1ST OF MAY
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Nigerian Workers joins their counterparts all over the World to mark Workers Day. The event which is normally observed and hold’s throughout the country do have in attendance all organized workers, professionals, students, market men and women, as well as members of other civil society organisations.
BRIEF HISTORY OF WORKERS MAY DAY
The happy idea of using a proletarian holiday celebration as a means to attain the eight-hour day was first born in Australia. The workers there decided in 1856 to organize a day of complete stoppage together with meetings and entertainment as a demonstration in favour of the eight-hour day. The day of this celebration was to be April 21.
At first, the Australian workers intended this only for the year 1856. However, this celebration had such a strong effect on the proletarian masses of Australia, enlivening them and leading to new agitation, that it was decided to repeat the celebration every year.
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Working people around the world have always had to struggle to win decent wages, and safe working conditions.
In the 1860’s they campaigned for shorter working hours in many countries.
On May 1, 1886, workers in Canada and the United States, held peaceful strikes and rallies to demand an eight-hour work day.
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Two days later, Chicago police killed several demonstrators at a clash between workers and scabs in that city. A rally was held in Hay market Square to protest the killings, and when the police tried to forcibly disperse the crowd, a bomb was thrown. Seven policemen were killed; dozens in the crowd were injured.
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Although, the source of the bomb couldn’t be traced, eight leaders of the Chicago workers movement were charged with the death of the policemen. They were all convicted. Four were executed, one died in custody, and three were given life imprisonment, but were eventually pardoned.
In memory of this struggle and the struggle of all workers for better conditions, May 1 was declared an eight-hour holiday in 1889, by the International Workers’ Congress in Paris.
In many countries May 1 is a workers’ holiday celebrated every year.
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In Nigeria, May Day as a holiday was first declared by the People Redemption Party (PRP) Government of Kano State in 1980.
It became a national holiday on May 1, 1981.
Thank for reading
Its your boy
UGELE Jonah
@nathanonliner
nicely done my friend @nathanonliner!! You really deliberate on workers day very well. Thank you for sharing.
You are welcome
I was trying to know the TALE behind 1st of MAY
Wow... Someone really took his time to dig in deep into May 1st. Well done
Its crucial to know a day in history.
I appreciate your comment.
True... Not really into history though.
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This piece is very informative and i must say i have learnt something from it. I must say that violent approach has never yielded any positive result in human history.
Thanks for sharing.
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