International Labor Day (01 May) History, Significance, Theme and Observation

International Labor Day Quick Facts

International Labor Day Brief

'May Day' or 'Labour's Day' or 'Labour's Day' is celebrated on 01 May every year all over the world. It is celebrated internationally to promote and encourage international labor unions. Every year this International Workers' Day, certain types of themes are emphasized.

International Labor Day History

International Workers' Day is a major celebration of the world class and is celebrated to remember the day of 4 May 1886, the Hairmarket incident in Chicago (Hairmarket massacre). It was a major event of the year when the workers were on general strike for their eight-hour working day and the police were doing their job of dispersing the common people from the crowd. All of a sudden, a bomb was hurled at the crowd by an unknown person and the police opened fire in which four protesters were killed.

Although the May Day riots occurred in the year 1894 and again in 1904, the International Socialist Conference in Amsterdam made the following statement: “All social democratic parties of all countries to demonstrate effectively on May 1st for the legal establishment of the eight-hour day Organization and trade unions, for the graded demand of the working class, and for global peace, and is binding on the labor unions of all countries to stop the work on 1st May, it was declared.

How to celebrate International Labor Day

International Workers' Day is celebrated annually as an official holiday all over the world to celebrate the achievements of workers. People celebrate May Day or Labor Day with joy by managing big parties and various events. They decorate banners and flags with colors like in the Independence Day celebrations.

This Festival holds a historical significance all over the world and is celebrated by labor unions all over the world. Various types of demonstrations, speeches, rebellion processions, rallies and parades are organized by the working group under security management to prevent violence.

International Labor Day Theme(s)

The year wise themes of International Labor Day are as follows:-

• The theme of the International Labour Day in the year 2022 is “Universal Social Protection to End Child Labour”
• The theme of the International Labour Day in the year 2021 was “maintaining safety and security at the workplace”
• The theme of the International Labour Day in the year 2019 was “Uniting Workers for Social and Economic Advancement”
• The theme of the International Labour Day in the year 2016 was "Celebrating the International Labor Movement".
• The theme of the International Labour Day in the year 2013 was "Give importance to work by providing the unemployed with start-up capital support".
• The theme of the International Labour Day in the year 2012 was "Promoting Employment by Helping Visionary Businessmen".

More info about International Labor Day

International Labor Organization:

The International Labor Organization (ILO) is an agency present in the United Nations, established to deal with labor issues at the international level. It has about 185 members from the entire 193 (UN) member state.

It was awarded the Nobel Prize in the year 1969 for promoting peace among different sections, for looking into the issues of the workers, for making the nation developed, for providing technical assistance to them.

It deals with all complaints of violation of international rules for working class people. It has a triangular operating structure i.e. "representing government, employer and worker (usually in the ratio of 2:1:1)" in the form of the International Labor Office, to generate free and open discussion between government organs and social allies. The International Labor Organization secretariat functions.

Important Days of May Month - (National Days and International Days):