May 1 international workers' day

May 1 International Workers’ Day is a day of struggle against unity, solidarity, and injustice, celebrated by workers and laborers worldwide. It is considered an official holiday in many countries around the world.

It first started in 1856, the stone and construction workers working 12 hours a day in Melbourne, Australia, with a march from Melbourne University to the House of Parliament to work 8 hours a day.

On May 1, 1886, under the leadership of the Confederation of American Workers’ Unions, workers quit their jobs with a daily demand of 8 hours a day, against the work schedule, which was 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. Half a million workers attended the demonstrations in Chicago. In every state and city, all workers held demonstrations together.

8 hours of work per day, it was officially accepted in many countries. Thus, May 1 started to be celebrated as a feast reflecting the victory of the workers and also together and solidarity. Today is May 1 an official holiday in many countries, including Turkey.

The workers of tobacco, port, and cotton celebrated this holiday in Thessaloniki, where the workers’ organization was the most developed in 1911, in the Ottoman State. In 1912, May 1 was celebrated for the first time in Istanbul.

In Turkey, the first time was celebrated as an official in 1923. In April 2008, it was decided to celebrate May 1 as “Labor and Solidarity Day”. In 2009, the Parliament (Grand National Assembly of Turkey) has been declared May 1 an official holiday with the accepted laws.

In 2010, Taksim was opened for demonstrations and according to official figures, it was celebrated in Taksim Square with the participation of 140 thousand people.

May 1 ceremonies are celebrated around the world but sometimes with different themes from Labor Day, for example with different themes such as the arrival of spring.

Every year, on May 1, workers in different parts of the world celebrate May 1, with their activities organized regardless of religion, language, race, and gender, and express their current demands and demand good working and living conditions.