May 1st is May Day, an international holiday honoring the rights and causes of workers worldwide. This week’s blog asks you to explore contemporary May Day traditions worldwide and requires you to evaluate the role of the labor movement in the modern world.
Introduction:
May Day, also known as International Worker’s Day, is an international day of activism for working people and their families. The origins of May Day can be traced to the national strike movement for an 8 hour work day which gained momentum in the industrial American cities in 1886. In particular, the Chicago strike received national attention as a movement of nearly 35,000 strikers from April 25- May 3 escalated into a riot, resulting in the deaths of three workers. Seeking revenge for what many workers believed to be police brutality (blaming riot police for the escalation of the violence at the Haymarket Square demonstration), strikers continued demonstrating- one angered radical threw a bomb at the police, killing a uniformed officer. While no individual was ever directly linked through evidence to that death, five union organizers were tired, convicted of and received capital (death) sentences for the officer’s murder. Public uproar over the (mis) trial continued and American workers have conducted annual protests on May 1st ever since. In1893, Governor John Peter Altgeld granted the three imprisoned Haymarket defendants (one of them committed suicide in prison) absolute pardon, citing the lack of evidence against them and the unfairness of the trial.
While the immediate result of the Haymarket Affair can be viewed as a mixed result for the labor movement, the protestors work was not in vain. Unions in the mining, railroad worker’s and building trades industries successfully negotiated an eight hour work day by 1890. The Fair Labor Standards Act established the eight hour workday as a federal labor regulation in 1938 as part of FDR’s New Deal reforms.
Inspired by the success of the American labor movements as publicized by the London and New York Times, Mexico and France honored Mayday in 1890 and the movement spread on a global scale ever since. National Labour Day, as it is called in the UK, Austrialia New Zeland, have become particularly popular among workers rights activists since the anti-globalization movement emerged in 1999. While many of the protests have been peaceful demonstrations, there have also been multiple incidents of escalation on both the activists’ and police/ governments’ behalf.
Directions:
1. Actively view the photo essay “May Day” in the TIME Magazine Europe archive from 2011: http://www.time.com/time/europe/photoessays/mayday/And ONE of the following articles on how May Day is honored abroad:
South Korea:
http://mayday.nodong.net/2000/laborday/khistorye.htm
Cuba:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7377662.stm/
Germany:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090429/business/finance_economy_germany_demo_mayday
Mexico: http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=33059
Australia: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/labour-day
Response: Your post, emailed or typed response is due Wed. April 27 and should be no less than 250 words.
Summarize what you learned about May Day/ International Worker’s Day from the sources. How do the issues you read about relate to what we are learning in class about globalization and/ or trade regulations and the WTO? Provide at least two examples of specific topics we have covered in class or that may have come up in your project.
In your view, should the US adopt May Day/ International Worker’s Day as a federal holiday as it is in Spain and Australia? Explain.
May Day sounds like a crazy holiday in some parts of the country. I think the U.S. doesn’t really have to adopt May Day since we already celebrate Labor day. If we adopted May Day things might get crazy out of hand. People were breaking store windows, throwing stones, and starting fires. I can’t imagine having people get that crazy in the U.S. I think May Day has to do with globalization in the way that this holiday is spreading all around the world. It’s celebrated in South Korea, Cuba, Germany, Mexico, and Australia. People are also debating if it should be honored in the U.S. This holiday has gone global. I never knew what May Day was until I read these articles. I learned that this holiday can be traced back to the workers fight for eight hour work days. In Chicago the workers strike on May 3 turned into a riot resulting in the deaths of three workers. A lot of strikers blamed the police for these murders and continued protesting, one guy even threw a bomb at a police officer, killing him. No one was directly found guilty of this crime, however five union organizers were tried, convicted for the officers death, and received capital punishment. Americans were furious at the “mis-trial” and have had annual pretests on May 1 ever since. I’m shocked that I never knew anything about this until now. This is crazy! Thinking it over, I guess it should be a holiday in the U.S. because we have the right to express our feelings. No one should be allowed to take that from us. Maybe government officials should just watch over people’s protests without abusing their power.
