Labour Day 2023: Significance of International Workers' Day Around the World and India's Labour Force Participation Rate

International Workers' Day, sometimes referred to as May Day or Labour Day in various countries, is observed on May 1. The day, which is commemorated as a national holiday in many nations throughout the world, honours the contributions of the working classes. It is sometimes observed in conjunction with protests calling for unionisation, better wages, and working conditions.

History of International Workers Day

While having an eight-hour, five-day work week is the norm today in the majority of professions and nations, this was not the case a century ago. The modern labour movement's call for an eight-hour workday has its roots in Britain's Industrial Revolution, when it was typical for the working class to put in anything between 10 and 16 hours a day of labour.

The first known commemoration of International Workers' Day took place in this setting in the late 19th century, when workers began to demand better working conditions and more equitable treatment from their employers, particularly in the rapidly industrialising European economies.

The 1886 Haymarket incident in Chicago, Illinois, is regarded as one of the key occasions that contributed to the establishment of this holiday. On May 4 of that year, during what was initially intended to be a peaceful demonstration demanding for an eight-hour workday, a bomb was thrown towards the police. Violence ensued as a result, and numerous labour leaders were detained and executed following a trial that was largely regarded as an injustice.

The Second International, a global alliance of socialist and labour parties, later decided to designate May 1 as "International Workers' Day" to honour the Haymarket incident.

In which countries is International Workers Day observed?

Numerous countries, including India, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom, observe International Workers' Day as a public holiday. Both corporate and public sector employees in these nations are granted the day off.

International Labour Day is observed in many other nations, but not all of them. For instance, Labour Day is observed on the first Monday of every September in the United States and Canada.

New Zealand, Australia, and Japan are also anomalies when it comes to celebrating the day on May 1.Although May Day is not a recognised national holiday in Japan, most Japanese employees get the day off because it falls between other national holidays. Employees take it as "paid leave" if the employer does not grant it as a day off. Labour Day is observed on various dates throughout Australia, with the exception of the Northern Territory and Queensland, where it is observed on the first Monday in May each year. Labour Day always falls on the fourth Monday in October in New Zealand.

India Labour Force Participation Rate

• India's labour force participation rate decreased from 41.6% in December 2021 to 41.3% in December 2022.

• The average rate of labour force participation in India is 54.2% and is available from December 1990 to December 2022.

• The data peaked at 57.2% in December 2000 and fell to a record low of 36.9% in December 2018.

• The rate of labour force participation in India is given by CEIC Data.

• According to the most recent statistics, India's population reached 1,383.0 million in March 2023.

• India's unemployment rate grew to 7.1% in December 2020.