Celebrating May Day and the Labor Movement

May 1 is International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day. This is a time to honor the historic gains and ongoing struggles of workers and the labor movement. Do you know the history behind this important holiday?

On May 1, 1886, workers across America organized a massive strike to demand an 8-hour workday and safer working conditions. An estimated 300,000 to half a million workers, many of them immigrants, rallied and paraded in cities throughout the country. In Boston, an estimated 25,000 workers participated in the strike. May 1 was officially recognized as International Workers’ Day a few years later in 1889, and has been celebrated worldwide ever since.

While it would take many years for workers to win better wages and conditions on the job, that first May Day was a milestone for solidarity among workers everywhere. May Day has become an annual celebration reminding us of the importance of coming together to fight for workers’ rights. That fight is far from over, as many workers still face unfair treatment and illegal union-busting tactics.

Here at Local 877, we proudly celebrate May Day and the many essential victories of the labor movement. Without unions, there would be no minimum wage, paid time off, or 40-hour workweeks. When workers organize, workers win — and everyone benefits.

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