“Ability is what you are capable of doing, Motivation determines what you do and attitude determines how well you do it”. A great employee is like a four leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have.

           Every year on May 1st people across the globe take to the streets to commemorate International Workers Day or May Day. Labour Day is actually celebrated for the achievements of the labourers or workers. Labour Day is also known as International Workers Day. In dozens of countries May Day is an official holiday and for labour rights campaigners it is particularly important. The day commemorates past labour struggles against host of worker’s rights violations, including lengthening work and poor working conditions and child labour.

In the late 19th century socialistic communities and trade unionists choose May 1st to become International Workers day. The date was symbolic, commemorating the Haymarket affair, which took place in Chicago in the United States in 1886. For years, the US working class was often forced to work up to 16 hours a day in unsafe conditions and they were fighting for an eight hour work day. Then in October 1984, the Federation of Organized Trade and Labour Unions of the United States and Canada decided that May 1st 1886, would be the first day that an eight hour work day would go into effect.

                  May Day celebration internationally started in 1923. But it was made official in 1948. It was the idea of Fredrick Mockford who was a senior radio officer at Croydon Airport in London. He came up with the idea for ‘May Day’ because it sounded like French word “Maider’’ which means “help me”. So since then every year May 1st was observed as International workers day or Labour Day. May Day has its roots in ancient pagan festival marking the beginning of summer. In 1995 the Catholic Church dedicated May 1st to ‘Saint Joseph the Worker’ who is the patron saint of workers and crafts men among others.

International workers day having connection with May Day and labour rights began in the United States. During 19th centaury at the height of the Industrial revolution, thousands of men and women and children were dying every year from poor working conditions and long working hours. The Federation of Organized Trade and Labour Unions held a convention in Chicago in 1884 to make an attempt to end these in human conditions. The Federation of Organized Trade and Labour Unions of the United States and Canada (FOTLU) proclaimed eight hours shall constitute a legal day’s labour from 1886 on May 1st.

             In India labour day is a public holiday held on May 1st. The holiday is tied to labour movements for communities and socialistic political parties. Labour Day is known as Uzthaipalor Dhinam in Tamil.  It was known as Kamgar Din in Hindi, Karmika Dinacharane in Kannada, Karmic Denosavam in Telugue,  Kamgar Divas in Marathi, Thazhilali in Malayalam and Shormik Dibosh in Bengali.

The first May Day celebration in India was organized in Madras by Kisan party of Hindustan on 1st May 1923. This was the first time the red flag was used in India. The party leader Singarvelu Chettiari made arrangements to celebrate May Day.

               International Labour Day is celebrated to provide the labors with their rights and the workers should not be asked to work for more than 8 hours a day. Working hours may be extended, but the extra remuneration should be paid in addition to regular wages. So it is important for every laborer to work hard with dedication and concentration to achieve their targets. Labor Day is celebrated to focus on the rights & opportunities, for every labor which they should get for their welfare and betterment. This provides the labour relief from the stress and pressure from lots of activities to be performed in a single day.

Every year a theme is planned by the members of the International Labour Day committee. This year’s theme being is “Sustainable pension for all: the role of social partner’s”. This theme became the center point of the celebration and activities across the world.

  • Labour Day or workers Day celebration has a significant role in India and beyond which helps
  • To  bring  the workers together which reminds them of their power when they act in union
  • Labor Day Provides appreciation for workers- Labour Day is a day where workers can feel appreciated for the work that they have done throughout the year.
  • It Draws  attention to workers rights- On Labour Day workers and their needs and rights are put into sharp focus.  This day can inspire workers to sharpen their   efforts to learn about their rights and to campaign and make movements to secure a better life for themselves and their families.
  • Labor Day can remind the people about the human side of economy- On Labour Day people are reminded that the economy is something that affect and is affected by real men and women.
  • Majority of countries celebrates the Labour Day on same day. This day can invite workers to break down national barriers and support each other’s right across the world.
  • Many companies will give workers a day off, on Labour Day though it is not mandated by the law. So this day is also significant because it enables workers to take some needed rest from their work and to collect their thoughts, spend time with their loved ones or just recoup their energies
  • Labour Day celebration will motivate the people to get into work and to work hard. This will help to keep the economy going and pursue their chosen carrier to do their best at them, and to contribute to their society.
  • Around the globe the International Workers Day or Labor Day is celebrated in many forms. Usually there will be pageants organized by the Trade Unions and other worker’s rights groups. Workers of unorganized sectors also often join these pageants with slogans and banners that represent their needs and their pride as workers.
  • Celebrations on this day also take the form of educating the next generation of workers, by arranging speeches in school and school children may be encouraged to take part in activities which helps to think about the economy, labour and workers rights. In some places educational seminars are arranged by which people get to know about the importance of Labour Day and how the unity of laborers can help them to fight with any kinds of situation. The media also publishes articles on the history and significance of Labour Day in India and worldwide.
  • Celebrations are also done on private and individual levels.  Colleagues may decide to celebrate by going out for a meal together, planning the group
  • picnics which provides an opportunity for workers to make or cement their friendship and to get to know each other better, fostering a more positive work place environment.
  • There are many schemes made by the government for the workers to make their work proper for a limited and better time period, which helps the employee to make the task complete in a right and accurate way.
  • In 2020, 44 central labour laws are most likely to be subsumed under 4 labour codes making a year of reforms as the government works to bloster investments and tackle slowdown blues. Besides the Union Labor Ministry launched “Santust” portal for Labor and employment in January 2020 to promote transparency, accountability, effective delivery of public services and implementation of polices and schemes of Ministry of labor and employment and for effective implementation of labor laws at the grass root level through constant monitoring. In this regard Government is able to implement all four codes on wages, industrial relations, social security and occupational safety, health & working conditions which helps to improve the business matters and safeguard the interest of workers. Under this portal the workers and employers can lodge their complaints which is managed by an internal monitoring cell. The Santust portal also helps the Labor ministry to assess the performance of officials during their time of appraisals, transfers and postings. The Ministry of Labour and Employment drafted its notification dated on 20th February 2020 has published the Employers Pension scheme 2020. This amendment provides for restoration of normal pension in respect of those members who availed the benefit of commutation of pension.
  • Realizing the importance of Labor welfare, Government and organizations have become more sensitive towards the workforce. In recent years, the labor and employment Ministry has seen an upward trend with Governments narration of “Make in India” which helps to focus on skill development, and plan for entrepreneurship etc.
  • International Labour Day celebration provides opportunity to each worker the right to work under satisfactory, safe, and healthy conditions. Receive equal pay for equal work without distinction of any kind. It provides rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours and period of holiday with pay as well as remuneration for public holiday which strengthens the working capacity of the laborers which ultimately helps the society to grow and flourish in all the spheres.