ReplyDeleteMay Day also known as Labor Day, is a day to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. May Day first started because workers wanted to shorten the work day to 8 hours. In 1886, in Chicago, 35,000 workers went on strike. The strike soon escalated to riots and 3 citizens died because of police brutality and one police officer because of a bomb. Courts couldn’t point a finger at one person for the murder of the one police officer; however five people were tied and received the punishment of death. The public went nuts and continued protesting. In 1893, Governor John Peter Altgeld pardoned the prisoners for the lack of evidence and unfair trial. Ever since that incident, people have been upholding Labor day as a national holiday. This event has also struck the views of people all around the world. From Mexico, Australia, Germany, South Korea and even Cuba. In South Korea, the workers view May Day as a resolution to the workers struggle for independence, democracy and solidarity. Workers and trade unions organized rallies, demonstrations and marches to show workers unity. And in 1994, the government changed Labor Day from March 10 to May 1st, which was a huge change for Koreans. For Korean’s May Day signifies workers struggle, collective bargaining for wages and working conditions. As we can see in Korea, the origin of May Day in America has become a huge issue in Korea. Because May Day has such a big impact on not only the United States but also other countries around the world, I think it should be a national holiday. All the working people should realize that the hours they work and the pay they receive was because of the events that happened on May Day. Matt of fact, May Day should be a global holiday. Since every country has been through working rights and working conditions, everybody in the world who works should commemorate this holiday.
ReplyDeleteKENNY CHO
E BLOCK
May Day was a day that occurred on May 1st when workers tried fighting to have an eight-hour work day. May Day also commemorates the achievements of workers. The first May Day in South Korea was celebrated in 1923 by a workers organization under the Japanese imperialist rule. The South Korean workers continued to celebrate the holiday through changes of government and for some tears even celebrated it on May 10th. May Day relates to globalization because more and more countries are adopting this day for workers’ rights, such as Cuba, England, Mexico, and Germany. It can also relate to trade regulations, because without the workers, any trade would become unsuccessful. If workers are content at their job, they will be more willing to give the work that’s needed of them, allowing for whatever it is they are working on to be traded. The WTO can also intervene if there is a problem related to the trade of a country. In my opinion, the US should not adopt the celebration of May Day. In many countries where it’s celebrated, May Day can become very violent, and that violence can very quickly elevate. The aid of police usually ends up being needed for safety, as some protestors have even defaced public property as a result of May Day. Celebrating May Day would not benefit the US in any way, and would more likely end up having negative effects on the country. And while workers’ rights are definitely important, it isn’t as much of a need here as it is in other countries.
ReplyDeleteJustin Roa, D-Block
May Day is a day of political protest that occurs every year on May 1st. many countries consider May Day as a national holiday. May Day is also known as Labor Day or International Worker’s Day. May Day is also related to the Celtic festival of Beltane and the Germanic festival of Walpurgis Night.
ReplyDeleteIn the past there have been protests about the United States “adopting” May Day. May Day would be a crazy holiday celebrated in the United States. Maybe some people fail to realize but the United States does have a similar holiday, which we celebrate. Our national holiday for May Day is taking place in the beginning of September which we refer this to as Labor Day. If the United States adopted May Day things would definitely get out of hands. People would go crazy since May Day is a day of protest. Fires, rallies, strikes, window breaking, maybe even deaths would occur. Many people would fight until they are blue in the face for an eight hour work day.
Many people may not realize that if the United States doesn’t adopt May Day this can and will affect trade. The WTO is being affected by May Day big time. People don’t realize that the global economy is also affected. If we start to have problems with the countries that celebrate May Day they can refuse to trade with us. The WTO helps create jobs for many Americans and lowers prices for consumers. There are plenty of positive and negative reasons why the United States should adopt May Day. If we adopt the May Day then we will bring a sort of negative energy, since there will be plenty of people protesting for their rights, for eight hour work days. A positive reason would be that we would be able to increase and strengthen our trade routes with other countries; a debate will be settled, on whether or not the United States should or should not adopt May Day.
Nicole Scozzari
C Block
May Day, also known as Worker’s day / Labor Day, is an a day of activism for working people. This day is represented all over the world, where people express their opinion on work hours through protests and riots. National Labour Day is popular in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Workers peacefully protest on behalf of their rights, and sometimes these demonstrations escalate to violent scenes.
ReplyDeleteIn Australia, Labour Day recognizes the contributions of workers toward the economy. Each year, Labour Day is a public holiday, in which unions and community groups join to celebrate. As part of the celebration, Labour Day is used to remember those who struggled and succeeded to make sure of fair working conditions in Australia. Back in the late 1800's, a typical working day was up to 12 hours a day, six days a week.
The issue of labor rights and working conditions relate to trade regulations and the World Trade Organization because the WTO regulates and sets standards for global trade, promotes economic development and improves economic efficiency. Workers play an important part in the economy and if the WTO promotes economic development, that should also include the development of employment rights and conditions.
In my view, the United States should not adopt May Day/International Worker’s Day as a federal holiday as it is in Spain and Australia. The United States already celebrates Labor Day, which is a federal holiday and all federal employees are paid on. On Labor Day, Americans celebrate achievements of workers and the labor movement. Labor Day is very similar to May Day; therefore, May Day/International Worker’s Day should not be adopted by the United States.
