2. INTERNATIONAL WORKERS' DAY
It is a celebration of laborers and the working classes.
It is promoted by the international labor movement.
It occurs every year on May Day, 1 May, an ancient
European spring holiday.
The date was chosen by the Second International -an
organization of socialist and labour parties formed
in Paris on July
14, 1889- to commemorate the Haymarket affair (Chicago, 4
May
1886).
It is a national public holiday in many countries.
4. INTERNATIONAL WORKERS' DAY
As a day of struggle and labor claim has been linked
to the conquest of the working day of eight
hours since its origins.
During the second phase of the Industrial
Revolution the factory workers, including women
and children, endured days 12, 14 and up to 18
hours.
The need to shorten working hours became clear in
the last third of the nineteenth century.
IV Congress of the American Federation of Labor
(Chicago, November 1884): It was proposed that
employers would be forced to respect the 8-hour
day since 1 May 1886 and, if not, would go on
strike.
5. INTERNATIONAL WORKERS' DAY
In 1886, the President of the United States, Andrew
Johnson, made public the Ingersoll Act,
establishing eight-hour workday.
As this law was not fulfilled, labor unions were
mobilized and workers paralyzed the country with
more than five thousand strikes.
The most famous episode of this struggle was the
unfortunate incident of May 1886 in Haymarket
Square in Chicago
During a demonstration against the brutal
repression of a recent strike a bomb killed
several policemen.
6. INTERNATIONAL WORKERS' DAY
Although they could never find out who was
responsible for this attack, the authorities
blamed the crime on workers and more than 30
people were arrested.
Seven of them were accused, summarily tried and
sentenced to death, but ultimately only five
anarchist leaders were executed.
The May 1 Labor Day was appointed by agreement
of the Socialist Workers Congress (1889) of the
Second International in memory of these five
people, known as "Martyrs of Chicago".
8. WORKERS' DAY IN SPAIN
The Congress took the decision to hold the May 1 as
a major international event for all countries
workers for claiming the reduction of the workday
to eight hours.
Pablo Iglesias -founder and leader of the Socialist
Party and UGT labor union- attended this
Congress held in Paris.
Spanish Socialists took the decision that thereafter
the day should be a full affirmation of the
workers' struggle.
Celebrations should be organized, always peaceful
mood.
9. WORKERS' DAY IN SPAIN
The Spanish Socialists feared that there would be a
few participation on the appointed day, so they
opted to call the demonstration for Sunday May
4th.
The newspapers published apocalyptic articles
against the working mobilization.
The civil governor of Madrid recalled the penalties
established by law and the Penal Code and the
mayor mobilized his guards and police at
strategic locations in the capital.
Despite all this, the demonstration was a success.
10. WORKERS' DAY IN SPAIN
We commemorate the 125th anniversary of the first
celebration of May 1 in Spain.
We have to emphasize the existence of a clear
thread of continuity between that May 1, 1890
and today.
It retains its double meaning:
1) Represents a festive day, affirming the work.
2) Continues to be a day of struggle for the rights
of workers.
11. WORKERS' DAY IN SPAIN.
HISTORICAL EVOLUTION
1890-1923
During the first decades of celebration of
May 1, the Bourbon monarchy remained
generally tolerant attitude towards all
activities that workers programmed for
that day.
1923-1929
This tolerance was cut during the
dictatorship of General Miguel Primo de
Rivera that banned demonstrations.
12. WORKERS' DAY IN SPAIN.
HISTORICAL EVOLUTION
1931-1939
In 1931, the provisional government of the
Second Republic declared non-working
day and gave the day the recognition it
deserves.
Those years were mass demonstrations
throughout Spain. More than 300 000
people marched in Madrid.
But again the Civil War marked its existence
for many years.
13. WORKERS' DAY IN SPAIN.
HISTORICAL EVOLUTION
1939-1975
The victory of Franco's side -April 1, 1939- resulted
in the total defeat of the labor movement.
Their organizations were banned; its leaders and
militants executed, imprisoned or exiled;
collective rights to strike, assembly and other
deleted.
Franco ratified the suspension of May 1 as Labour
Day, who moved to July 18 as the Feast of
Exaltation of the National Labor denying its
protest identity.
14. WORKERS' DAY IN SPAIN.
HISTORICAL EVOLUTION
1975-2015
May 1 celebration was again established after the
death of Franco in 1975.
The first time it was celebrated was in 1977, when
the Comuuunist Party was legalized.
Since then, it has become an official holiday that
has been traditionally used by trade unions and
labor parties for social and labour vindications.
Commonly, pacific demonstrations and parades
occur in major and minor cities.
15. WORKERS' DAY IN SPAIN.
Typical activities in celebrations that
various labor groups perform on May 1:
Political celebrations
a) Compliance unemployment.
b) Political meeting.
c) A public demonstration.
16. WORKERS' DAY IN SPAIN.
Festive or playful celebrations
They are the activities undertaken sign of
celebration and joy, which serve to relax and
distract workers:
a) Gira campestre. Is the typical act of pleasure
that was made in almost all populations in
nearby places of natural beauty.
b) Other acts. They used evenings, concerts and
functions perfomed theatre in the labor unions
buildings to educate workers.
17. WORKERS' DAY AND
GLOBALIZATION
The globalization has generated social inequalities and economic
migration in recent decades.
All this has returned to May 1st full day today as workers struggle,
because unfortunately are losing many of those hard-won rights of
workers.
