International Workers' Day, also known as Labor Day or May Day, falls on May 1 and is a public holiday in over 80 countries. It is meant to celebrate the contributions of workers, promote their rights, and commemorate the labor movement.

While May Day is also a holiday to mark the arrival of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, it became associated with trade union activities in the late 19th century. Protest rallies and strikes take place around the world on this day.

Today, International Workers’ Day is observed on the first day of May on every continent. And now it’s time to celebrate this day literally all over the world!

Why do we need International Workers' Day? 
International Workers' Day is a celebration of working people and a day when people campaign for decent work and fair pay. Thanks to action taken by workers over many years, millions of people have won fundamental rights and protections. Minimum wages have been established, there are limits on working hours, and people have the right to paid holidays and sick pay. 

However, in recent years, working conditions in many situations have got worse. Since the global financial crisis of 2008, part-time, short-term and badly paid work has become more common, and state pensions are at risk. We have also seen the rise of the 'gig economy', where companies hire workers casually for one short job at a time. These workers don't have the usual rights to paid holidays, the minimum wage or redundancy pay. Solidarity with other workers is as important as ever.

How to Celebrate International Workers’ Day
This day was always meant to celebrate the work of the everyday, so for those who may have been feeling a bit underappreciated recently, today might be a good day for you to do what you feel like doing and treat yourself!

Try out some of these other ideas for getting involved and celebrating International Workers’ Day:

Take a Day to Yourself
Take the day and go do something that you want to do for a change. Consider some of these ways to find enjoyment and rest:

Has it been ages since you visited the mountains? Pack a lunch and spend the day enjoying nature and the view from the mountain peak you decide to conquer.

Has your back been causing you increasing discomfort recently? Time to make an appointment with a good masseuse!

And if it’s been forever since you took the time to make yourself a decent meal, today is the perfect day to buy all of the ingredients you need and spend as much time as you want cooking something delicious and nutritious.

No matter what is chosen, this is the day to do something enjoyable and restful!

Attend an International Workers’ Day Event
For those who might be feeling a bit more politically inclined, this day offers an ideal opportunity to attend one of the many rallies or marches that are often organized in many cities worldwide. These rallies and marches are typically organized and dedicated to raising awareness about fair wages and fair working conditions. After all, the first step towards making any kind of change is making people aware of the issue!

Learn About the History of Workers’ Rights
This day is the ideal time to head over to the library and do a little research and read about different situations that have led up to the celebration of International Workers’ Day. For instance, start by researching these pivotal topics:

Victorian Workhouses. Infamous for their exploitation of the weak and the poor, even children fell victim to these houses that were essentially prisons in 18th century England.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. In a New York City factory in 1911, the exits and stairwells were kept locked to keep workers from taking unauthorized breaks. When a fire broke out, 123 women and girls and 23 men, mostly immigrants, died.

Sweatshops. Even today, sweat factories exist as crowded workplaces with poor and sometimes illegal conditions, including poor ventilation, low lighting, high/low temperatures, unfair wages, unhealthy or dirty environments, child labor, extended hours without breaks and much more.

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."
 – Happy International Worker’s Day