AMN / WEB DESK
Today is International Labour Day, also known as International Worker’s Day or May Day. The day is celebrated to honour the contribution of working men and women.
In his message, Director General of International Labour Organization, Guy Ryder called upon everyone to together build a better normal.
He said, the time is now to bring solutions to the table and secure a future of work built on social justice.
Mr Ryder said, the lasting legacy of the 2020 global health and human crisis must be that Labour Day 2021 marks progress in shaping a better normal.
President of India Ram Nath Kovind has greeted the men and women workers on the occasion of International Labour Day.
In a tweet, Mr Kovind said, this day is dedicated to honour the hard work and dedication of crores of men and women workers.
He said, they are laying the foundation for a better and prosperous India and they are the nation builders in the true sense.
At the peak of industrialisation at the beginning of the 19th Century, industrialists used to exploit the labour class and made them work up to 15 hours a day. The workers rose against this exploitation and demanded paid leaves, proper wages and breaks for the workforce.
The eight-hour day labour movement advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest. The Labour Day annually celebrates the achievements of these workers.
While the day has different orgins in different countries, the main reason for Labour Day is unfair treatment of the labour class.
May 1 was chosen to be International Workers’ Day to commemorate the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago. In that year, on May 1, there was a general strike for the eight-hour workday. On May 4, the police acted to disperse a public assembly in support of the strike when an unidentified person threw a bomb. The police responded by firing at the workers. The event lead to several deaths.
In India, the first Labour day or May Day was celebrated in the year 1923. It was the Labour Kisan Party who had organised the May Day celebrations in Chennai (then Madras). One of these was organised at Triplicane Beach and the other one was arranged at the beach opposite Madras High Court.