South Australia in 1873. A memorial statue with the numerals 888, representing 8 hours of work, 8 hours of recreation, and 8 hours of rest, sits on the corner of Lygon Street and Victoria Parade in Melbourne, Australia to this day.

May Day has long been a focal point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist, and anarchist groups. In some circles, bonfires are lit in commemoration of the Haymarket martyrs, usually right as the first day of May begins. It has also seen right-wing massacres of participants as in the Taksim Square massacre of 1977 in Turkey.

Due to its status as a celebration of the efforts of workers and the socialist movement, May Day is an important official holiday in Communist countries such as the People's Republic of China, Cuba, and the former Soviet Union. May Day celebrations typically feature elaborate popular and military parades in these countries.

In countries other than the United States and Canada, resident working classes sought to make May Day an official holiday and their efforts largely succeeded. For this reason, in most of the world today, May Day is marked by massive street rallies led by workers, their trade unions, anarchists and various communist and socialist parties.

In the United States, however, the official Federal holiday for the "working man" is Labor Day in September. This day was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor organized the first parade in New York City. The first Labor Day celebration was held on September 5, 1882, and was organized by the Knights of Labor. The Knights began holding it every year and called for it to be a national holiday, but this was opposed by other labor unions who wanted it held on May Day (as it is everywhere else in the world). After the Haymarket Square riot in May, 1886, President Cleveland feared that commemorating Labor Day on May 1 could become an opportunity to commemorate the riots. Thus he moved in 1887 to support the Labor Day that the Knights supported. [275492]

May Day celebrations around the World

May 1 is a national holiday in Albania, Armenia, Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, China, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iraq, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar , Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, the Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Americas

May Day was celebrated by some early European settlers of the American continent. In some parts of the United States, May Baskets are made. These baskets are small and usually filled with flowers or treats and left at someone's doorstep. The person leaving the basket rings the doorbell, and is supposed to run away. The person receiving the basket tries to catch the person running away. If they caught the person, a kiss was to be exchanged.

Modern May Day ceremonies in the U.S. vary greatly from region to region and many unite both the holiday's "Green Root" (pagan) and "Red Root" (labor) traditions. Among the largest ceremonies is the May Day Parade and pageant created by In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, an event that has happened every year since 1974 in Minneapolis and now attracts some 35,000 people.

In 2006, May 1 was chosen by mostly Latino immigrant groups in the U.S. as the day for the Great American Boycott, a general strike of illegal immigrant workers and supporters to protest H.R. 4437, immigration reform legislation which they felt was draconian. In various news media, the strike actions were publicly said to have been timed to coincide with International Workers' Day. On May 1, 2007, a mostly peaceful demonstration in Los Angeles in support of illegal immigrant workers ended with a widely televised assault by LAPD officers.

In March 2008, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union announced that dockworkers will move no cargo at any West Coast ports on May 1, 2008, as a protest against the continuation of the Iraq War and the diversion of resources from domestic needs.

Brazil

In Brazil, the Workers' Day is an official holiday, and unions commemorate it with day-long public events. It is also when salaries for most professional categories and the minimum wage are traditionally readjusted.

Canada

While celebrations by more radical socialist, anarchist and anti-globalization activists may occur on May 1, the government of Prime Minister John Sparrow David Thompson declared the first Monday in September as Canada's official Labour Day in 1894.

The origins of Labour Day in Canada can be traced back to a printer's revolt in 1872 in Toronto, where labourers tried to establish a 54-hour work week. At that time, union activity was technically still illegal and the organizers were jailed, at the behest of George Brown. Protest marches eventually led Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald to repeal the anti-union laws and guarantee the rights of unions to organize.

Labour Day remains an annual public holiday, many Canadians now simply regard Labour Day as the Monday of the last long weekend of summer rather than a day of protest.