Marisch Perera
E Block
On May day many protestors gather together to protest global capitalism and environmental problems. During May Day many employees demand higher wages and more social guarantees. Some May Day protests are peaceful with just banners and signs. While others may be more violent such as in China where bonfires were cast by the police to put a stop to protests. In London a shop window was broken down on May Day.
ReplyDeleteIn Australia May Day is generally peaceful with people taking this as a day to relax, spend time with family and friends watch sports etc. Marches are lead usually lead on this day by unions and other officials. May Day is an official holiday in Australia where schools, government offices, post offices and numerous businesses are shut down. Prior to May Day workers in Australia worked long hard twelve hour shifts. In the 1850s workers began to protest these harsh working conditions. May Day in Australia brought arise to the eight hour working shift. In Australia the number eight is posted on numerous union buildings to symbolize eight hour working shifts. Labor Rights is directly related to the WTO which regulates trade and promotes economic development.
The United States should not adopt May Day. In many countries May Day has lead to violent protests. This would not be beneficial to the US economy because then more money would need to be invested in police activity to prevent protests and raids from becoming too violent. The US already has another holiday in play which supports labor rights called Labour Day. Labour Day is all we need to celebrate worker rights.
Destiny Bangura
D Block
Angela Salmos
ReplyDeleteMay Day is an international holiday celebrated by workers around the world as an expression of their international solidarity. May Day first occurred in 1886 because people who were employed were cut down to eight hour shifts. This angered many citizens and there was nearly 35,000 strikers in Chicago. This caused a big riot where people got hurt and even lost their lives because of police brutality. May Day reflects globalization because this became a holiday that spread between nations such as South Korea, Cuba, Germany, Mexico, and Australia.
May Day first started in Korea in 1923, under the Japanese imperialistic rule. Two thousand workers held a rally, demanding the reduction of working hours, wage increase, and the prevention of unemployment. This became a May Day celebration where Korean workers celebrate for the struggle against the Japanese imperialism. This was later on changed and forgotten by the Korean people in 1957 after the Korean War. The President at the time Rhee Sygman ordered KFTU a " true Labor Day for the celebration of anticommunist workers. This was later on changed again because there were still rallies against wages so finally in 1994, the government changed Labor DAy from March 10 to May 1st, which was a great victory for the Korean worker's struggle. The WTO would have a huge impact on this holiday because trade gives people their needs, thus start better opportunities for other people. Trade can solve disputes and have many nations to come together.
Through this blog, I learned how a riot turned into a celebration to honor the hard workers internationally. This is not a holiday in America, but there are many things to think about before this does become celebrated in America because our country is very competitive and many have jobs, so if wages were to go down, we would a have a war of people protesting, but this holiday should be thought about. we need to remain civil and not abuse our right with the government.
ANGELA SALMOS
D-BLOCK
May Day also known as International Worker’s Day, is a day that recognizes the economic and social achievements of workers. May Day was started due to the insane amount of hours workers had to work. Because there were no rules that prohibited such actions bosses could make workers stay as long as they were needed. In 1886 35,000 workers went on strike in Chicago. The strike turned into riots that left 3 workers die. Police brutality was one of the reasons why the riots got so violent. As retaliation for the murders of the three workers some of the rioters throw a bomb into a crowd of police which left one police officer die. The Courts didn’t place any of the blame on the police officers but did convict five people in the murder of the police officer. The public went crazy and continued protesting and riot. In 1893, Governor John Peter Altgeld pardoned the five prisoners due to lack of evidence and an unfair trial. Ever since that tragedy occurred people view May Day as a national holiday. These events have shaped views of people all around the world. From Mexico to Australia, Germany to South Korea. In South Korea, the workers view May Day as the result of the workers struggle for independence, equality and fair work hours. Workers and trade unions organized rallies, demonstrations and marches to show workers unity. And in 1994, the government changed International Worker’s Day from March 10 to May 1st, which was a huge for Koreans. For Korean’s May Day signifies workers struggle, collective bargaining for wages and working conditions. As shown in Korea, the beginning of May Day in America has impacted labor laws in Korea. Due to the fact that May Day has affected labor laws around the world it should be considered a national holiday. Workers should be aware of the fights and the struggles that people had to endure so that they could enjoy normal work days and get paid fair wages. By making May Day a national holiday they would understand.
ReplyDeleteAmanda Long
C Block
phillipe rony renoird
ReplyDeletemay day in other words labor day is a way for a nations workers and worker union leaders to voice there opinions on wages and there rights as humans and workers.they hold peaceful demonstrations of protest so the can accomplish there unions agenda and mission.but there protesting are not really peaceful there are towns being destroy buildings a lot of property damage its really not any peace at all they try to force there agenda.in Australia they have there own may day which they i have a celebration of there workforce present past and future.wto is here to protect human rights in trade so there monitor trade to see if its fair and company's are doing right by there employees.
in my view we should not to this holiday its shows to make more negative then positive
and may encourage a socialistic economy and we have capitalism in place.
