May 1st: International Workers’ Day

Besides being my French brother-in-law’s birthday, May 1^st is a very significant day in France.  It is International Workers’ Day and it is a day where all banks, public works, and most businesses are closed.  Like Labor Day celebrated in the United States in early September, it is a day that observes workers’ rights, and despite its American origins, it is not recognized as an official US holiday.  In France, it is marked with parades and ceremonies of unions from all trades.

The May 1^st movement started in 1884 when the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions passed a resolution stating that eight hours would constitute a legal day's work.  The law was to be put into effect May 1^st, 1886.  When this did not occur, a protest was held in Chicago on May 3^rd 1886 and the Chicago police and militia fired upon the crowd where 6 people were killed and over 50 were wounded.  Anarchists called for a meeting the next day to protest the violence in Haymarket Square. 

The protest was peaceful, and as the last speaker was stepping down from the podium, the police order the crowd to disperse.  As they did, a bomb was thrown at the police, killing seven policemen and wounding 60 others.  The police responded by firing into the crowd, killing four.  The event is now known as the Haymarket Massacre.

The police used the incident to attack the labor movement and hundreds were arrested without charge.  Among those were eight anarchists; seven of which were tried and convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.  Four of the seven were hanged; two were sentenced to life in prison, and one committed suicide in prison.  In 1893, Illinois governor John Peter Altgeld pardoned the remaining defendants.

Now, 126 years later, the holiday is recognized throughout most of the world as a day to commemorate the struggle for workers’ rights.