International Labour Day 2025

International Labour Day Latest News

Vast portions of the world are gearing up to celebrate International Labor Day, or International Workers’ Day, with government holidays and remembrance events.

About International Labour Day

• International Labour Day, also known as May Day, is observed annually on May 1 to honor the dedication and contributions of workers across the globe.
• It is a memorial to the labor movement’s struggles and victories.
• History:
  • The origins of International Labor Day are found in Chicago, where on May 1, 1886, workers called for a strikefor an eight-hour workday.
  • The protest, which turned into what is now remembered as the Haymarket Affair, was a turning point in labor history.
  • On May 4, violence broke out in Haymarket Square when a bomb was thrown at police officers. 
  • The resulting gunfire resulted in several deaths, including six officers and a number of civilians.
  • This turning point stimulated trade unions and socialist federations across Europe to declare May 1 an international day of workers’ solidarity, formally approved in 1889 at the Paris meeting of the Second International.
• While International Labour Day commemorates events in the United States, both the US and Canada observe Labour Day on the first Monday of September, not May 1.
• Over 80 countries, including India, Cuba, and China, mark International Labour Day.
• In India, the first Labour Day celebration was held in Chennai (then Madras) in 1923 by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan.
• The day usually involves parades, union gatherings, and celebrations that emphasize employee rights.

Source: ET