However, May Day is an important day of trade-union and community group protest in the French-speaking province of Quebec. Celebration of the International Labour Day ( or "Workers' Day", fête des travailleurs) in Montreal goes back to 1906, organised by the "Mutual Aid circle". The tradition had a renaissance at the time of the mass strike of 1972. On the 1973 May Day, the first contemporary demonstration was organised by the major trade union confederations (FTQ, CSN, CEQ). Over 30,000 trade unionists took part in this demonstration.

United States

The United States has its own Labor Day holiday, celebrated on the first Monday in September instead of on May Day. The U.S. version of Labor Day was a creation of the Knights of Labor, and was adopted officially in 1887 in an effort to disassociate labor activism from the radical left. Subsequent efforts to officially switch Labor Day to the international date of May 1 have failed. In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed May 1 both as Loyalty Day and as Law Day.

Despite the prevailing sentiment for observance of Labor Day in September, some unions and union locals in the United States — especially in urban areas with strong support for organized labor — have attempted to maintain a connection with more radical labor traditions through their own unofficial observances on May 1. Some of the largest examples of this occurred during the Great Depression of the 1930s when thousands of leftist workers marched in May Day parades in New York's Union Square.

There are many examples in the U.S. of people honoring both May 1's "Green Root" (pagan) and "Red Root" (labor) traditions. Among the largest is the May Day Parade and Pageant created by In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, an event that has taken place every year since 1974 in Minneapolis and now attracts some 35,000 people.

Asia

India

The first May Day celebration in India was organised in Madras by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan on May 1, 1923. This was also the first time the red flag was used in India. The party leader Singaravelu Chettiar made arrangements to celebrate May Day in two places in 1923. One meeting was held at the beach opposite to the Madras High Court; the other meeting was held at the Triplicane beach. The Hindu newspaper, published from Madras reported,

The Labour Kisan party has introduced May Day celebrations in Chennai.

Comrade Singaravelar presided over the meeting.

A resolution was passed stating that the government should declare May Day as a holiday.

The president of the party explained the non-violent principles of the party.

There was a request for financial aid.

It was emphasized that workers of the world must unite to achieve independence.

May Day is a nationwide bank holiday in India. The holiday is tied to labour movements for communist and socialist political parties. In Maharashtra and Gujarat, it is officially called Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day respectively, since on this day in 1960 each attained statehood, after the old Bombay State became divided on linguistic lines.

Japan

May Day is not officially designated by the Japanese government as a national holiday. But because it lies between other national holidays, it is a day off work for the vast majority of Japanese workers. Many employers give it as a day off by, and otherwise workers take it as "paid leave". May 1 is occurs in the "Golden Week" of holidays, together withApril 29 ("Shōwa Day", birthday of former Emperor Hirohito), May 3 ("Constitution Memorial Day"), May 4 ("Greenery Day") and May 5 ("Children's Day").

Thus workers take May 1 is off work not so much to join street rallies or labor union gatherings but rather to take a few days of vacation in an uninterrupted string. In the Japanese corporate culture, taking weekdays off for personal pleasure is widely frowned upon.

Usually on this day, some of the major labor unions organize rallies and demonstrations in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. In 2008, the National Confederation of Trade Unions, known also as Zenrōren held a rally in Yoyogi Park attended by 44,000 participants, while the National Trade Unions Council, also known as Zenrōkyō held its May Day rally at Hibiya Park. However the largest Japanese trade union, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, better known as Rengō, held its May Day rally on the following Saturday (May 3), allegedly to distance itself from the more radical labor unions.

Japan's official "Labor Thanksgiving Day" holiday, established in 1873 by the Meiji government as an "Imperial harvest" festival and later renamed by the postwar government in 1948, falls on November 23.

Nepal

May Day has been celebrated in Nepal since 1963. The day became a public holiday in 2007.

People's Republic of China

In the People's Republic of China, May 1 marked the start of one of the country's three "Golden Weeks". Three days off work were given, and one of the surrounding weekends was, for no more than 3 days. From 2008, only one day would still be given, with the other two days being rescheduled on Qingming in early April and Duanwu in early June, respectively.

