Labour Day is an annual day of celebration of the

labour movement The labour movement is the collective organisation of working people to further their shared political and economic interests. It consists of the trade union or labour union movement, as well as political parties of labour. It can be considere ...

and its achievements. It has its origins in the

labour union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

movement, specifically the

eight-hour day The eight-hour day movement (also known as the 40-hour week movement or the short-time movement) was a social movement to regulate the length of a working day, preventing excesses and abuses of working time. The modern movement originated i ...

movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest. In most countries, Labour Day is synonymous with, or linked with,

International Workers' Day International Workers' Day, also called Labour Day in some countries and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of Wage labour, labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every yea ...

, which happens on 1 May, originally chosen to commemorate the 1886 general strike which culminated in the

Haymarket affair The Haymarket affair, also known as the Haymarket massacre, the Haymarket riot, the Haymarket Square riot, or the Haymarket Incident, was the aftermath of a bombing that took place at a labor demonstration on May 4, 1886 at Haymarket Square (C ...

. For other countries, Labour Day is celebrated on a different date, often one with special significance for the labour movement in that country. Labour Day is a

public holiday A public holiday, national holiday, federal holiday, statutory holiday, bank holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year. Types Civic holiday A ''civic holiday'', also k ...

in many countries.

International Workers' Day

For most countries, "Labour Day" is synonymous with, or linked with,

, which occurs on 1 May. Some countries vary the actual date of their celebrations so that the holiday occurs on a Monday close to 1 May. Some countries have a holiday at or around this date, but it is not a 'Labour Day' celebration.

Other dates

Australia

Hands off Timorese Oil - Brisbane May Day 2017 parade

Labour Day is a public holiday in Australia on dates which vary between states and territories. In some states the date commemorates the Eight Hours Day march (see below). It is the first Monday in October in the

Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory until 1938, is an internal States and territories of Australia, territory of Australia. Canberra, the capital city of Australia, is situated within the territory, an ...

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

and

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

. In

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

and

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

, it is the second Monday in March (though the latter calls it the

Eight Hours Day The eight-hour day movement (also known as the 40-hour week movement or the short-time movement) was a social movement to regulate the length of a working day, preventing excesses and abuses of working time. The modern movement originated in ...

). In

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

, Labour Day is the first Monday in March. In

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

and the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

, Labour Day occurs on the first Monday in May (though the latter calls it May Day). It is on the fourth Monday of March in the territory of

Christmas Island Christmas Island, officially the Territory of Christmas Island, is an States and territories of Australia#External territories, Australian external territory in the Indian Ocean comprising the island of the same name. It is about south o ...

Victoria

The first march for an

by the

occurred in

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

on 21 April 1856. On this day, stonemasons and building workers on building sites around Melbourne stopped work and marched from the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...

Parliament House Parliament House may refer to: Meeting places of parliament Australia * Parliament House, Canberra, Parliament of Australia * Parliament House, Adelaide, Parliament of South Australia * Parliament House, Brisbane, Parliament of Queensland * P ...

to achieve an eight-hour day. Their direct action protest was a success, and they are noted as being among the first organised workers in the world to achieve an eight-hour day, with no loss of pay.

Queensland

Labour Day was first celebrated with a public holiday in

in 1865 as Eight Hours Celebration Day. It occurred on 1 March (

Saint David's Day Saint David's Day ( or ), or the Feast of Saint David, is the feast day of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, and falls on 1 March, the date of Saint David's death in 589 AD. Traditional festivities include wearing daffodils and leeks, ...

) and celebrated the winning of an eight-hour work day by

Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...

workers in 1858. The date was moved to May Day around 1896, in solidarity with the attack on United States workers on the first May Day parade in the

. In 1901, the holiday was moved to the first Monday in May, to ensure a long weekend.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh Garment Sramik Sanghati, an organisation working for the welfare of garment workers, has requested that 24 April be declared Labour Safety Day in

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

, in memory of the victims of the 2013

Rana Plaza collapse The Rana Plaza collapse (also referred to as the Savar building collapse) occurred on 24 April 2013, when the eight-story Rana Plaza commercial building collapsed due to a Structural integrity and failure, structural failure. The search for sur ...

