International Labour Day 2024 – History, Celebration, Theme

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History and Origin of International Labour Day

International Workers’ Day is the big celebration on the world level and it is celebrated to commemorate the 4^th of May of 1886, the Haymarket affair (Haymarket Massacre) in the Chicago. It is the big event of that year when workers were on the general strike for their eight-hour workday and police were doing their job of dispersing the general public from the crowd. Suddenly, a bomb was thrown over the crowd by an unidentified person and then police started firing over the workers and four demonstrators were killed.

Here is a real statement about the event: “Reliable witnesses testified that all the pistol flashes came from the center of the street, where the police were standing, and none from the crowd. Moreover, initial newspaper reports made no mention of firing by civilians. A telegraph pole at the scene was filled with bullet holes, all coming from the direction of the police.”

It was decided to be celebrated on annual basis as an May Day in the meeting (in 1889) of Paris through a proposal by the Raymond Lavigne that international demonstrations is required to celebrate the anniversary of Chicago protests. In the year 1891, May Day was officially recognized by the International’s second congress to be celebrated as an annual event.

However, May Day Riots was occurred in the year 1894 and then in the year 1904, the following statement was given in the International Socialist Conference at Amsterdam “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.” and declared it “mandatory upon the proletarian organizations of all countries to stop work on May 1, wherever it is possible without injury to the workers.”

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International Labour Day 2024 – Why is May Day Celebrated?

International Labour Day or May Day is celebrated to finish the struggle as well as to promote the requirement of eight-hour work day. Earlier the working condition of the laborer was very severe and working hours was 10 to 16 hour a day even in the unsafe conditions. Deaths, injuries and other dreadful conditions of the workers were very common at the workplace during the 1860’s and working people were very agitated throughout the workday until the 8-hour workday was declared.

The rising death of the working class people (men, women and children) in many working industries, required to raise the voice for the safety of the working group people by decreasing their working hours in the industries. After the lots of efforts made by the workers and socialists, eight-hours was declared as the legal time for the workers in the national convention at Chicago in 1884 by the American Federation of Labor.

Many people have sacrificed their lives during the Haymarket Massacre which was held in the Chicago during the strike of workers. May Day is celebrated to commemorate the event of Haymarket Massacre as well as to promote the social and economic achievements of the working group people.

How International Labour Day is Celebrated

International Labor Day is celebrated yearly as an official holiday all over the world to celebrate the accomplishments of workers. People enjoy celebrating the May Day or Labour Day by arranging the big party and lots of programmes. They decorate the banners and flags using colors just like an Independence Day celebration.

Variety of news and messages are distributed by the TV channels and radio channels saying Happy Labor Day among people to increase social awareness about the Labour Day. Variety of other events is also organized by the International Labour Organization to celebrate the day. The theme of the Labour Day party celebration becomes any cartoon characters, western culture shows, sports, TV shows, movies, holiday activities, crazy fun activities and many more. Other Labor Day activities includes crossword puzzle, anagram puzzle, word search puzzle, code cracker puzzle, word scramble puzzle, phrase matching game puzzle and etc.

This celebration has become a historic significance all over the world and celebrated by the Labor unions worldwide. Variety of demonstrations, speeches, protests processions, rallies and parades are organized by the working group people under the security arrangements to protect violence.

International Labour Day 2024 Quotes

1. “Labor is not just about the sweat on your brow; it’s the heartbeat of progress, the rhythm of achievement.”
2. “In the symphony of life, labor is the conductor, guiding us towards the crescendo of success.”
3. “Every drop of sweat shed in labor enriches the soil of our dreams, nurturing the seeds of tomorrow’s harvest.”
4. “Labor is the sculptor of civilization, chiseling away the rough edges of adversity to reveal the masterpiece of human potential.”
5. “Behind every accomplishment lies the silent symphony of labor, orchestrating the melody of achievement.”
6. “Labor is the alchemy that turns sweat into gold, transforming effort into the currency of progress.”
7. “In the tapestry of life, labor weaves the threads of determination and dedication, creating a fabric of resilience.”
8. “Labor is the compass that guides us through the wilderness of challenges, pointing always towards the horizon of opportunity.”
9. “The sweat of labor is the ink that writes the story of progress, each drop a testament to the journey towards a brighter future.”
10. “Labor is the foundation upon which the edifice of success stands tall, built brick by brick with the mortar of perseverance.”

International Labour organization

International Labour Organization (ILO) is an agency located in the United Nations, established to deal with labour issues on international level. It has around 185 members of the total (193) UN member states. It was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in the year 1969 for promoting peace among classes, deal with workers issues, providing them technical assistance in order to develop nations.

It deals with all the complaints violating the international rules for labour class people. It has tripartite governing structure means “representing governments, employers and workers (usually with a ratio of 2:1:1)” in order to create free and open debate between the social partners and governmental body. International Labour Organization secretariat works as an International Labour Office.

Its Governing Body has right to plan or take decision about International Labour Conferences, adopting or organizing programmes, electing the director-general, dealing with the member states about the labour matters, appointing commissions of inquiry as well as supervising International Labour Office actions. It has around 28 government representatives, 14 employer representatives and 14 worker representatives.

It organizes an International Labour Conference (parliament of labour, having 4 representatives, 2 government, 1 employer and 1 worker delegate) on annual basis in the Geneva in the month of June to make general policies, planning programmes and deciding budget.

International Labour Day 2024 FAQs

What is the theme of International Workers Day 2024?

The theme of International Workers Day 2024 is Social Justice and Decent Work for All.

Is May 1st International Labor Day?

Yes, May 1st is celebrated as International Labor Day worldwide.

Is May Day a holiday in India?

Yes, May Day, also known as Labor Day, is a public holiday in India.

Is May 1st a holiday in the USA?

While May 1st is not a federal holiday in the USA, it is observed as International Workers Day in some states and cities.

What is the best Labor Day quote?

Labor Day is a tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. - Unknown

How to wish Happy Labour Day?

You can wish Happy Labour Day by saying, Wishing you a day filled with appreciation and recognition for your hard work and dedication

What is an easy slogan for Labour Day?

Celebrating Workers, Building Futures.