About Labour Day
Labour Day on 1 May, also known as International Workers' Day or May Day, commemorates the historic struggle for the eight-hour working day and the broader labour movement. Its origins lie in the Haymarket affair in Chicago on 4 May 1886, a violent confrontation during a general strike for the eight-hour day. The Second International — the federation of socialist parties — chose 1 May 1890 to honour the Haymarket martyrs and called for a general international demonstration. The date stuck. Today it is a public holiday in over 80 countries, including most of Europe, the former Soviet states, China, Cuba, much of Africa and parts of Latin America. The United States and Canada observe their Labor Day on a different date in September.
Across Europe and Latin America the day is marked by trade-union marches, political speeches and rallies — flags, banners, brass bands and the singing of the Internationale are common sights. In France people give and receive sprigs of lily of the valley (muguet) for luck. In Germany and Austria there are union rallies in the morning and family barbecues in the afternoon, and the Tanz in den Mai dances the night before. Scandinavians dress in red and march behind union banners in the centres of every city. In Britain the May Day bank holiday is more about Morris dancing, maypoles and the start of summer than about labour politics. In China and Russia, official state parades have given way to a five-day mini-holiday of travel.