. However, Bangladesh does observe May Day on 1 May.

The Bahamas

Labour Day is a national holiday in The Bahamas, celebrated on the first Friday in June in order to create a long weekend for workers. The traditional date of Labour Day in

The Bahamas The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic and island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean. It contains 97 per cent of the archipelago's land area and 88 per cent of ...

, however, is 7 June, in commemoration of a significant workers' strike that began on that day in 1942. Labour Day is meant to honour and celebrate workers and the importance of their contributions to the nation and society. In the capital city, Nassau, thousands of people come to watch a parade through the streets, which begins at mid-morning. Bands in colourful uniforms, traditional African

Junkanoo Junkanoo (also Jonkonnu) is a festival that originated during the period of African chattel slavery in British American colonies. It is practiced most notably in The Bahamas, Jamaica and Belize, and historically in North Carolina and Miami, w ...

performers, and members of various labour unions and political parties are all part of the procession, which ends up at the Southern Recreation Grounds, where government officials make speeches for the occasion.

Canada

Labour Day Labour Day is an annual day of celebration of the labour movement and its labor rights, achievements. It has its origins in the trade union, labour union movement, specifically the Eight-hour day movement, eight-hour day movement, which advoca ...

() has been marked as a statutory public holiday in Canada on the first Monday in September since 1894. Its origins can be traced back to numerous local demonstrations and celebrations in earlier decades. Such events assumed political significance when a labour demonstration in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

in April 1872, in support of striking printers, led directly to the enactment of the Trade Union Act, a law that confirmed the legality of unions. On 22 July 1882, a labour celebration in Toronto attracted the attention of American labour leader Peter J. McGuire, who organised a similar parade in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

on 5 September that year. Labour parades were held in several Canadian cities that day as well. Unions associated with the

Knights of Labor The Knights of Labor (K of L), officially the Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor, was the largest American labor movement of the 19th century, claiming for a time nearly one million members. It operated in the United States as well in ...

and the

American Federation of Labor The American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.) was a national federation of labor unions in the United States that continues today as the AFL-CIO. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions eager to provide mutual ...

in both Canada and the United States subsequently promoted parades and festivals on the first Monday in September. In Canada, local celebrations took place in

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...

Oshawa Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario, approximately east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of the Greater Toronto Area and of the Golden Horseshoe. It ...

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

St. Catharines St. Catharines is the most populous city in Canada's Niagara Region, the eighth largest urban area in the province of Ontario. As of 2021, St. Catharines has an area of and 136,803 residents. It lies in Southern Ontario, south of Toronto ac ...

, Halifax,

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

and

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

during these years. Montreal declared a civic holiday in 1889. In

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

, coal miners had been holding picnics and parades since 1880 to celebrate the anniversary of their union, the Provincial Workmen's Association, first organised in 1879. In addition, in 1889, the

Royal Commission A royal commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue in some monarchies. They have been held in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Malaysia, Mauritius and Saudi Arabia. In republics an equi ...

on the Relations of Labour and Capital in Canada, chaired by James Sherrard Armstrong (1886–88) and Augustus Toplady Freed (1888–89), recommended recognition of an official "labour day" by the

federal government A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a political union, union of partially federated state, self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a #Federal governments, federal government (federalism) ...

. In March and April 1894, unions lobbied Parliament to recognise Labour Day as a public holiday. Legislation was introduced in May by prime minister Sir John Thompson and received

royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in othe ...

in July 1894.

China

1 May is a statutory holiday in the People's Republic of China. It was a three-day holiday until 2008, but was only one day after 2008. However, the actual time off is often longer than the time off in the regulations, and the extra time off is usually supplemented by another two weekends, but since the extra time is not under an official holiday, the extra days must be "made up" by working on the preceding or following weekend. For example, in 2013, 1 May fell on Wednesday. Most workplaces, including all government offices, took 29 April (Monday) to 1 May (Wednesday) as days off. As the first two days were not statutory holidays, they had to be "made up" by working the preceding weekend (27 and 28 April).

Hong Kong S.A.R.

Labour Day, observed 1 May, has been considered a public holiday in Hong Kong since 1999.

India

The first Labour Day was celebrated in India on 1 May 1923, in

Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...

