Damascus, May 1 (SANA) How Did a Strike in the Streets of Chicago 140 Years Ago Become a Global Holiday Celebrated by Millions of Workers?
This question takes us back to the roots of May 1st, the day that immortalized the arduous struggles waged by the working class and the immense sacrifices they made in defense of their fundamental rights.
The story of this holiday dates back to the mid-19th century in the United States, which was then experiencing the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. European immigrant workers constituted the largest segment of America’s workforce, laboring under tragic conditions; working hours exceeding 12 hours per day, meager wages, and hazardous work environments.
On May 1st, 1886, the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions in the United States called for a general strike demanding an eight-hour workday. More than 300,000 workers participated in the event.
On May 3rd, police killed several striking workers in Chicago, the epicenter of the protest movement. The following day, a bomb exploded at Haymarket Square during a workers’ rally, claiming the lives of seven police officers and four workers.
In the aftermath, eight labor leaders were tried on charges of complicity in the attack. Four were executed in 1887, while the Governor of Illinois pardoned the remaining defendants in 1893, denouncing the trial as unjust.
The Birth of the Holiday
In 1889, President of the American Federation of Labor addressed the first congress of the Second International in Paris, calling for the unification of workers’ struggles worldwide to establish an eight-hour workday. The congress responded by declaring May 1st , 1890, as a day for global demonstrations marking the birth of International Workers’ Day.
The selection of this date was a tribute to the victims of the Chicago strike and a symbol of the ongoing struggle for dignity and social justice. Today, May 1st is an official public holiday in 107 countries, representing approximately 67% of the world’s population.
Labor Day in Syria
Syria has celebrated Labor Day as an official public holiday since the 1950s. The General Federation of Trade Unions organizes various events and ceremonies to honor workers’ essential role in national development, alongside continuous government efforts to raise wages and improve living conditions. Special attention is given to Syrian working women, whose responsibilities have intensified due to the war, as many have become the primary breadwinners for their families.
The General Federation of Trade Unions, in coordination with various ministries, supports women’s small-scale projects to strengthen their presence in the labor market through recurring exhibitions of their products across all Syrian provinces.
Global Challenges: When Wages Fail to Keep Pace with Inflation
According to periodic reports by the International Labour Organization (ILO), workers’ rights face mounting challenges globally. Despite declining unemployment rates in some countries, real wages have fallen in the majority of G20 nations, as wage increases have failed to keep pace with global inflationary pressures.
Furthermore, the number of workers living in extreme poverty earning less than $2.15 per day has risen by approximately one million people worldwide.
The ILO emphasizes that protecting workers’ rights, ensuring fair wages, and providing decent working conditions remain urgent priorities amid the economic, technological, and climate-related transformations reshaping global labor markets.
Labor Day: Between Commemoration and Challenge
May 1st remains more than just a public holiday; it is an annual reminder of workers’ rights. Amid current economic challenges, this day acquires renewed significance as a platform for voicing legitimate demands and uniting global efforts toward fairer and more sustainable work.
Iman Al-zhuheiri/ MZ
