What Happens On Labor Day
The United States observes the first Monday in September as a celebration of Labor Day, a federal holiday that recognizes the social and economic contribution of workers. This annual holiday has its origin in the labour union movement, particularly the eight-hour movement, which promoted eight hours of working, eight hours of rest, and another eight hours of enjoyment. Families also took advantage of the holiday by taking time to travel before the summer break ends. Tracing back on Labor’s Day history, it states that it was machinist Matthew Maguire in 1882 who proposes the holiday while being at service as a secretary of the Central Union Labor (CLU) in New York. However, many argue that it was Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor in that same year that first suggested the holiday after attesting the yearly labor festival in Toronto, Canada.
It has been the usual pattern of celebrating Labor’s Day in the U.S. by having a street parade in demonstrating the public on the esprit de corps and strength of the labor and trade organizations. Also, the celebration is followed by having a festival made for the workers and employees, including their families. Speeches by famous men and women were given after the festival, as more attention is placed on the civil importance of the day. It states that with a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention in1909 regarding the Sunday that proceeds Labor Day, it is said that Sunday was adopted as Labor Sunday and is devoted to the educational and spiritual point of views of the labor movement.
The federal holiday is most of the time considered as a day of parties and rest. Political demonstrations and speeches are less featured in the U.S. as compared to how other countries celebrate Labor Day in May 1, although events made by labor organizations feature political appearances and themes of those aspiring for office. The patterns of celebration in May1 in many countries include public art events, picnics, and firework displays.
The Labour Day public holiday in Australia is fixed by various territory and state governments, and so it differs considerably. Australians held their Labour Day in the first Monday in October in New South Wales, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). For the Northern Territory and in Queensland, Labour Day is celebrated in the first Monday of May. In Canada, Labor Day is recognized in the first Monday in September since 1880. The origins of Labor Day in Canada are rooted to December 1872 when a parade was presented to support the strike of the Toronto Typographical Union. Canadian politician George Brown presses the police to charge Typographical Union with conspiracy. In the present times, Canadians regarded Labor Day as the Monday as the last summer long weekend. Non-union celebrations in the country include water activities, firework shows, and picnics.
Elsewhere in the world, the celebration is also a big deal for other cultures. For example, in New Zealand, they held Labour Day in the fourth Monday of October. Based on the history of Labor Day in the country, it was the eight-hour working day movement that gives rise to the founded colony in Wellington in 1840. In a workers’ meeting in October 1840, a resolution was passed to support the idea of working not more than eight hours a day. In Asian countries like India, the annual Labor Day is held every May first of the year. Many programmes in schools are made this day to honor the laborers. Also, meetings and rallies are organized to discuss and tackle labor issues. In Bangladesh, Labor Day is observed is a government holiday and is observed in May 1. In the Philippines, the Labor Day or called “Araw ng mga Manggagawa” is also celebrated in May 1 and is an official public holiday.
Most countries in the Middle East recognize Labor’s Day or Eid Al Oumal as an official holiday specifically in Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria where the event coincides with May Day. In Turkey, National Labor Day was only acknowledged in 1923 and was never been celebrated ever since. In Sweden, Labor Day or Forsta Maj is celebrated every first of May which is the same day as Labor Day or Arbeidernes Dag in Norway. In Trinidad and Tobago, Labour Day is held every June 9 of the year as this holiday was planned in 1973 to be commemorated on the anniversary of the Butler labour riots in 1937.