DEAR ALL,

1)International Workers’ Day, also known as Labour Day or Workers’ Day in some countries[1][2] and often referred to as May Day,[3][4] is a celebration of labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement which occurs every year on May Day (1 May), an ancient European spring festival.[5][6]

The date was chosen by a pan-national organization of socialist and communist political parties to commemorate the Haymarket affair, which occurred in Chicago on 4 May 1886.[6] The 1904 Sixth Conference of the Second International, called on "all Social Democratic Party organisations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on the First of May for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace."[7]

The first of May is a national public holiday in many countries worldwide, in most cases as "Labour Day", "International Workers’ Day" or some similar name – although some countries celebrate a Labour Day on other dates significant to them, such as the United States, which celebrates Labour Day on the first Monday of September.

2)History

States and dependencies coloured by observance of International Workers’ Day or a different variant of Labour Day:Labour Day on May 1st, Labour Day on different date,Another holiday on May 1st, but no Labour Day

Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labour movements grew, a variety of days were chosen by trade unionists as a day to celebrate labour. In the United States and Canada, a September holiday, called Labor or Labour Day, was first proposed in the 1880s. In 1882, Matthew Maguire, a machinist, first proposed a Labor Day holiday on the first Monday of September[nb 1] while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union (CLU) of New York.[8] Others argue that it was first proposed by Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor in May 1882,[9] after witnessing the annual labour festival held in Toronto, Canada.[10] In 1887, Oregonwas the first state of the United States to make it an official public holiday. By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty US states officially celebrated Labor Day.[9] Thus by 1887 in North America, Labour Day was an established, official holiday but in September,[11] not on 1 May.

1 May was chosen to be International Workers’ Day to commemorate the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago.[12] In that year beginning on 1 May, there was a general strike for the eight-hour workday. On 4 May, the police acted to disperse a public assembly in support of the strike when an unidentified person threw a bomb. The police responded by firing on the workers. The event lead to the death of eight and injury of sixty police officers as well as an unknown number of civilian killed or wounded.[13] Hundreds of labour leaders and sympathizers were later rounded-up and four were executed by hanging, after a trial that was seen as a miscarriage of justice.[14][nb 2] The following day on 5 May in Milwaukee Wisconsin, the state militia fired on a crowd of strikers killing seven, including a schoolboy and a man feeding chickens in his yard.[16]

In 1889, a meeting in Paris was held by the first congress of the Second International, following a proposal by Raymond Lavigne that called for international demonstrations on the 1890 anniversary of the Chicago protests.[6] May Day was formally recognized as an annual event at the International’s second congress in 1891.[citation needed] Subsequently, the May Day riots of 1894 occurred. The International Socialist Congress, Amsterdam 1904 called on "all Social Democratic Party organisations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on the First of May for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace."[7] The congress made it "mandatory upon the proletarianorganisations of all countries to stop work on 1 May, wherever it is possible without injury to the workers."[7]

A 1 May rally in Bucharest in 1967

3)May Day has been a focal point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist and anarchist groups since the Second International. May Day is one of the most important holidays in communist countries such as the People’s Republic of China, North Korea, Cuba and the former Soviet Union countries. May Day celebrations in these countries typically feature elaborate workforce parades, including displays of military hardware and soldiers.

In 1955, the Catholic Church dedicated 1 May to "Saint Joseph the Worker". Saint Joseph is the patron saint of workers and craftsmen, among others.[17]

During the Cold War, May Day became the occasion for large military parades in Red Square by the Soviet Union and attended by the top leaders of the Kremlin, especially the Politburo, atop Lenin’s Mausoleum. It became an enduring symbol of that period.

Today, the majority of countries around the world celebrate a workers’ day on 1 May.

4)In India, Labour Day is a public holiday held on every 1 May.[35] It is celebrated as Antarrashtriya Shramik Diwas. The holiday is tied to labour movements for communist and socialist political parties. Labour Day is known as "Kamgar Din" in Hindi, "Karmikara Dinacharane" in Kannada,"Karmika Dinotsavam in Telugu, "Kamgar Divas" in Marathi, "Uzhaipalar dhinam" in Tamil, and "Thozhilaali Dinam" in Malayalam. In North India, Labour Day is mostly not given its previous importance as a holiday now.[citation needed]

The first May Day celebration in India was organized in Madras (now Chennai) by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan on 1 May 1923.[36] This was also the first time the red flag was used in India.[37] The party leader Singaravelu Chettiar made arrangements to celebrate May Day in two places in 1923. One meeting was held at the beach opposite to the Madras High Court; the other meeting was held at the Triplicane beach. The Hindu newspaper, published from Madras reported,

The Labour Kisan party has introduced May Day celebrations in Madras. Comrade Singaravelar presided over the meeting. A resolution was passed stating that the government should declare May Day as a holiday. The president of the party explained the non-violent principles of the party. There was a request for financial aid. It was emphasised that workers of the world must unite to achieve independence.[38]

1 May is also celebrated as "Maharashtra Day"[39] and "Gujarat Day" to mark the date in 1960, when the two western states attained statehood after the erstwhile Bombay State was divided on linguistic lines. Maharashtra Day is held at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai. Schools and offices in Maharashtra remain closed on 1 May. A similar parade is held to celebrate Gujarat Day in Gandhinagar.

