Labour Day facts for kids
Labour Day is a special day celebrated every year to honor the great achievements of workers. It began with groups called trade unions. These groups worked for better conditions, like the idea of an eight-hour day. This meant eight hours for work, eight hours for fun, and eight hours for rest.
For many countries, Labour Day is the same as International Workers' Day. This day is celebrated on May 1st. Other countries celebrate Labour Day on a different date. This date often has a special meaning for workers in that country. Labour Day is a public holiday in many places around the world.
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International Workers' Day
Most countries celebrate Labour Day on May 1st. This day is also known as International Workers' Day. Some countries change the exact date of their celebration. They do this so the holiday falls on a Monday close to May 1st.
Some places have a holiday around this time, but it is not called 'Labour Day'.
Labour Day in Different Countries
Australia
In Australia, Labour Day is a public holiday. The date changes depending on the state or territory. In some states, the date remembers the Eight Hours Day march. This march happened in Melbourne on April 21, 1856.
On that day, stonemasons and building workers stopped working. They marched to Parliament House to get an eight-hour day. Their protest worked! They were among the first organized workers in the world to get an 8-hour day without losing pay.
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, May Day is celebrated on May 1st. An organization called Bangladesh Garment Sramik Sanghati asked for April 24 to be Labour Safety Day. This would remember the victims of the Rana Plaza building collapse.
Bahamas
Labour Day is a national holiday in the Bahamas. It is celebrated on the first Friday in June. This creates a long weekend for workers. The traditional date for Labour Day in the Bahamas is June 7. This date remembers a big workers' strike that started on that day in 1942.
Labour Day honors workers and their important contributions to the country. In the capital city, Nassau, many people watch a parade. The parade includes bands, traditional African Junkanoo performers, and members of worker groups. Government officials give speeches at the end of the parade. Many people relax at home or go to the beach in the afternoon.
Canada
In Canada, Labour Day (French: Fête du Travail) is a public holiday. It has been celebrated on the first Monday in September since 1894. Its history goes back to many local protests and celebrations.
A workers' protest in Toronto in April 1872 helped make unions legal. This event caught the eye of American labor leader Peter J. McGuire. He then organized a similar parade in New York City. Unions in both Canada and the United States started having parades and festivals on the first Monday in September.
In 1894, the Canadian government officially made Labour Day a public holiday.
China
May 1st is a holiday in the People's Republic of China. It used to be a three-day holiday. Since 2008, it is officially one day. However, people often get more time off. They usually make up the extra days by working on the weekend before or after the holiday.
Hong Kong S.A.R.
In Hong Kong, May 1st is called Labour Day. It has been a public holiday since 1999.
India
The first Labour Day in India was celebrated on May 1, 1923, in Chennai. The Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan organized this first celebration. Labour Day is now a public holiday in India.
Jamaica
Before 1961, May 24 was called Empire Day in Jamaica. It honored Queen Victoria and the freeing of slaves. In 1961, Jamaican Chief Minister Norman Washington Manley suggested changing it to Labour Day. This new day would remember May 23, 1938. On that day, Alexander Bustamante led a workers' protest that helped lead to Jamaica's independence.
In 1972, Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley encouraged people to use Labour Day to help their communities. Since then, Labour Day is not just a holiday. It is also a day for people to volunteer for helpful projects across the country.
Japan
In Japan, Labour Day is combined with Thanksgiving. It is called Labor Thanksgiving Day and is celebrated on November 23.
Kazakhstan
Labour Day in Kazakhstan is celebrated on the last Sunday in September. This holiday was officially started in late 2013. The government also gives a special medal to workers who have served for a long time. It is a non-working holiday for most people because it always falls on a weekend.
Macau S.A.R.
In Macau, May 1st is a public holiday. It is officially known as Dia do Trabalhador. This means "Workers' Day" in Portuguese.
Malaysia
On May 1st, people in Malaysia remember the economic and social achievements of workers. This holiday is also known as May Day. Sometimes, groups organize parades or rallies to support workers' rights.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, Labour Day (Māori: Te Ra o Reipa) is a public holiday. It is held on the fourth Monday in October. Its history goes back to 1840. A carpenter named Samuel Parnell refused to work more than eight hours a day. He said, "There are twenty-four hours per day given us; eight of these should be for work, eight for sleep, and the remaining eight for recreation."
The first Labour Day in New Zealand was on October 28, 1890. Many workers and supporters attended parades. In 1899, the government made it a public holiday. The date was later moved to the fourth Monday in October.
Pakistan
In Pakistan, May 1st is Labour Day. It is a public holiday across the whole country.
Poland
Poland celebrates Labour Day on May 1st. May 3rd is also a public holiday, called Constitution Day. Because of this, May 2nd is often taken off too. This creates a "May long weekend" for many people.
Philippines
In the Philippines, Labor Day is a public holiday on May 1st. It was first observed in 1903 with a protest in Manila. It became an official holiday in 1908. The first official celebration was in 1913.
Switzerland
In Switzerland, Labour Day on May 1st is not a holiday for the whole country. But some of the cantons (like states) have made it one of their holidays. In the Canton of Fribourg, children traditionally sing at people's doors to get sweets and money.
Taiwan
May 1st is known as Labour Day in Taiwan. It is an official holiday, but not everyone gets the day off. For example, public servants, teachers, and students do not have this day off.
Tajikistan
Labour Day was celebrated on May 1st in the Soviet Union. This tradition continues in Tajikistan. Even though it is a working day, there are festivals, performances, and fairs. These events create a holiday feeling across the country.
Trinidad and Tobago
In Trinidad and Tobago, Labour Day is celebrated every June 19th. This holiday was suggested in 1973. It remembers the 1937 Butler labour riots.
Turkey
In Turkey, May 1st (Turkish: Emek ve Dayanışma Günü) is an official holiday. However, the government sometimes stops certain demonstrations by left-wing protestors. This is especially true in Taksim Square, which has historical importance.
United States
In the United States, Labor Day is a federal holiday. It is celebrated on the first Monday of September. Many people see it as the end of the summer vacation season. Many schools start their new year the day after Labor Day.
Kenya
In Kenya, Labour Day is celebrated every May 1st. This celebration often includes singing and dancing. Kenyans gather to celebrate and listen to speeches from leaders. Francis Atwoli, a leader of the Central Organization of Trade Unions, works to support these celebrations. He also speaks up for good working conditions for Kenyans.
See also
In Spanish: Día Internacional de los Trabajadores para niños
