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Labor Day, or International Workers' Day, is a date commemorated worldwide to advocate for workers' rights.
In many countries, the day is celebrated on May 1st, in honor of the demonstrations held from May 1 to 4, 1886, in Chicago, which ended with several deaths and others sentenced to death. The most important demand of these protests concerned the 8-hour workday.
These condemned individuals are known as the Haymarket Martyrs, and thanks to them, the commemoration of International Workers' Day was established at the Socialist Workers' Congress of the Second International in 1889. However, it was not until 1913 that the workers' day was officially celebrated.
Why is Labor Day celebrated?
Labor Day, or International Workers' Day, is a date celebrated around the world as a result of various demonstrations led by different types of workers seeking to improve labor conditions.
In Mexico, the protests held in 1886 in the American city of Chicago resonated. On May 1st of that year, laborers and workers of all kinds carried out several days of demonstrations, demanding, among other things, an 8-hour workday, fair wages, freedom of speech and association, and the right to strike.
The protests led to police intervention on May 4th at Haymarket Square, which resulted in heavy repression, with many people arrested, injured, and some killed. Several of those arrested were subsequently sentenced to death. Because of this, they were called the Haymarket Martyrs.
The Chicago protests were honored at the Socialist Workers' Congress of the Second International in 1889. And in 1913, the first International Workers' Day was officially celebrated. In the United States, the date is celebrated in September to distance it from the socialist movement of the time.
Why is Labor Day important?
Labor Day is a very important date because its main demand was the 8-hour workday. Before this right was established, the only legal protection workers had was a law that prevented them from having to work 18 hours straight.
In Mexico there were two major demonstrations: the **Cananea Strike in Sonora in 1906** and the Río Blanco Strike in Veracruz in 1907. The Cananea Strike took place from June 1 to 5 and was launched against the Cananea Consolidated Copper Company and the exploitation they imposed on their workers.
In Río Blanco, about 2,000 textile factory employees gathered outside the facilities demanding better working conditions and opposing President Porfirio Díaz, who repressed both protests.
The impact of so many years of struggle resulted in the incorporation of **Article 123 of the Constitution**, which establishes decent and socially useful work, and the creation of new jobs in accordance with the law.
How is Labor Day commemorated in other countries?
The commemoration of Labor Day has different connotations and has changed over the years. For many years it was an occasion for celebration, but little by little the date began to be used as a day of struggle and protest.
As explained above, in the United States and Canada, **Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday of September** in an attempt to distance it from communism and socialism, which at the time was a polarity deeply rooted in North American society.
In Germany, Labor Day coincides with an event called the "Maibaum" or "Maypole." It is a moment when the beginning of the month of May is celebrated by placing a wooden structure, decorated with colored ribbons, around which people dance and commemorate the arrival of the warm season.
In **France,** Labor Day is celebrated along with another holiday called "Muguet." The Muguet is a flower from the lily family, and according to French tradition, lilies are given on that day to wish someone good luck.
On the other hand, in **Italy,** a large-scale concert is held, attended by people from all over the country. The concert takes place in the city of Rome and runs from around 3:00 PM until midnight the following day.
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