Vaiko (Vai Gopalsamy), General Secretary of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, appealed to the then Prime Minister V. P. Singh to declare 1 May as a national holiday, to which the PM heeded and from then on it became a national holiday to celebrate International Labour Day.[40][non-primary source needed]

5)Let us salute the Power of Labour Movement.Unions & Associations& Central Federations have done yeoman service to the cause, progress & welfare of all types of labour force.The aims & aspirations, the Vision & Mission Statements of some Employee federations & Pensioners Federations have mobilized common cause ,created synergy & ensured a break on one-sided, lopsided Governmental policies out to hamper & even destroy the ongoing, forward looking ,step by step Success Story of many Federations.Govt & other Bodies or Institutions run besmerk sometimes, throwing away reason & logic & creating a rupture in positive labour management relations.That smart attitude has to be condemned.

Organisations many times are the cause of procrastination of genuine & modest demands of unions,resulting in stages of protest from simple, symbolic black badges to sitin strike, lunch hour mass gathering & address by prominent & powerful speakers & orators ,able to carry conviction & mobilizing an army of supporters, volunteers & activists, devoted & dedicated to the larger cause, sacrificing time, labour & energy for the greatest good of the greatest numbers. If such demonstrations are not noticed ,if no talks or negotiations take place, a Stalemate continues, relations get harder, opposition grows to Govt silence & immune to appeals, Notes, Memorandums & ultimately ,results in Strikes of one day to many days till wisdom dawns on institution & Govt .

History is replete with many instances where the negatives could have been avoided & a democratic dialogue, exchange of ideas, factual data supported by statistics are released to assess the genuineness of the various demands & arrive at a solution. It is ridiculous that always 30 months delay in wage talks results in slow motion tactics & govt approval or nod not easy to get, such irresponsible ,careless & nonchalant administration must be shown the door of exit,High Courts & Supreme Court pass strictures, harsh words on Govt decision making powers, thinking them to be royal, last word is theirs,others can wait attitude must be laid to rest

Power corrupts & Absolute Power corrupts absolutely

Powerlessness corrodes & Absolute Powerlessness corrodes absolutely

Govt must turn a new leaf & consider Labour as Partners in Progress & satisfy their genuine expectations & to always promote welfare of all forms of labour,without any distinction & as a mosaic of unity herald such a progressive & democratic leadership with genuine concern for all needs .

Courts have lambasted Govt for the refusal to adhere to Deadlines, avoiding adjournments in court cases & an utter disregard of their own Litigation policy causing untold annoyance & frustration & anger .Govt takes care of its own employees & pensioners through timely constituting Pay Commissions but showing contempt,supercilious attitude,a dictatorial power,& disregard of all canons of equality & equity,the hallmark of progressive labour.Words must be translated into deeds,More & more Welfare measures, right to health reforms, enlightenment & entertainment of labour force, meaningful skilled manpower to be created through a body of eminent Professors, Experts & Skill in IT & the new techniques emerging beyond in the next 10-20 years must be thought, planned & executed with Labour involvements in Boards as a fait accompli .Independent Directors role has to be promoted & their clear impartial thinking & suggestions have to be honoured to have a spectrum of futuristic progress of labour, stakeholders & the organization at large

Labour is not a liability, it is an ASSET.Every balance sheet has asset & liability & as Sri TAPai said, it is common duty to ensure that every liability is converted into an asset.A participative, heads & tails together, debates,discussions & dialogue, an open free atmosphere without illwill or rancour & as Abraham Lincoln said with malice towards none, with charity for all, an even keel for govt,financial & service sector without discrimination ,without anamolies, labour & management, labour & govt working hand in hand can enlarge the happiness of all & see to the New Dawn of a hasslefree Society, with charm & dignity for the labour force ,without any stigma whatsoever,that should be the SLOGAN for today May day 1st MAY 2024.

A CLASPED HAND IS BETTER THAN A CLENCHED FIST,ENERGY MUST BECOME SYNERGY & SYNONYM FOR PROGRESS & WELFARE. WE MUST EXIST BEFORE WE COEXIST.

PEACE, LIKE PROSPERITY , IS INDIVISIBLE

GREETINGS TO ALL LABOUR FORCE, LEADERS,CATALYSTS OF CHANGE .

GOODLUCK & GODSPEED,

RBKISHORE

PATRON,AIRIEF,PATRON,RIEA CHENNAI

ED(Retd),LIC
www.airiefvision.wordpress.com

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