Today is Labour Day, the 1st of May.*
This is when a good 70% of the world's population celebrates the return of rights to the workers.**Estimate — sources vary.
Okay, so that’s not exactly what it means. Let’s take a closer look at what it truly represents.
How many countries celebrate Labour Day (May 1st)?
About 90 countries officially recognize May 1st as Labour Day, International Workers' Day, or a closely related holiday.
These include most of Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and even some Middle Eastern nations.
In total, that’s around two-thirds of the world’s countries.
Global population perspective:
Countries such as China, India, Brazil, Russia, and most of Europe — some of the most populous regions — celebrate May 1st.
If you add it up:
Over 70% of the world’s population lives in countries that officially or widely recognize May 1st as Labour Day.
Notable exceptions:
The United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are notable exceptions.
They celebrate Labour Day at different times of the year, usually in September or October.
The Origins of May 1st (International Workers' Day)
May 1st was chosen internationally to commemorate the Haymarket Affair (Chicago, 1886), when a labour protest for an eight-hour workday turned violent.
In 1889, the Second International (a socialist organization) officially designated May 1st as International Workers’ Day — a global day of solidarity for labour rights.
In the United States, despite strong early labour movements, authorities deliberately distanced themselves from May 1st after the Haymarket Affair and the growing association with international socialism.
Labour Day was officially moved to September (U.S.: 1894) to frame it as a moderate, patriotic celebration — and to avoid any link to radicalism, socialism, or communism.
Australia:
The eight-hour workday movement began in Melbourne, 1856.
Labour Day (or Eight-Hour Day) was celebrated on various dates, depending on the state (March or October).
It had no connection to May 1st and no influence from the Cold War or international socialism.
New Zealand:
The eight-hour workday was first advocated by Samuel Parnell in Wellington, 1840.
Labour Day was first celebrated in 1890 and formalized as a public holiday in 1899.
It is celebrated on the fourth Monday of October — again, completely independent of the May Day tradition.
Canada: Early Labour Movements
Canada’s labour movement, notably the Toronto Typographical Union strike (1872), predated both the U.S. federal Labour Day and Cold War fears.
The Trade Unions Act was passed in Canada decades before May Day became politically charged.
Of course, there are many more examples of May Day-like celebrations around the world. A full list can be found on Wikipedia under “Labour Day.” or in this PDF.
So what does this really mean?
For many, Labour Day carries a deeper recognition — a celebration of rights once thought impossible, won through the efforts and sacrifices of ordinary workers.
Unfortunately, while figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (civil rights) and Emmeline Pankhurst (women’s suffrage) are widely remembered, the pioneers of labour rights are often forgotten.
So while you enjoy a well-deserved rest today, spare a thought for those who fought — and sometimes gave their lives — to secure the rights that many now take for granted.
Cheers.
Real progress is built slowly, often invisibly, by countless hands whose names history forgets. Today reminds us that the rights we enjoy were neither easy nor inevitable.
The conclusion is nourishing food for thought—but getting through the first part was hard work, haha!
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