(then known as Madras), organised by the

Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan was a political party in India. The party was founded by Singaravelu Chettiar on 1 May 1923 in Madras. This was the first May Day celebration in India. This was also the first time the red flag was used in Ind ...

Jamaica

Labour Day in Jamaica has a rich history tied to the struggles of the working class and the country’s shift away from colonial traditions. Originally, May 24 was observed as Empire Day, celebrating Queen Victoria’s birthday. In British history, she was credited with granting enslaved people in the colonies their freedom. Empire Day was widely observed across the Commonwealth, including Jamaica, but as the country moved toward independence, there was growing sentiment to replace it with something more reflective of Jamaica’s own labour struggles. Premier Norman Manley led this change in 1960 by introducing a bill to abolish Empire Day and replace it with Labour Day to commemorate the 1938 labour strikes. These strikes were a turning point in Jamaican history, as grossly underpaid workers across the island organized in protest. By May 23, 1938, public sector and transport workers in Kingston had joined the movement, halting activity in the capital. The unrest led to 46 deaths, 429 injuries, and numerous arrests, marking a major push for labour rights in the country. Manley’s proposal to commemorate these events gained unanimous support in Parliament, officially establishing Labour Day on May 23. In the 1960s, Labour Day celebrations were heavily tied to politics, with the two major trade unions—the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (JLP) and the National Workers Union (PNP)—leading marches and rallies in Kingston. However, these events often turned violent. In 1962, a politically motivated clash during a Labour Day march resulted in the death of a woman and injuries to several police officers, who resorted to using tear gas to control the crowd. Additional conflicts in 1966 led authorities to ban Labour Day marches in Kingston, marking a shift in how the holiday was observed. It was Prime Minister Michael Manley who redefined Labour Day in 1972 with the theme “Put Work into Labour Day.” Rather than focusing on rallies and marches, Manley encouraged Jamaicans to actively participate in community projects. His vision emphasized the role of labour in nation-building, inspiring voluntary efforts across the island. The first national project focused on beautifying the Palisadoes Road, with Manley himself participating in tree planting. The response was overwhelming, with 600 projects completed that year, cementing Labour Day as a day of national pride and community service. However, this momentum slowed under Prime Minister Edward Seaga in 1980, when large-scale Labour Day activities were halted, leading to an eight-year absence of organized projects. It was not until 1989, when Michael Manley returned to office, that Labour Day was fully revived. The Jamaican government began introducing themes to guide national activities, ensuring that community development remained central to the celebrations. Since then, Labour Day has continued as a tradition that blends historical remembrance with civic responsibility.

Japan

public holiday in Japan were first established by the of 1948. It has since been amended 11 times to add additional holidays, the latest being in 2018, for a total of 16 recognized holidays. Article 3 of this law specifies that when a national holiday falls on a Sund ...

, Labour Day is officially conflated with

Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...

on 23 November, as

Labor Thanksgiving Day is an annual public holiday in Japan celebrated on November 23 of each year, unless that day falls on a Sunday, in which case the holiday is moved to Monday. The law establishing the holiday cites it as an occasion to respect labor, to celebr ...

Kazakhstan

Labour Day, a public holiday in Kazakhstan, is celebrated on the last Sunday in September. The holiday was officially established in late 2013. In 1995, the government of

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...

replaced

with

Kazakhstan People's Unity Day Kazakhstan People's Unity Day (), also known as Unity Day, is a Public holiday in Kazakhstan which celebrates the Kazakh people and the Kazakh nation alongside inter-ethnic relations between ethnic Kazakhs and all ethnicities living in Kazakhstan i ...

. Kazakh president

Nursultan Nazarbayev Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev (born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakhstani politician who served as the first president of Kazakhstan from 1991 to 2019. He also held the special title of Elbasy from 2010 to 2022 and chairman of the Security Council of ...

also instituted a special medal that is awarded to veterans of labour on the occasion of the holiday. Labour Day it is widely celebrated across the country with official speeches, award ceremonies, cultural events, etc. It is a non-working holiday for most citizens of Kazakhstan because it always falls on a weekend.