May day is celebrated by thousands of workers around the world Every year. May Day is similar to the Labor Day in the United States. May Day originated from strike on 1886 in Chicago by about 35000 workers who protested against long working days. When workers forced workers to work until they finish their job. As the result three people were killed and one of them was officer. There were five people who were suspected in killing the officer. They were sentenced to death penalty. But because of lack of evidences, out of 35000 crowd it would be nearly impossible to find real evidences, those people were pardoned. Since then the May Day started to be celebrated around the world in many countries. During May Day People are going crazy. In case if United States adopts May Day which be like second Labor Day. In this case people will be working less and they might protest for shorter working days. This will greatly depress the economy. First of all production on the US factories will decrease and exports will decrease, this way US will take lower position in trade economy. Second of all some countries will refuse trade with United States because the economy will be unstable. So United States should not adopt May Day in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteGreg K
Block D
May Day is an international workers day and it is celebrated in many different countries.
ReplyDeleteYou can say that it is similar to labor day, which is what we celebrate. This is such an important day to many people because of the injustices that were occurring many years ago. So much so that unfortunately in one of the strikes in 1886 many workers went on strike. The strike eventually developed into riots where and officer was killed. Three workers were blamed with circumstantial evidence yet they spent many years in jail. People were angry at the injustices of the work place, as well as the treatment they received in the hands of the police. Ever since this incident occurred, the observance of May Day has become a yearly routine in many countries. The United States already observes labor day, so it would not make sense to have another day observing the same thing. Also I believe it would open up a can of worms.
For example, in an article entitled, "Mexico Backs, Day Without Immigrants, the government of Mexico said it would back such a day. They also encouraged many of it's people to do the same. Particularly those who lived in California. They said it would be a historic day in the US, and immigrants would make their presence felt. The day would call for a national boycott were all Mexican workers would not report to work. They would also stay home from school and not buy or sell anything. If workers chose to do this it would cause a great deal of disruption, and definitely effect many things. I understand why they would feel the need to do this. Part of it is their need to some sense of appreciation or recognition. But I believe in the long run it would effect us all.
ReplyDeleteMay Day aka international workers day, activism for workers in their family, the strike movement for an 8 hour workday which gained momentum in cities in 1886, for example in Chicago this movement had escalated to a riot resulting in 3 deaths of workers, therefore, workers had wanted revenge, in particular one worker threw a bomb at a police officer, sadly killing him. No one was directly linked to the evidence, however, five union workers were indirectly linked to this attack, were convicted and received death sentences, in accordance the public look back on this misconstrued mis trail, they hold an annual protest which is suppose to solve and relinquish the source of mistrials and bring back a sense of fairness and responsibility in the American society. In 1893 Governor. John Peter Altgeld granted the three imprisoned hay market offend ants absolute pardon due to the lack of evidence against them and the unfairness of the trial. Subsequently, one of them committed suicide in prison, causing a ...while the immediate result of the hay market affair did not at first seemed successful, the unions and the trade working industry successfully negotiated an 8 hr workday in 1890. The Fair Labor Standards Act established a fair work day in 1938 as part of FDR's new deal reform, inspired by success of the American labor movements Mexico and France honored May Day in 1890, and the movement was a global success. In Australia May Day is an important annual event that remembers those who suffered hardships, although conquered desperate times to ensure a fair conditional atmosphere. May Day common day for celebration among various countries, t he rush to free market has made it suitable for WTO and helps promote growth in the worldwide economy with the commonality of general freedom among nations. We should adopt it because it honors those who sacrificed their lives in order to spread freedom among nation, making the workforce a place where we as Americans can part take in the commonwealth of fairness in a global perspective.
ReplyDeleteJustin Castro
D-Block
May Day is known as an International Worker's Day. It is very similar to Labor Day. It is an international day of activism for working people and their families. The May Day first came up in 1886. It started in Chicago and 35000 workers were protesting the long work. People didn't want to work long hours anymore, including the little pay for those long hours. From April 25- May 3 , May Day escalated into a riot, resulting in the deaths of three workers. Still the strikers continued with the riot. The 12 day shifts got cut down to 8 hour work shifts. Some May Days were violent, while others weren't. In Austraila, May Day is part of a long weekend, where people can spend time with family and friends, have barbeques and watch sports. While looking at the photos of May Day, they have a picture of a man breaking a window of a shop in London. Police tried to keep everything under control. In another photo, the police charge after May day protesters through a bonfire. The WTO helps all of us by creating jobs, and they regulate trade. May Day is now being celebrated all over the world, but the United States doesn't need May day as a holiday. Also, May Day is violent in some countires, and the United States doesn't need anything violent. This would make things worse because the police would be invested in this, while many other problems are going on as well. We already have Labor Day to celebrate which is just like how Austraila celebrates their May Day.
