Labor Day

The international day of the workers, become Labor Day is the occasion of big demonstrations of the Labor movement. In the last (or old) country with Socialist mode , on May 1st (or was) is celebrated with much glare.

It is generally celebrated in many countries of the world the 1 {{er}} May, often (but not always) founded like legal bank holiday except, for example, in North America where it is officially celebrated first Monday of September, with the the United Kingdom and in Ireland where it is shifted at first Monday of May, and in Australia on various dates close to spring or the autumn. It is sometimes associated with other popular festivities or traditions.

History

Origins

In France, since 1793, a Labor Day is fixed the 1st pluviôse (in January), and was instituted during a few years by Fabre d' Églantine.

To the the United States, during their congress of 1884, the American trade union S are given two years to impose to the owners a limitation of day's work on eight hours. They choose to begin their action on May 1st because many American companies start this day their countable year, and that the contracts have their term this day.

Thus the May 1st 1886 , the trade-union pressure allows approximately 200  000 workers to obtain the day of eight hours. Other workers, whose owners did not accept this claim, start a general strike. They are approximately 340  000 in all the country.

The May 3rd, a demonstration makes three dead among the strikers of the company McCormick Harvester, with Chicago. The following day takes place a walk of protest and in the evening, while the demonstration disperses with Haymarket Square, there remain nothing any more but 200 demonstrators vis-a-vis as many police officers.

At this point in time a bomb explodes in front of the police force. It makes a death in the rows of the police force. Seven other police officers are killed in the brawl which follows. Following this attack, five anarchistic trade unionists are condemned to death; four will be hung Friday November 11th 1887 (known since like Black Friday or black Friday) in spite of the inexistence of evidence, the last being committed suicide in its cell. Three others are condemned to perpetuity.

On a stele of the cemetery of Waldheim, in Chicago, are registered the last words of the one of condemned, August Spies: “The day will come where our silence will be more powerful than the voices than you strangle today. ”

Installation

Three years later, the II {{E}} Internationale socialist meets in Paris for the centenary of the French revolution and the World Fair.

On a proposal of Raymond Lavigne, it decides the July 20th 1889 to make each May 1st one day of demonstration with for objective the reduction of day's work at eight hours (either 48 hours weekly, Sunday alone being been unemployed).

May 1st 1891, to Fourmies, the north of the France, the demonstration turns to the drama: the police force shoots at the workmen and makes nine dead (see the Fusillade of Fourmies and Ravachol).

With this new drama, on May 1st enracine in the tradition of fight of the European workmen.

A few months later, with Brussels, the Internationale Socialist renews the claiming and international character of May 1st.

In 1920, the Russia Bolchévique decides that on May 1st from now on will be been unemployed and will become the bank holiday of the workers. Its example is followed in the majority of the other countries under the push of the trade unions of socialist orientation.

Pie {{XII}} institutes in 1955 the festival of Saint Joseph craftsman, intended to be celebrated on May 1st of each year.

The “ Labor Day ” in the United States

With the pleasant contribution of professor James Day --> With the the United States, the “ Labor Day ” (or Day of Work) must nothing at the famous day 1886.

It draws its origins from a strike of the railwaymen who, in 1894, had wanted to support the workmen of the company Pullman, themselves burdens some against their employer.

The US president Grover Cleveland had not hesitated to send 12  000 troops to break the movement and two men were killed during the confrontations, with Kensington, close to Chicago. The strike was declared finished the August 3rd 1894, the workmen of Pullman undertaking even to syndicate more.

The American citizens being made indignant of the brutal methods of president Cleveland, their representatives of Washington succeeded in making pass the proposal for a one public holiday (on September 1st) to honor the workers.

The president himself signed the bill founding the Labor Day (six days hardly after the intervention of the army) in the hope to be made re-elect the same year… But this hope proved to be vain.

In the world

Today, the Labor Day (and/or festival of the Workers ) are commemorated by one public holiday on May 1st in the majority of the country having instituted such a festival… but not in all.

In Africa

August 1st

In America

North America

In North America, there exists a distinction between Labor Day and festival of the Workers:
  • Indeed the official Labor Day ( Ploughing Day ) is celebrated first Monday of September, it acts one bank holiday traditionally marking the re-entry (school, artistic, etc) after the summer holidays.
  • the festival of the Workers takes place, as for it, on May 1st. This day is not non-working, but is very largely celebrated by the trade unions as well as the parties, groups and left organization. It will be noted that traditionally, when there is a minimum wage increase to the Quebec, that takes place on May 1st.

With the the United States and the Canada where the Labor Day is celebrated 1st Monday of September (powerful North-American trade unions as AFL-CIO did not want to align itself on the European trade unions of socialist orientation).

