May Day Yesterday and Today
On May 1st, much of the world pauses to recognize International Workers’ Day, a celebration of the labor movement’s hard-fought gains and an affirmation of the ongoing struggle for workers’ rights. Though it is often associated with rallies in Europe and parades in Latin America, May Day’s origins are unmistakably American, born out of the industrial unrest and organizing fervor of the late 19th century.
In the 1880s, American workers—many of them recent immigrants—labored in brutal conditions. Twelve- to sixteen-hour workdays were the norm. The wages were low, injuries common, and job security virtually nonexistent. Out of this came a clear and radical demand: an eight-hour workday.
On May 1, 1886, more than 300,000 workers across the United States went on strike. It was one of the largest labor actions in American history. In Chicago, the epicenter of the movement, the demonstrations stretched into the following days. On May 4th, a peaceful rally at Haymarket Square turned deadly when a bomb was thrown at police officers. The violence that followed left several dead, and the state responded with swift repression. Eight labor leaders were arrested, tried in a deeply flawed legal process, and four were executed. They became known as the Haymarket Martyrs, symbols of both sacrifice and state-sanctioned injustice.
Their legacy reverberated far beyond the United States. In 1889, the Second International—a global coalition of labor and socialist parties—designated May 1st as International Workers’ Day, a permanent tribute to the struggle for the eight-hour day and to the courage of those who risked everything to demand a more humane economy.
In a historical irony, the country that gave rise to May Day has never officially recognized it. Instead, the United States celebrates Labor Day in September, a holiday deliberately distanced from the more radical roots of the workers’ movement. Yet, for those who know the history, May Day is a reminder that none of the labor rights we now take for granted—eight-hour days, weekends, workplace safety, child labor laws—were gifted. They were won.
Today, as workers continue to face wage stagnation, union-busting, and unsafe conditions, the meaning of May Day remains urgent and clear. It is both a commemoration and a call to action—a day to honor the past and fight for the future.
The struggle for dignity at work continues. May Day reminds us: progress is possible when working people stand together.