Europe

Eastern bloc under Communist governments

"Eastern-bloc" countries such as the USSR and most countries of Central and Eastern Europe that were under the rule of Communist governments held May Day celebrations in every town and city, during which leaders greeted the crowds. Workers carried banners with political slogans and many companies decorated their company cars to display during the parade. The biggest celebration of May 1 usually occurred in the capital of a particular communist country and usually included a military display and the presence of the president and the secretary general of the Party. In Poland, since 1982 party leaders led the official parades. See also subsection Russia.

Germany

In Germany, May Day was a single-occurrence holiday in 1919 under the leftist revolutionary government, but it became a regular yearly holiday only in 1933, when it was introduced as "Holiday of National Labour" by the Nazi government. After the war, the "National" epithet was stripped and the day has been called simply "Day of Labour" ever since.

Traditionally, the day has a political connotation in most regions since long before it became an official holiday. In communist East Germany, workers were de facto required to participate in large state-organized parades on this date. Today, Berlin witnesses yearly demonstrations on May Day, the largest organized by labour union, political parties and others by the radical left and Autonomen.

Since 1987, it has also become known for heavy riots in some districts of Berlin. After police action against the radical leftist block in that year's annual demonstrations, the Autonome scattered and sought cover at the ongoing annual street fair in Kreuzberg. (Three years prior to the reunification of Germany, violent protests would only take place in the former West Berlin.) The former protesters began tipping over police cars, violently resisting arrest, and began building barricades after the police withdrew due to the unforeseen resistance. Cars were set on fire, shops plundered and burned to the ground. The police eventually ended the riots the following night. These violent forms of protests by the radical left, later increasingly involved participants without political motivation.

However, violence has been on the decline. Annual street fairs have proven an effective way to prevent riots, and May Day in 2005 and 2006 have been among the most peaceful known to Berlin in nearly 25 years. In recent years, neo-nazis and other groups on the far right like the NPD have also used the day to schedule public demonstrations, often leading to clashes with left-wing protesters, which turned especially violent in the historical city of Leipzig in 1998 and 2005.

There were violent protests before 1987. In 1929, the social democratic SPD government prohibited the annual May Day workers' demonstrations in Berlin. The communist party KPD, which was the strongest party in Berlin, called demonstrations nonetheless. By the end of the day, 32 demonstrators, workers and bystanders had been killed by the police, at least 80 were seriously injured. The Berlin police, under control of the supposedly pro-labour social democratic government, had fired a total of 11,000 rounds of live ammunition. This incident, remembered in the German language as Blutmai ("blood May") deepened the split between the workers' parties KPD and SPD, that eventually gave an advantage to the NSDAP over their anti-fascist opponents in the parliament.

Portugal

In Portugal, the 1st of May celebration was harshly repressed during the fascist dictatorship regime, although, since 1974, it's now celebrated by the several leftist political parties with parades and demonstrations. It has become an opportunity for the several precarious workers groups to show their discontent for existing work conditions, in a parade called May Day. It has considerable strength among unionized workers and militants from leftist political parties.

Spain

In Spain, the 1st of May celebration was established after the end of Franco's dictatorship in 1975; before that, it had been celebrated during the Spanish Second Republic period (1931-1939), but it was banned afterwards by the fascist francoist regime. The first time it was celebrated was in 1977, when the spanish communist party was legalized. Since then, it has become an official holiday that has been traditionally used by trade unions and leftist parties for social and labour vindications. Commonly, pacific demonstrations and parades are made in most big cities.

Greece

The May 1st celebrations are characterised by demonstrations. Participation, however, has dropped significantly during the last decade. All major parties participate. Greek

Hungary

May Day was officially celebrated under the Communist regime, and remains a public holiday. Traditionally, the day was marked by dancing around designated "May trees."

Italy

The first May day celebration in Italy took place in 1890. It started initially as an attempt to celebrate workers' achievements in their struggle for their rights and for better social and economic conditions. It was abolished under the Fascist Regime and immediately restored after the Second World War. (During the fascist period, a "Holiday of the Italian labour" (Festa del lavoro italiano) was celebrated on the 21st of April, the date of Natale di Roma, when ancient Rome was allegedly born.)