ReplyDeleteAmanda Aasen
C Block
JOSE VALENTIN
ReplyDeleteD-BLOCK
May Day is a holiday also known as International Workers Day. It is an international day of activism for people who are employed. It started in 1886 when 35,000 protesters in Chicago marched down the streets arguing about very little wages and to cut down working hours to eight hours. Today many other countries celebrate May Day such as South Korea, Mexico,Cuba, and Australia. South Korea celebrates May Day at first under the Japanese Imperialistic
rule in 1923. 2,000 workers protested for a cut on their hours and higher wages.
Since 1989, Korean workers held May Day rallies every year as International Workers Day, honoring the workers struggle for independence, democracy and solidarity. In the early 90s, workers and trade unions massive rallies, demonstrations and marches to show workers unity. And finally, in 1994, the government changed Labor Day from March 10 to May 1st, which was a great victory for Korean struggle.The WTO can take a big part on May Day because people are demanding certain rights, and through imports and trade, people can be given more opportunities.
May Day is an example of Globalization because many other nations are adopting
the ways and idea of May Day to commemorate the people who work and their families. I believe May Day is a good way to honor those who fight for their rights, but should be questioned if should be celebrated here in the U.S because we already have Labor Day. We don't want our people protesting and causing a riot in the streets.
Jose VAlentin
May Day also known as International Workers Day is a holiday celebrated by many workers internationally around the globe. It's a day that acknowledges the economic and social accomplishments for workers around the world. May Day had first transpired in 1886 because employees wanted to have their workday cut down to eight hours. In Chicago 35,000 workers had went on strike. This strike had escalated into many huge riots. As a result 3 citizens died from police brutality and one police officer had died from a bombing attack. Court sessions could not locate one person for the murder of the police officer. The government had accused five people and they were sentenced to the death penalty. After this had happened, the public went insane. They continued to protest even more. The Chicago governor John Peter Altgeld in 1893 had discharged the prisoners but they were already dead. For the lack of police evidence and a biased trial. From that day on, this has become a national holiday all around the world. I think May Day has to do with Globalization because it has a major impact all around the world. This has influenced Mexico, Germany, Australia, South Korea and Cuba. In South Korea, the year of 1923 over two thousand workers had thrown a May Day celebration. They were demanding hours to be cut down, enlarge their income, and hinder unemployment. Also in 1994 the government changed May Day from the tenth to the first. This was an enormous triumph for the Korean people. For the Korean people, May Day represents how hard the people have struggled working very long hours, low income, and vile working conditions. A symbol of hope and victory, and their hard work had paid off. In my opinion, I feel that the United States should not adopt May Day as a federal holiday because we already celebrate Labor Day. And if the U.S adopts Labor Day, I think people are going to act really stupid and ignorant. People are going to probably burn a car, or break in a store, start a fight with somebody, and this could end up in a riot. People can get killed for someone acting like an idiot.
ReplyDeleteAdrian Nieves C-Block
May Day, or International Day, originated back in 1886 reason being people wanted an eight hour work day. To bring attention to this topic a strike began including 35,000 strikers, protesting for over a week. As the strike progressed, chaos escalated. Riots were beginning and it resulted in three deaths of workers and even went beyond that to a protestor throwing a bomb at a police officer and killing him. Although no solid evidence of involvement, five union workers were convicted of this crime and were sentenced to the death penalty. This outraged the public therefore this became the beginning of annual protests on May first. In 1938, the Fair Labor Standards Act launched the eight hour work day as a federal labor regulation. In continuation, many locations such as Mexico, the UK, Australia, France, etc, have taken part in this movement, aiding it to grow to be predominantly popular.
ReplyDeleteSome use this holiday as just a day to relax, or spend some time with their family, while others may use it as a vacation time. In Australia, there are marches hold around Labor Day lead by political leaders and include union members in the march. In Australia the working hours used to be ludicrous. Some people would be working twelve hours a day, six days a week. That would leave barely any time for your family and almost no time for yourself. As a result, since 1948, Labor Day in Australia has been designated to the first Monday in March, marking the success of the eight hour work day.
The WTO can shine light on this topic because their job is to regulate trade. The point of the strike wasn’t for free trade, it was for fair trade which is an aspect maybe only the WTO could reach.
In my opinion, May Day/ International Worker’s Day is basically the same thing as Labor Day. So many days for the same meaning would cause people to lose interest in these special days; therefore they would lose their purpose. It is important to give people this satisfaction, encouraging them that their words and opinions are important and considered, therefore instead of just adopting the day then maybe they should combine it with Labor Day since the two days do relate.
