About International Labour Day (ILD):
- 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 ILD trace back to the late 19th century when 400,000 workers across the USA organised a peaceful strike in Chicago on 1st May 1886.
- They were protesting to demand an eight-hour workday.
- Unfortunately, the strike turned violent, and several unarmed workers were killed by the police.
- It came to be known as the Haymarket Affair and was a turning point in the struggle for workers' rights.
- 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.
- In India, the first Labour Day celebration was held in Chennai (then Madras) in 1923 by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan.
- Malayapuram Singaravelu Chettiar, the leader, raised the red flag for the first time in India and demanded that the government declare May 1 a national holiday to recognise workers' rights.
- The day usually involves parades, union gatherings, and celebrations that emphasize employee rights.
- May Day 2026 Theme: This year, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) selected the theme for May Day 2026 as: “Ensuring a Healthy Psychosocial Working Environment.