Now, May Day is a very important celebration in Italy. Very popular is the Concerto del Primo Maggio ("1 May's Concert"), organized by Italian Labour Unions in Rome in Piazza San Giovanni. It is attended by more than 300,000 people every year, and involves participation of many famous bands and songwriters. The concert is usually broadcasted live by Rai Tre.

Nordic countries

In Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland, Labour Day is a public holiday, celebrated by many different socialist parties and groups with political demonstrations and speeches. In recent years, non-socialist parties have also held meetings and speeches along with the socialist parties. In Sweden and Finland, however, it merges with Walpurgis Night, a carnival-type festivity. In Denmark, Labour Day is not regarded a public holiday.

Russia

May Day was celebrated illegally until the February Revolution enabled the first legal celebration in 1917. The following year, after the Bolshevik seizure of power, the May Day celebrations were boycotted by Mensheviks, Left Socialist Revolutionaries and anarchists. It became an important official holiday of the Soviet Union, celebrated with elaborate popular parade in the centre of the major cities. The biggest celebration was traditionally organized on the Red Square, where the General Secretary of the CPSU and other party and government leaders stood atop Lenin's Mausoleum and waved to the crowds. Since 1992, May Day is officially called "The Day of Spring and Labour", and remains a major holiday in the present-day Russia.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom in recent years, the anti-capitalist movement has organised a number of large protests in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Doncaster. In London, these have resulted in clashes with the police (See footage May Day Footage.) In 2000, the clashes ended with a branch of McDonalds being smashed and a statue of Winston Churchill being given a grass mohawk as a protest at his alleged crimes. The Cenotaph was also defaced with graffiti.

In the last few years, demonstrations have been more peaceful, with marches and gatherings, particularly in central London. This downturn in civil disorder is usually attributed to either popular distaste at the events of 2000 or a tougher stance by the British government on violent protest, or a combination thereof. This process has been satirised by the activist group the Space Hijackers.

Oceania

New Zealand and Australia

In New Zealand, Labour Day is a public holiday held on the fourth Monday in October, but the traditions of this October day are borne of International Workers' Day and are not the situation of Canada or the United States.

This holiday originated with the eight-hour work day movement that arose in the newly-founded Wellington colony in 1840. The carpenter Samuel Parnell refused to work more than eight hours a day . He encouraged other tradesman to also only work for eight hours a day, and in October 1840 a workers' meeting passed a resolution supporting the idea. On 28 October 1890, the 50th anniversary of the eight-hour day was commemorated with a parade. The event was then celebrated annually in late October as either Labour Day or Eight-Hour Demonstration Day. In 1899, government legislated that the day be a public holiday from 1900 onward. The day was celebrated on different days in different provinces. This led to ship owners complaining that seamen were taking excessive holidays by having one Labour Day in one port and then another in their next port. In 1910, the government "Mondayised" the holiday so that it would be observed on the same day throughout the nation.

In Australia, the Labour Day public holiday is fixed by the various states and territories' governments. In some territories, the celebrations are connected to International Workers' Day, while in others they are not. The day is on the first Monday in October in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and South Australia, while in Western Australia, Labour Day is the first Monday in March, and in both Victoria and Tasmania, it is the second Monday in March (Tasmania calls it "Eight Hours Day"). In Queensland and the Northern Territory, the holiday is on the first Monday in May itself. ("May Day").

Co-opting May Day

Over the course of history, several different governments and non-working-class organizations have attempted to add their own holidays on May 1 to compete with International Workers' Day, or have decreed that a holiday in honour of labour is to be held at some other time of the year.