Jessica Mallozzi
Block A
Due to the articles that I have read concerning May Day and the International Worker’s day, I see that the purpose of May 1st is to respect the workforce of people worldwide and to honor them. This is a very similar idea to what we have in America in the form of the holiday of Labor Day. However, other nations do not celebrate it the same way that we do. In fact, these collaborations of people could not even be called celebrations. The majority of actions taken on May 1st are drastic demonstrations of people trying to get better work benefits and jobs. In Russia, during the time of the Soviet Union’s reign of power, May Day celebrated the Soviet’s great power. Now it is a nostalgic holiday calling for better job wages and more socialistic guarantees for the people. In Mexico City, many video stores have been running low of a certain movie called “A Day Without a Mexican”. This film shows exactly what would if Mexican Americans suddenly disappeared from California. These two topics show how globalization affected the world. After all, this day was started in the United States and has grown into this national “holiday”. This day should not be adopted into an American holiday for many reasons. The first and foremost being that the United States already has Labor Day, honoring the country’s workforce and America arguably has better wages and benefits than other countries. America doesn’t need a day like this that might start any more rebellious natures in it’s citizens.
ReplyDeleteJohn Schiavone
C-Block
May Day is an internationally renowned holiday that is celebrated on May 1st. On this day, the rights and causes of workers worldwide are commemorated. Workers are given the ability to express their opinions regarding work through uproar and disorder. I learned that many people are very firm when it comes to standing up for what they believe in. I also learned that workers could get violent when fighting for their opinions. For example, the strikers in Chicago attracted immediate attention when almost 35,000 came together to fight for their rights. From April 25th to May 3rd, workers had caused riots resulting in the deaths of three workers and one police officer. This had then escalated into bigger problems causing bigger disputes. May Day relates to the topic of globalization because more and more countries are adopting this day for workers’ rights, such as Cuba and Germany. Trade regulations could also be linked to May Day because without workers, there would be unsuccessful trade.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I think the United States should adopt May Day as a federal holiday because people do have the right to express their opinions and what they believe in. Exposing your personal opinion about something could help make the working place better and many people could benefit from this. If it wasn’t for this day, people wouldn’t receive pay for the hours they work. However, in order to avoid the extreme riots, I think that security and safety should be heightened and raised to its highest peak.
Haynes Yatco, C-Block
May Day is the celebration of the progress laborers around the world have made for better social and economic treatment in their jobs. Perhaps what makes it so special is that like a disease, the ideals behind this day were infectious among the general public, spreading to a number of nations. May Day, or as it is called Labour Day in Australia, was derived originally from ongoing strikes in the U.S. in industrial cities during the late 1800’s. What these laborers were fighting for was for the city to grant them an eight-hour work day in hopes that they would gain more rights in the long run. When many industries finally relented and established this eight-hour working limit, the strikers’ work had finally paid off. May Day is a reminder of not only how hardworking and deserving most of these laborers are but is also a direct effect of globalization. Had newspapers from the New York and London Times not reached other nations exclaiming the overwhelming success of the eight-hour limit, this day wouldn’t be here today. However, technology has made the transfer of ideas to other parts of the world so quick and accessible that it is really globalization one should thank for initiating May Day. Not too long after hearing about conditions in the U.S., many Australian laborers began to question their own rights, feeling that they too had unfair work hours. Finally, in 1891 Australia officially celebrated its first May Day, implying that the government gave in to the worker’s protests. Today, Australians celebrate May Day by spending time with their families and relaxing, so May Day can also be seen as a rewarding day off. In my opinion, I believe that the U.S. should certainly celebrate this day, mostly in part because it is a key piece in history to some of the rights we have today. Do we not observe Martin Luther King’s birthday as a remembrance of our civil rights? If we make May Day better known in the U.S. then we will also remember the effort people in the past have made to help establish fair working rights.
ReplyDeleteChristina Tsang D-Block
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteInternational Workers Day or May Day is the commemoration of the 1886 Haymarket Massacre which took place in Chicago. A person threw a bomb at police as they tried to end a public meeting. The strike was about the workday and the fight for an 8 hour work day. Police fired back on the demonstrators, killing several of them and police officers.
ReplyDeleteIn many countries the working class made May Day an official holiday. In some places bonfires are lit in memory of the Haymarket event. In communist countries such as China, Cuba, and the former Soviet Union, May Day celebrations usually feature military parades.
In the United States and Canada, the official holiday for workers is Labor Day which is in September. This was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor who organized the first parade in New York City.
According to the article Mayday in Korea, http://mayday.nodong.net/2000/laborday/Khistorye.htm ) the first May Day was organized in 1923, by an independent workers organization. In 1987 Korean workers all over the country protested low wages, long working hours and working conditions. As a result 1,000 new unions inspired the working class. Since 1989 Korean workers held May Day rallies every year.
