Ola K Ase

Africa[edit]

Algeria[edit]

1 May is a public labour holiday in Algeria.[11] the First of May is celebrated in Algeria as a labours day and a paid bank holiday since 1962.

Egypt[edit]

Egyptian Communist Party flags in Tahrir Square.

1 May is known as Labor Day and is considered a paid holiday. The President of Egypt traditionally presides over the official May Day celebrations in Cairo; however, owing to the absence of a president pursuant to the Revolution of 2011, as well as corruption charges faced by the head of the state-controlled national trade union centre (the Egyptian Trade Union Federation), the 2011 celebrations were organized by independent unions (united under the banner of the Egyptian Federation for Independent Trades Unions) for the first time since the Revolution of 1952.[12][13]

Kenya[edit]

In Kenya, May Day is a public holiday and celebrated as the Labour Day. It is a big day addressed by the leaders of the workers umbrella union body- Central Organisation of Trade Unions COTU. The Minister for Labour (and occasionally the President) address the Workers. Each Year, the government approves (and increases) the minimum wage on Labour Day

Libya[edit]

On 1 May, 1978, former Libyan leader Colonel Mu'ammar Al-Qaddafi addressed the nation in the capital city of Tripoli calling for Administrative and also Economic Reforms across Libya:

We celebrate today the first of May, the International Workers' Day; but the real workers' day is the one on which all workers of the world are liberated from slavery and when they become partners instead of wage workers...

This should be the Workers' International Day of Liberation throughout the world which deserves the true celebration.

On 1 September, marking the 9th anniversary of Qaddafi's rise to leadership, masses responded to the calls made four months prior by revolting and holding mass strikes against many institutions and private owned entities effectively eliminating the Private sector of the economy.

Four years later, again marking Workers' Day, Qaddafi gave a historic speech to labourers all over the world asking them to push further with reforms called for in 1978:

On this day we call on the workers of the world who are suffering from deceit, exploitation, oppression and slavery, to rebel against cruel social relations by seizing factories and production units to control their rights over production and form their people's congresses and committees ('No democracy without popular congresses...Committees everywhere!'[14][15][16]). The outbreak of the workers revolution shall sweep the world, destroying forces of exploitation and oppression and raising the banner of the dictum "Partners in production not wage-earners", guided by the second chapter[17][18][19] of The Green Book.

—Muammar Qaddafi, Workers' International Day of Liberation, May 1, 1982, Tripoli, Libya

[20]

International Workers' Day was declared as a national public holiday on 1 May of each year commencing 2012 by the National Transitional Council of Libya – the first year of the post-Qaddafi era.[21]

Morocco[edit]

It is recognized as a public holiday 1 May.

South Africa[edit]

Main article: Workers' Day

In South Africa, Workers' Day has been celebrated as a national public holiday on the 1 May each year since 1994.

Tanzania[edit]

In Tanzania, it is a public holiday and celebrated as the Workers' Day.

Tunisia[edit]

1 May is recognised as Labour Day.

Americas[edit]

Argentina[edit]

In Argentina, Workers' Day is an official holiday, and is frequently associated with the labor unions situated in the nation. During the day, many celebrations related to the labor movements take place, including demonstrations in major cities. It is also customary to organize meetings at friends' places, at the sports associations, at the workplace, or at the labor unions for typically local food, usually locro or asado.[citation needed]

The first Workers' Day celebration was in 1890, when Argentinean unions, controlled in those days by socialists and anarchists, organized several joint celebrations in Buenos Aires and other cities, at the same time that the international labour movement celebrated it for the first time.[22] In 1930, it was established as official holiday by the first president elected after the passage of the Sáenz Peña Law, the radical Hipólito Yrigoyen. The day became particularly relevant during the worker-oriented government of Juan Domingo Perón (1946–55).[23] He permitted and endorsed national recognition of the holiday during his tenure in office.

Bolivia[edit]

1 May is known as Labour Day and is considered a holiday. Almost all workers tend to respect it.[citation needed]

Brazil[edit]

In Brazil, Workers' Day is an official holiday, and unions commemorate it with day-long public events. It is also when salaries for most professional categories and the minimum wage are traditionally readjusted.[citation needed]

Canada[edit]

See also: Labour Day

A notice about an anti-capitalist rally on Worker's Day in Montreal (2011)

In Canada, Labour Day is celebrated in September. In 1894, the government of Prime Minister John Sparrow David Thompson declared the first Monday in September as Canada's official Labour Day. Labor Day in the United States is on the same day.

May Day is however marked by unions and leftists. May Day is an important day of trade-union and community group protest in the province of Quebec (though not a provincial stat holiday). Celebration of the International Labour Day (or "International Workers' Day"; French translation: Journée internationale des travailleurs) in Montreal goes back to 1906, organised by the Mutual Aid circle. The tradition had a renaissance at the time of a mass strike in 1972. On the 1973 May Day, the first contemporary demonstration was organised by the major trade union confederations; over 30 000 trade unionists took part in this demonstration. Further, it is the customary date on which the minimum wage rises.[24]

Chile[edit]

President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo decreed 1 May a national holiday in 1931, in honour of the dignity of workers.[25] All stores and public services must close for the entire day, and the major trade unions of Chile, represented in the national organization Central Unitaria de Trabajadores, organise rallies during the morning hours, with festivities and cookouts in the later part of the day, in all the major cities of Chile. During these rallies, representatives of the major left-wing political parties speak to the assemblies on the issues of the day concerning workers’ rights.

Colombia[edit]

1 May has long been recognised as labour day or Dia del Trabajo and almost all workers respect it as a national holiday. As in many other countries, it is common to see rallies by the trade unions in all over the main regional capitals of the country.

Costa Rica[edit]

It is recognised as a public holiday, and at the same time an important day for government activities. On this day the President of Costa Rica gives a speech to the citizens and the legislature of Costa Rica about the duties that were taken through the previous year. The president of the legislature is also chosen by its members.

Cuba[edit]

This day is known as Día del Trabajo (Labour Day) in Cuba. People march in the streets, showing their support to their local socialist government and the Cuban Revolution during the whole morning. La Habana or Santiago de Cuba are some of the cities where generally more people march. In 2011, guests from 73 countries and 167 representatives of labour and social organisations worldwide joined the march in Habana.[26]

Dominican Republic[edit]

1 May is a national holiday known as Labour Day or Día del Trabajo which is celebrated by workers' parades and demonstration.

Ecuador[edit]

It is recognised as a public holiday known as Labour Day or Día del Trabajo

El Salvador[edit]

It is an official holiday and it is commemorated with parades.

Guatemala[edit]

1 May is an official public holiday known as Labour Day or Día del Trabajo.

Mexico[edit]

1 May is a Federal holiday known as Día del Trabajo or Labour Day. It also commemorates the Cananea Mine Strike of 1906 in the Mexican state of Sonora.

Panama[edit]

1 May is an official public holiday known as Labour Day or Día del Trabajo.

Peru[edit]

1 May is an official public holiday known as Labour Day or Día del Trabajo.

United States[edit]

Main article: Labor Day

Socialists in Union Square, N.Y.C. on 1 May, 1912

In the United States, efforts to switch Labor Day from September to 1 May have not been successful. In 1921, following the Russian Revolution of 1917, 1 May was promoted as "Americanization Day" by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and other groups in opposition to communism. It became an annual event, sometimes featuring large rallies. In 1949, Americanization Day was renamed to Loyalty Day. In 1958, the U.S. Congress declared Loyalty Day, the U.S. recognition of 1 May, a national

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