Happy May 1 In't Worker's Day

[istanbulin]

Although May Day is a commemoration of an old sad affair, workers nearly all around the World celebrate it for their acquisitions as well as declaring their demands. This is a public holiday in most countries. So I wish everybody a World without not only labor but also all type of exploitations.

There's a good old Italian folk song about this issue "Bella Ciao". Most of you may know it as a partisan song but actually it was a folk song. During the WWII people turned it to a partisan song. Original lyrics of the song is different but make sense with the May 1.

Original mondine Lyrics (Eng.) In the morning upon awaking O bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! In the morning upon awaking we must go to the rice-fields And between the insects and the mosquitoes O bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! And between the insects and the mosquitoes, a hard work I must perform. The boss standing tall with his club O bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! The boss standing tall with his club, and we bent at our hard work. O mamma mia, o what a torment O bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! O mamma mia, o what a torment, I have to cry for you each morn. But there will come a day that we all O bella, ciao! bella, ciao! bella, ciao, ciao, ciao! But there will come a day that we all will work in liberty

 

[Boboro]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

We call it april fools day.

 

[Knucklehead]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

Only in Mississippi. lol

 

[FmGrowit]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

Happy Laborer's Day to all of our international members and visitors.

This thread has a very high potential to become political. So I would appreciate everyone keeping their thoughts to themselves and just play nice. I know that's not the American way, but this holiday should make you appreciate that all the more.

 

[Boboro]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

Climbit change has got me a whole month off. Or it could be senility. But no worry I oreded me some of them low T pills. Ill be up to snuff in no time.

 

[DonH]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

Happy real Labor Day!

 

[Knucklehead]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

I'm obviously missing something. Wikipedia mentions nothing sad or political. I think of the May pole and May baskets. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day

 

[Boboro]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

Im A Ms.pagan.

 

[DonH]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

I'm obviously missing something. Wikipedia mentions nothing sad or political. I think of the May pole and May baskets. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day

In most parts of the world, May 1 is Labor Day or International Workers Day. The U.S. moved it to another day because May 1 commemorates the Haymarket massacre in Chicago and smacks of socialism, anarchism, social unrest and all that stuff. From Wikipedia:

International Workers' Day is the commemoration of the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago. The police were trying to disperse a public assembly during a general strike for the eight-hour workday, when an unidentified person threw a bomb at them. The police reacted by firing on the workers, killing four demonstrators. "Reliable witnesses testified that all the pistol flashes came from the center of the street, where the police were standing, and none from the crowd. Moreover, initial newspaper reports made no mention of firing by civilians. A telegraph pole at the scene was filled with bullet holes, all coming from the direction of the police."

In 1889, the first congress of the Second International, meeting in Paris for the centennial of the French Revolution and the Exposition Universelle, following a proposal by Raymond Lavigne, called for international demonstrations on the 1890 anniversary of the Chicago protests.[SUP][5][/SUP] May Day was formally recognized as an annual event at the International's second congress in 1891.

Subsequently, the May Day Riots of 1894 occurred. In 1904, the International Socialist Conference meeting in Amsterdam called on "all Social Democratic Party organizations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on May First for the legal establishment of the 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace." The congress made it "mandatory upon the proletarian organizations of all countries to stop work on May 1, wherever it is possible without injury to the workers.[SUP]"
[/SUP]

In many countries, the working classes sought to make May Day an official holiday, and their efforts largely succeeded. May Day has long been a focal point for demonstrations by various socialist, communist and anarchist groups. In some circles[SUP][which?][/SUP], bonfires are lit in commemoration of the Haymarket martyrs, usually at dawn.[SUP][7][/SUP] May Day has been an important official holiday in countries such as the People's Republic of China, North Korea, Cuba and the former Soviet Union. May Day celebrations typically feature elaborate popular and military parades in these countries.


In the United States and Canada, however, the official holiday for workers is Labor Day in September. This day was promoted by the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, who organized the first parade in New York City. After the Haymarket Massacre, US President Grover Cleveland feared that commemorating Labor Day on May 1 could become an opportunity to commemorate the affair. Thus he moved in 1887 to support the Labor Day that the Knights supported.[SUP]

[/SUP]

In 1955, the Catholic Church dedicated May 1 to "Saint Joseph The Worker". The Catholic Church considers Saint Joseph the patron saint of (among others) workers and craftsmen.[SUP][9][/SUP]
Far-right governments have traditionally sought to repress the message behind International Workers' Day, with fascist governments in Portugal, Italy, Germany and Spain abolishing the workers' holiday. 1 May in the US is celebrated as Loyalty Day.

 

[Knucklehead]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

Ok, May Day search gives the touchy feely stuff. International Workers Day the sad stuff.

 

[darren1979]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

Happy May day, im going to be frog marched around the local churches this weekend by the better half as most have fetes the first weekend after may day.

 

[istanbulin]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

Actually, I never think that May Day is related with any regime, it's just related with human rights. May Day is a public holiday here. There're working people as in every country, if they're exploited by employer or gov't, this is the day to speak loudy by thousand. If the workers think that they acquired the desired benefits, they may have a BBQ party this day .

 

[Seanz]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

First I have heard of May day. Down here we have Labour day which celebrates the inroduction of the 40 hour week and employees rights Think womens sufferage might be involved in it too. As we one of the first to give them the vote and and all that.

 

[istanbulin]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

First I have heard of May day. Down here we have Labour day which celebrates the inroduction of the 40 hour week and employees rights...

Actually, May 1 In't Workers' Day is same with the Labour Day, celebrating employees rights. I think the difference is dates and may be politics.

 

[Seanz]

I tend to think that its a good thing to remember as some of the big businesses well down here would like to do away with workers rights and unions etc, actually they have passed some laws recently which inhibit union activity and the whole collective agreements that gave people some bargaining power at the table.

 

[leverhead]

Re: Happy May 1 Int' Worker's Day

I think the difference is dates and may be politics.

In the US? Politics? Naw Our Labor Day is the first Monday in September, The last throws of Summer for most people here. We start our Summer with Memorial Day on the last Monday in May, a much more somber holiday. Unless you're still in school, because Summer recess is almost here.

Happy Beltane! I hope your fires are still smoldering!

 

[darren1979]

May day for us is the unoffical start of the summer, think old men with bells around there ankles hitting sticks and ladys dancing around a may pole. When the romans set up shop here for a while they called it the festival of flora, those wacky Italians.