In my opinion Labor Day is not celebrated as it should in the US. For the most part, this holiday is celebrated with family picnics or barbecues, and it usually symbolizes the end of summer, not commemorating the working class. I think that Labor Day should be more of a time where people regard the rights of the working class, and remember those who fought to bring justice to the working class people.
May Day, generally celebrated around the world on May 1 is dedicated to all laborers and their progress through the economic hardships many had to endure. The United States welcomes all but to Mexican immigrants it is truly a land of opportunity. Many come here to seek out a chance at a new life or perhaps start a family or support their family. Today there are about 12 million undocumented immigrants that live within the U.S. In Mexico City a film has been on high demand that speaks of California is Latinos were to disappear out of not where. The film “A Day Without a Mexican” directed by Sergio Arau, mainly speaks about how Mexican immigrant have impacted our economy and why they are an important aspect in our economic system. The film itself has sparked a nationwide boycott of American products on May 1st, International Labour Day held by immigrant groups in the United States. Considered a comedy, the movie ends with border patrol hugging Mexican migrants as a way to portray the U.S dependence on immigrant workers and why they are such an important part of our economy as well as our nation. As a result of the film, the members of the U.S senate reached a compromise agreement that would create a guest worker program for 400,000 migrant workers. This program may lead to possible citizenship but has not achieved consensus support. In my opinion the U.S does not have to adopt MayDay because we already have something very similar to it, Labor Day in the United States is dedicated to all the hard working employees that run our country and provide the necessary products we need on a daily basis.
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On may day protestors assembled to protest global capitalism. During this protest workers demanded higher wages and more perks. May Day protests got increasingly violent. People broke windows and trashed cities. It’s celebrated in South Korea, Cuba, Germany, Mexico, and Australia. Many feel it should be celebrated in the united states. In Chicago the workers strike on May 3 turned into a riot resulting in the deaths of three workers. A lot of strikers blamed the police for these murders and continued protesting, in my opinion, the US should not adopt the celebration of May Day. In many countries where it’s celebrated, May Day can become very violent, and that violence can very quickly elevate. May Day should also not be honored because the ideas behind it hurt the economy. Workers should be treated fairly but not to the point were the county cant economically progress.
ReplyDeleteMay Day, also known as International Worker’s Day, is an international day of activism for working people and their families. The origins of May Day can be traced to the national strike movement for an 8 hour work day which gained momentum in the industrial American cities in 1886. It seems to me that May Day is also similar to our Labor Day. It is celebrated in South Korea, Cuba, Germany, Mexico, and Austrialia. I dont see the need for it to be celebrated in the United States. In other countries this holiday leads to more protests and our government cant afford this type of news and money loss. It can relate to trade regulations, because without the workers, any trade would become unsuccessful. If workers are content at their job, they will be more willing to give the work that’s needed of them, allowing for whatever it is they are working on to be traded. The WTO can also intervene if there is a problem related to the trade of a country. During May Day many people go crazy and riots start to break loss and can affect the global economy harshly.
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May Day (besides being a term mostly used to describe a state of panic) is a day created to commemorate the economical advancements and achievements made by workers everywhere. One of the main origins of this day of recognition can be traced to the industrial revolution period, specifically in 1886 when american factory and industrial workers went on strike in an attempt to gain an eight hour work day. The holiday is celebrated in several countries around the world including Mexico, South Korea, Germany and Cuba. This holiday is quite similar to Labor Day in the United States. May Day has had past tendencies to starting uprisings and protests from any given nations workforce. This may be because those workers are looking for the type of recognition that workers get in countries that participate in the holiday. There isn't really a dire need to implement the holiday into US tradition simply because we already have a holiday that is practically a carbon copy of this one. On this day workers assemble in large numbers to protest any problems they may have with the running of things within the workforce. Perhaps a holiday isn't really needed to signify that...
ReplyDeleteMay day which is also known as “International Working Day” is a day of activism for workers and their families. This day is very similar to “Labor Day” . It is celebrated in Cuba, Germany, South Korea, Australia, and Mexico. This day dates back to 1886 when union workers in the industrial American cities went on a national strike and fought for an 8 hour work day. In Chicago, the strike received attention through out the nation when 35,000 strikers were protesting from April 25th -May 3rd. It went from a movement to a battle scene. A few people died during the protest. Although the workers received what they wished for, they had to struggle to achieve it. The United States should consider this a holiday because we already have a similar holiday for such a thing. Having another would be pointless and a waste of a holiday. Also riots don’t need to be formed and cause havoc throughout the country.