Kenya

A public holiday in Kenya, Labour Day is commemorated yearly every 1 May. This celebration is usually marked with song and dance as

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

ns gather at designated locations to celebrate and listen to speeches from the leadership of the country.

Francis Atwoli Francis Atwoli, NOM (DZA) CBS, EBS, MBS (born 6 June 1949) is a Kenyan trade unionist who is currently serving as the Secretary General of the Central Organization of Trade Unions (Kenya), COTU (K). He has served in that capacity since he was f ...

, Secretary General of the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) has been vocal in spearheading the celebrations in the country while advocating for favourable working conditions for the Kenyan people.

Macau S.A.R.

Macau Macau or Macao is a special administrative regions of China, special administrative region of the People's Republic of China (PRC). With a population of about people and a land area of , it is the most List of countries and dependencies by p ...

, 1 May is a public holiday and is officially known as ( Portuguese for 'Workers' Day').

Malaysia

On 1 May, people in

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

take the time to remember the economic and social accomplishments of the labour movement. Also known as May Day, this public holiday is sometimes celebrated with groups organising parades, rallies or both, to promote and protect workers' rights.

New Zealand

Labour Day () is a

public holiday in New Zealand Public holidays in New Zealand (also known as statutory holidays) consist of a variety of cultural, national, and religious holidays that are legislated in New Zealand. Workers can get a maximum of 12 public holidays (eleven national holidays pl ...

and is held on the fourth Monday in October. Its origins are traced back to the eight-hour working day movement that arose in the newly founded

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

colony in 1840, primarily because of carpenter Samuel Duncan Parnell's refusal to work more than eight hours a day. That year, Parnell reportedly told a prospective employer: "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 celebrated on 28 October 1890, which marked the first anniversary of the Maritime Council, an organisation of transport and mining unions. Several thousand trade union members and supporters attended parades in the main city centres. Government employees were given the day off to attend, and many businesses closed for at least part of the day. Initially, the day was variously called Labour Day or Labour Demonstration Day. In 1899, the government legislated that the day be a public holiday through the Labour Day Act of 1899. The day was set as the second Wednesday in October and first celebrated the following year, in 1900. In 1910, the holiday was moved to the fourth Monday in October.

Pakistan

Labour Day, or ''Youm-e-Mazdoor'', is observed in

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

on May 1st as a public holiday to recognize the contributions and rights of workers. Officially declared a holiday in 1972 under

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979) was a Pakistani barrister and politician who served as the fourth president of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973 and later as the ninth Prime Minister of Pakistan, prime minister of Pakistan from 19 ...

, it was part of the country's first labor policy, which also introduced welfare initiatives for workers. The day is marked by rallies, seminars, and demonstrations organized by trade unions to highlight labor issues such as fair wages and safe working conditions. Government offices, banks, and many businesses remain closed in observance.

Poland

Labour Day is a

in Poland, celebrated on 1 May. Together with Polish National Flag Day on 2 May and

Constitution Day Constitution Day is a holiday to honour the constitution of a country. Constitution Day is often celebrated on the anniversary of the signing, promulgation or adoption of the constitution, or in some cases, to commemorate the change to constitut ...

on 3 May - the latter also being a public holiday, coinciding with the

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

holiday of

The Most Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland The Most Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland (; also translated as Our Lady, Queen of Poland or Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland) is an honorary title for Mary, mother of Jesus, used by Polish Catholics. The Catholic Church in Poland is sin ...

- it typically forms a long May weekend, referred to as ''majówka'', widely regarded as the informal start of the spring outdoor leisure season, marked with picnics, barbecues, local events and travel.

Philippines

In the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

, Labor Day is a

commemorated nationwide on 1 May. Initially observed in 1903 through a protest by the

Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina The ''Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina'' (''UOD'' or ''UODF'', English: Philippine Democratic Labor Union) was a national trade union center in the Philippines. The organization was considered as the first-ever modern trade union federation ...

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

during the

American colonial era The colonial history of the United States covers the period of European colonization of North America from the late 15th century until the unifying of the Thirteen Colonies, Thirteen British Colonies and creation of the United States in 17 ...