May 1st remains all the same celebrated by certain people in North America. Indeed one distinguishes the Labor Day (1st Monday from September) and celebrates it Workers (May 1st). The latter being seen like one day of the celebration of the working class, whereas the other is regarded by several as being an attempt at recovery of the workers' struggles. For example, with the Quebec, the large central trade-unions like some parties and left organizations express on May 1st.

Latin America or of the South

With the Mexico, in the State of Sinaloa, on May 1st marks the festival of the summer with the end of the harvest of the Tomate S and other agricultural produce.

As a good pupil of Europe, the Latin America (Brazil included/understood) commemorates the Labor Day by being unemployed on May 1st. But, like elsewhere, the trade-union processions largely yielded the place to play activities: picnics, football…

With the Paraguay, in 2002, the Head of the State tried to replace on May 1st by first Monday of May (with the British manner). But the public opinion rejected this reform.

The Caribbean

August 1st

In Asia

In Israel, one is not unemployed on May 1st.

The Japan does not celebrate the Labor Day but the first week of May, known as gilded week, which gives place to festivities and public holidaies.

In Europe

With the the United Kingdom, like in Ireland, it is not on May 1st which is been unemployed but first Monday of May… what makes it possible to the employees to profit each one prolonged weekend year.

In Belgium and with the Luxembourg, on May 1st is been unemployed and the socialist parties benefit from it to ravel and reaffirm their anchoring on the left. Let us note that in the middle of the 20th century, the socialist on May 1st was competed with by the processions “ Rerum Novarum ” of the abbot Joseph Cardijn, founder of the Christian working Jeunesse (JOC). These processions of Christian workmen took place the day of the Ascension.

With the Netherlands and in certain cantons of Swiss, on May 1st remains usually wrought. Some companies and international organizations in Switzerland concede however with their personnel one day off in the honor of the festival of the Workers. To note that the canton of Freiburg commemorates on May 1st… the arrival of spring, with songs and distribution of delicacies or pocket money to the children.

In the countries of old Eastern Europe (in Poland and Romania) in particular, on May 1st is always been unemployed but the processions, which were of tradition under the Communist regime, do not make any more receipt.

However the processions of trade unions and political organizations néo-Communists still persist in Russia, even if they do not have any more the official support and are not any more the object of the records of the old impressive military processions at the time of old the Soviet Union.

In Germany

In Germany, on May 1st is been unemployed. One traditionally carries a red eyelet to the buttonhole for the Labor Day. This tradition goes back to May 1st 1890, where to answer the call of the II {{E}} Internationale in spite of prohibition to express envisaged by the Sozialistengesetz , the militants decide to be found in parks while carrying a red eyelet as a sign of recognition.

Rather forsaken in the Federal Republic of Germany, this symbol was very much used in German Democratic republic, inter alia by the youth organizations.

May 1st gives also place to rejoicings in the honor of spring according to the ancestral rite of the tree of May , which one finds in various areas of Europe (one can on this subject read a very pretty poem of Victor Hugo).

In certain places, as with Stuttgart, the children benefit from the night preceding on May 1st to make jokes in a way which points out Halloween.

In France

In France, at the beginning of the 20th century, it becomes usual, at the time of on May 1st, to offer a bit of lily of the valley, symbol of the Printemps in Île-de-France. A tolerance of the tax authorities allows the private individuals and the organizations workers to sell the bits of lily of the valley without formalities nor taxes.

The April 23rd 1919, the Sénat ratifies the eight hours day and fact of May 1st following one day been unemployed.

The April 24th 1941, the Marshal Pétain, founds officially on May 1st like “ the social Harmony and Labor Day ”. On the initiative of Rene Belin, old directing wing anticommunist of the CGT (General confederation of Work) become Secretary of State to Work in the government of François Darlan, the day becomes been unemployed. This. The radio does not fail to stress that on May 1st coincides also with the festival of patron saint of the Marshal, Saint Philippe. The red wild rose, associated with the left , is replaced by the lily of the valley.

In 1947 on May 1st becomes of right one bank holiday been unemployed and paid for all the employees without conditions (; but it is not officially indicated like Labor Day). It is only the April 29th 1948 which is officialized the denomination “Labor Day” for on May 1st.

Much on the left would like that the Labor Day becomes again the festival of the Workers, they refuse the measurement of Pétain, on the other hand the red wild rose (of revolutionary origin) is not more really a claim, the more so as the free sale of the lily of the valley by all this day (without tax nor prior approval, which often denounces the tradesmen florists who judge this unfair competition) gives the opportunity to the trade unions to meet the population and to make known their activities and claims.

In Oceania

In Australia, some socialist or communist trade unions also ravel at the time of on May 1st. But the Labor Day is officially commemorated on other dates:

Random links:Ælia Pætina | Movement of the mothers of the place of May | Chi Li | Brestovac (Negotin) | Liefkenshoek | Calculatrice_récursive_de_Kent