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After reading about the practices that take place on "May Day" i have concluded the following. May Day was a celebration of communism in the Soviet Era, but when communism fell at the end of the Cold War it became a protest day for all who oppose Free Trade and Globalization. These protested ideals relate to a recurring topic in class. Outsourcing seems to be very offensive to the May Day protesters, who claim is is not fair to the laborers, or the workers in the home country who are apparently losing out on jobs. Outsourcing is a textbook example of Globalization and free trade, which these protesters despise. Another example of the type of thing May Day protesters protest, is cultural diffusion. Say for example, McDonald's in China, iPads sold worldwide, imported coffee from columbia, etc etc. Personally, i believe that as a nation with a reputation, and constitution, that endorses tolerance, we should honor the fact that many disagree with our methods, and grant them the right to protest, peacefully of course.
May Day is an international holiday which is celebrated by workers to celebrate and recognize all the people who work and make a living for themselves and their families. In 1886, employees’ work hours were extended to 8-hour shifts without different wages which obviously made citizens very unhappy. As a result, thousands of strikers in Chicago rebelled which lead to crazy riots. These riots were a result of the death of 3 employees who were supposedly killed by the police trying to control the strikers. May Day then became a holiday in multiple countries including Cuba, Germany, Mexico, and more. This would be an example of globalization.
ReplyDeleteMay Day began in Korea in 1923 under the Japanese imperialistic rule. Thousands of strikers protested for less work hours and wage increase. The madness which occurred during this protest lead to the official May Day celebration. On this day, Korean workers recall on their fight against Japanese imperialism. Since there were still rallies occurring about unfair wages in 1994, the official Labor Day date was changed from March 10 to May 1st. The Korean workers viewed this change as a successful victory because it was a result of their hard work and motivation for their issue to be recognized.
The WTO provides job opportunities for people. Trade involves much globalization which forces countries to work together as a team in providing citizens of their everyday needs.
The US should adopt May Day once the unemployment rate decreases because as of right now there is a larger percentage of citizens searching for jobs then there is of those obtaining jobs. Therefore it wouldn’t make much sense to celebrate a holiday about working people. Once the unemployment rate is lower, then we should have a holiday other then Labor Day to honor the improvement of the economy.
May Day is the holiday for Labor day. It is a holiday in which people celebrate their achievements at work, industries etc. It began because all of the works wanted to shorten the work day to 8 hours. In Chicago of 1886, workers had gone on strike. Shortly after, things got out of hand and because of angry police men, 3 people had been killed along with one police officer. No one knew who to blame for the killing but 5 citizens had still been punished. Governor John Altgeld set free the prisoners because he considered the trial to be unfair and lacked evidence. People all over the world soon started speaking of the incident. South Koreans see May Day as a day in which workers for independence and freedom. Workers in Korea began to do many things for May Day so that the message would be shown to the world! In 1994, the government made Labor Day an official holiday on May 1st when originally it was on March 10th. Even though May Day began in Chicago in the United States, it effected nations world wide. Because of May Day, workers received their rights and true freedom. Workers all over the world suffered for their pay and worked under very tough circumstances/poor working conditions. If it weren't for the holiday, many would still suffer. Thanks to those on strike that day, it opened the eyes of many everywhere. I think the United States should most definitely celebrate this holiday because it is yet another crisis that occurred in US history and should be noticed. Labor Day does not effect nations world wide but May Day DID/DOES. This is for the workers! They've worked hard to be where they are today and this day needs to celebrated!
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ReplyDeleteMay Day is an international holiday on May 1st to celebrate the achievements of all hard workers throughout economic hardship. Even though May Day (also known as Labor Day) is celebrated world wide, it is celebrated differently throughout different parts in the world. In Australia, Labor Day is celebrated as a part of a long weekend in which families come together and relax. The history of Labor Day in Australia dates back over a century. It is an important event in which all remember the struggle and victory of keeping all working conditions in Australia fair. During the mid to late 1800s the working day in Australia was very long. Some employees would work 12 hour days and six days a week. Soon after Australians saw the need for better working conditions. On April 21st 1856, stonemasons at the University of Melbourne went to the Parliament House to ask for 8 hour working days instead of 12. An agreement with employers was made and Australian workers now worked 8 hour days. This was a huge victory. Soon after, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania joined in on 8 hour working days. This relates to globalization because when other nations saw that Australia achieved the 8 hour working days, other nations felt that they could do it as well. The first day that May Day was celebrated over 1000 people marched and carried banners. The Australian Labor Day was moved from May to March. I feel that the US should adopt May Day as a federal holiday as it is in Australia. I believe all the hard workers around the world should have a holiday that shows that they are appreciated. People often feel as if when having a job you're always working. Your always working toward earning more money or a certain goal. So, there should just be that one day where people who work hard can relax and actually be honored and appreciated. Globalization comes into this because not only in certain nations should there be a May Day, all over the world hard workers should be celebrated. In places such as Africa and Iraq May Day should be celebrated. Globalization helps spread this holiday. In class we talk about how globalization is used for trade and products but it should also be used to spread ideas and May Day.