LABOUR DAY

Labor Day is observed worldwide to acknowledge the socio-economic contribution of our workers to their respective countries. It emphasizes the importance of labor and manpower. Labour Day is not about politicians, important figures in our society or the famous faces we see in the news papers. Labour Day is for the regular every day workers. The million faceless people who exerted effort and talent to make both ends meet. It is about the regular workers who stand in the front lines of hard labor in order to sustain their respective families. It is also known as “International Workers’ Day”. It is observed thru mass, street rallies where militant groups and/or group of ordinary workers gathered together to raise their respective plea to the government.

Labor Day is observed every 1st day of May of every year. Except for other countries wherein Labor Day or Labour Day is celebrated on a different date. For instance in Germany, Labor Day is observed every 2nd day of May. For German people, Labour Day is an official holiday since 1933 and it represents the birth of unity between the government and its people. In Canada, Labor Day is celebrated every first Monday of September since 1880. In Ireland, Labor Day is observed on the first Monday of the month of May. This is a public Holiday. In Jamaica, Labour Day is observed every 24th day of May. This is a public holiday and national mass community. The Labour Day in Jamaica replaced the Empire Day thru the proposal of Chief Minister Norman Washington Manley. The reason behind such proposal was that because May 23rd was the date when Alexender Bustamante led a labour rebellion resulting to Jamaican Independence. Hence, since 1961, Labour day had been observed every 23rd of May. In New Zealand, Labour Day is observed every fourth Monday of October. It is a public Holiday. It started on 1840 when a local carpenter, Samuel Parnell, refused to work beyond eight hours. The idea of working for only eight hours a day actually extended to the point where the workers passed a resolution supporting this theory. Parades commemorating this concept were celebrated annually on the latter part of October. Since then, the government made the observance on the fourth Monday of October every year. In the United States, Labour Day is observed every first Monday of September. It is considered as a federal holiday.