By Varun Bhardwaj :
Delhi, 1st May 2020: Every year we celebrate the International Labour Day on 1st May. This is celebrated to commemorate the protest and demonstration held by the workers at Chicago from 24th April to 4th May 1886. The 300,000 workers 13000 businesses across the United States walked off their jobs in the 1st May Day celebration in history. The reformers, Unionists, socialists and ordinary workers combined to make the city the center of the national movement for an 8 hours day and agitators around 40,000 went out on strike making Chicago epicenter for 8 hour day.
In recognition of the worker’s sacrifice, the Mayday is now named as the Labour Day. In most of the countries. This May Day is commemorated on 1st May but in the US , Canada, Australia this at different times of the year.
In India, a few States have a holiday on the 1st of May and organize the Rally to be addressed by prominent leaders. In other states, the Central Trade Unions organize Rally either jointly with other Central Trade Union Organisations or individually highlighting the struggle faced at that time and to save the rights earned out of the struggle.
This year due to the lockdown the public gathering is not allowed and so the Rally, Demonstration, Procession, etc. are not taking place as were done in earlier years.
The International community is facing the Economic slowdown and India is also not immune to this. This is being discussed that keeping in mind the exodus of labor and unemployment the working hours of labor may be increased which was the demand in 1886 in Chicago to have 8 hours of works and now after about more than 130 years of struggle it is argued that work is again at the same place to fight for their rights.
The lockdown also increased the plight of workers. They were stranded, at many places without food, water, basic amenities waiting to go to their homeland. At Delhi, thousands of migrant labor during lockdown assembled at Anand Vihar bus terminal to move to their home. This was also repeated in other parts of the country. we can feel the plight of workers.
To sum up, we can say that although for workers much has been done but still much more is required to be done for the dignity of labor which is the backbone of industrial and Economic growth and at the occasion of this 1st May (May Day) we should pledge to work for the betterment of workforce for better progressing Economy.