, it was officially recognised as a holiday in 1908, with the first official commemoration taking place in 1913.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, Labour Day on 1 May is not a federal holiday across the entire country, but several of the

Swiss cantons The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the Swiss Confederation. The nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy in the form of the first three confederate allies used to be referred to as the . Two important periods in the development of ...

have made it one of their cantonal holidays. In the

Canton of Fribourg The canton of Fribourg, also canton of Freiburg, is located in western Switzerland. The canton is bilingual, with French spoken by more than two thirds of the citizens and German by a little more than a quarter. Both are official languages in th ...

, it is traditional for children to go singing at people's doors in exchange for sweets and money.

Taiwan

Labour Day, observed 1 May, in

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

, is an official holiday, though not everybody gets a day off.

Public servants The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...

, teachers and students do not have this day off.

Tajikistan

Labour Day was celebrated on 1 May in the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

, and the tradition lives on in

Tajikistan Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital city, capital and most populous city. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, south, Uzbekistan to ...

International Labour Day International Workers' Day, also called Labour Day in some countries and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every year on 1 May, o ...

Although Labour Day is a working day, folk festivals, performances and fairs organised throughout the country create a holiday atmosphere.

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, comprising the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago, along with several List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, smaller i ...

, Labour Day is celebrated every 19 June. This

was proposed in 1973 to be commemorated on the anniversary of the labour riots led by

Tubal Uriah Butler Tubal Uriah "Buzz" Butler (21 January 1897 – 20 February 1977), was a Grenadian-born Spiritual Baptist preacher and labour leader in Trinidad and Tobago. He is best known for leading a series of labour riots between 19 June and 6 July 1937 and ...

in 1937, part of the

British West Indian labour unrest of 1934–1939 A series of workplace disturbances, strikes, and riots broke out across the British West Indies in the period between 1934 and 1939. These began as the Great Depression wore on and ceased on the eve of World War II. The unrest served to highlight ...

Turkey

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

, "Labour and Solidarity Day" () became an official holiday in 2009. Prior to that, the day had been observed by workers and unions but had been banned for many years after the 1980 military coup. The turning point came in 2009, when the

Turkish government The Government of Turkey () is the national government of Turkey. It is governed as a unitary state under a presidential representative democracy and a constitutional republic within a pluriform multi-party system. The term government can me ...

, led by Prime Minister

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (born 26 February 1954) is a Turkish politician who is the 12th and current president of Turkey since 2014. He previously served as the 25th prime minister of Turkey, prime minister from 2003 to 2014 as part of the Jus ...

, officially recognized May 1st as a public holiday again. Demonstrations at

Taksim Square Taksim Square (, ), situated in Beyoğlu in the European part of Istanbul, Turkey, is a major tourist and leisure district famed for its restaurants, shops, and hotels. It is considered the heart of modern Istanbul, with the central station of th ...

carries historical significance due to the

Taksim Square Massacre The Bloody May Day ( or ) was an attack on leftist demonstrators on 1 May 1977 (International Workers' Day) in Taksim Square, Istanbul, Turkey. Casualty figures vary between 34 and 42 people killed with 126 to 220 injured. Over 500 demonstrators ...

on 1 May 1977.

United States

In the United States,

Labor Day Labor Day is a Federal holidays in the United States, federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor and recognize the Labor history of the United States, American labor movement and the works and con ...

is a

federal holiday A public holiday, national holiday, federal holiday, statutory holiday, bank holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year. Types Civic holiday A ''civic holiday'', also k ...

and

observed on the first Monday of September. It is customarily viewed as the end of the summer vacation season. Many schools open for the year on the day after Labor Day.The origins of Labor Day
can be traced back to 1872.

References

External links

ToadShow Labour Day photographs

State Library of Queensland State Library of Queensland (State Library) is the state public reference and research library of Queensland, Australia, operated by the Government of Queensland, state government. The Library is governed by the Library Board of Queensland, whi ...

. Collection of photographs showing Labour Day events in Brisbane, Ipswich, Gold Coast and Barcaldine between 1998 and 2012. {{Public holidays in Turkey Types of secular holidays March observances April observances May observances June observances September observances October observances Monday observances Holidays and observances by scheduling (nth weekday of the month) Public holidays in Algeria Public holidays in Cambodia Public holidays in Turkey Public holidays in Zambia