In Germany, May Day celebrations have been organized independently by the Social Democratic Party since the late 19th century and by the Communist Party since 1918. However, for a long time the day was not made an official state holiday, even when the Social Democrats came to power in the years after the First World War, because both the social democrats and the communists believed that the workers should organize their own holiday without the involvement of the (traditionally conservative) German state bureaucracy. In April 1933, the recently installed Nazi government declared May 1 the "Day of National Work," an official state holiday, and announced that all celebrations were to be organized by the government. Any separate celebrations by communists, social democrats or labour union were banned. After the Second World War, May 1 remained a state holiday in both East and West Germany. Today it is simply called the "Day of Labour" ("Tag der Arbeit"), and there are numerous demonstrations and celebrations by independent workers' organizations.

In the United States, Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September instead of on May 1. This Labor Day was a creation of the 1880s Knights of Labor and was adopted officially in 1887 in the U.S. in an attempt to disassociate labor activism from the radical left. In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed May 1 both as Loyalty Day and as Law Day. Each year, the sitting president proclaims these observances on May 1.

Canada follows a similar course. While unions organize Labour Day parades and picnics, many Canadians simply regard Labour Day as the Monday of the last long weekend of summer. Non-union celebrations include picnics, fireworks displays, water activities, and public art events. Families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer. Some teenagers and young adults view it as the last weekend for parties before returning to school.

In a separate May Day-related proclamation, the Roman Catholic Church added another Saint Joseph's Day in 1955 that Christianized May 1 as the day of "Saint Joseph, the Worker". Saint Joseph is the only patron saint of "people fighting communism".

In Poland, May 1 was renamed "State Holiday" in 1990; see: Holidays in Poland.

See also

• EuroMayDay
• Industrial Workers of the World
• Labour Day

Photo gallery

Image:May 1, 2008 in Stockholm.JPG|May Day Demonstration in Stockholm, 2008.Image:Agartala-mayday151.jpg|May Day meeting in Agartala, IndiaImage:May_Day_in_London.jpg|May Day Demonstration in London, 2008.Image:1maj2006soc.dem.sthlm.jpg|Social Democratic May Day demonstration in Stockholm, Sweden, 2006Image:1majmumbai.JPG|A May Day rally in Mumbai.Image:Forstamaj.jpg|A rally in Stockholm, Sweden 1899.Image:MayDayInNazarth.JPG|May Day meeting in NazarethImage:Колонна РКРП-РПК на первомайской демонстрации.jpg|May Day demonstration in Izhevsk, Russia, 2008

References

1. From the diary of Anatoly Vasilyevich Lunacharsky; 1 May 1918; Petrograd
2. May Day
3. Colleen J. Sheehy (Ed.), Theatre of Wonder: 25 Years in the Heart of the Beast (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999), 79-89.
4. "Longshoremen to close ports on West Coast to protest war" by Jack Heyman, San Francisco Chronicle, April 9, 2008
5. Colleen J. Sheehy (Ed.), Theatre of Wonder: 25 Years in the Heart of the Beast, pp. 79-89; Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999.
6. :: Singaravelar - Achievements ::
7. M.V.S. Koteswara Rao. Communist Parties and United Front - Experience in Kerala and West Bengal. Hyderabad: Prajasakti Book House, 2003. p. 110
8. Report of May Day Celebrations 1923, and Formation of a New Party (The Hindu quoted in Murugesan, K., Subramanyam, C. S. Singaravelu, First Communist in South India. New Delhi: People's Publishing House, 1975. p.169
9. Nepalnews.com (newsflash) Arc379)
10. Nepalnews.com, news from Nepal as it happens
11. Mayday traditions and events in Hungary
12. Violence at May Day protest
13. Workers in London May Day march
14. Labour Day: A History - from NZHistory.net.nz

External links

• May Day Songs in the Public Domain
• "Roots of May Day are in Chicago" By Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune staff reporter, published May 1, 2007.
• May Day Archive at the Marxists Internet Archive
• May Day: Festival for the Workers, Keith Flett, Socialist Review, May 2002
• Annual listing of May Day events around the world
• What you need to know about May Day by Leo Panitch
• The Capitalist Workday, The Socialist Workday by Michael A. Lebowitz
• Take it to the Streets for May Day by James Ellis, Metro, April 20 2009
• In Pictures: International Workers' Day 2009 from The Christian Science Monitor