May Day
(Labor day)
By : Rabia Arshad (3rd year)
The sun was charring down the city, though it was unusual for early May. While most of the people ravished a plus-holiday-weekend in their posh, anti-weather charmed rooms, few worked outside on what were freshly-baked gravel roads or steamed under construction buildings or smoke puffing, rocking machinery-the labor. Barely any of them was bothered by ‘the day’. If they were to take it holiday, their family would have to have a ‘no hunch day’…
1st of May is globally celebrated as ‘The Labor Day’. It marks important victory of trade unions that operated across the world. It’s a national holiday in Australia, New Zealand, EURO countries, United States and some other Asian countries, where it is observed with its due valor. It was after WWII that movements for labor rights surged up against capitalism. What they won up to 1880 was ‘bargaining right’. In 1886, a few laborers in Chicago preferred their blood on issue of working hours and therefore, turn the feeble scattered movements into a strong drive. In 1889, a congress of World Socialist Parties held in Paris voted to support the United States labor movement’s demand for an eight-hour day. It chose May 1, 1980, as a day of demonstration in favor of eight –hour day.
What importance for the day is that we assure, yes, this is a holiday!!! By and large (for interest of labors) they are told that their rights as in increased salaries, better medical facilities, housing and education would be granted soon. New packages are announced. Labor unions and organizations swirl up- debates and speeches, promising the ultimate to the labor. Public awareness walks, banners and parades dot the media and the roads. Yet, only few trade organizations, at the fundamental level, yield to the promises. Labor at work, people at home, a small party at factory cafeteria, a promising note by the patron- that’s how the Labor Day ends for the majority of the labor. On 1st May all sympathies go with labor which turns out ‘Para sympathies’ on the very 2nd May.
What we should remember is that these are the people who materialize our ideas. The work rain or shine and earn by sweat of their brow. Though not in society but in religion they have their rights and status and we owe them respect and humane treatment if for nothing.
