|
The concept of 8-hour working day when mooted for the first time in late eighteenth century was enunciated on the basis of equal share of nature (8 hours for rest and sleep), the family and the master.
Australian workers were perhaps the first to think of a holiday for 8-hour working day. As early as 1856 they decided to observe one-day work stoppage and spent the day in meetings and entertainment as a demonstration for eight-hour day. 21st April was designated as the day of celebration.
The electrifying-effect of this celebration caught the imagination of the American workers who demonstrated for eight-hour day in May 1886. But they could not continue such demonstration for the next few years in the face of massive state repression of the labour movement. In 1888 they mustered courage to go for work stoppage on 1st May and decided to celebrate the first May Day in 1890.
The first strike outside Australia and England for eight-hour day took place in India in May 1862 when railway men at Howrah went on strike for this demand.
The growth of labour movement in Europe in the meantime led to the International Meeting of the working class in Paris in 1889. The four hundred delegates participating in this convention resolved to fight, first of all, for the eight-hour day. Lavigne, the French delegate proposed to call a universal holiday of the workers of all countries. Once the American delegate called attention to the decision of his comrades with respect to the first of May 1890, the convention designated this day for the international holiday.
The fight for eight-hour day was finally won because of the rise in productivity at the turn of the last century.
It was decided to be a once-for-all event, but the world impact of the first May Day was so electrifying that it was later decided to make it an annual event. Hence the celebration of May Day every year by the workers of all countries.
The May Day was celebrated for the first time in India in Madras under the Presidentship of Singaravely Chettiar, the famous labour leader.
In India, workers constitute nearly 40% of the entire population of the country. 8% workers are in the organised sector and the rest are in the unorganised sector. About 65% of workers in the unorganised sector are agricultural workers.
MLD/lk/L-192 (BG May Day) April 29
|
