International Labour Day marked

The International Labour Day marked on 1st May by organizing various programmes by different labour unions and workers, recalling the victory of labourers for their demand for eight-hours of works and legal rights.

International Workers’ Day, also known as Labour Day in some countries and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every year on the first day of May.

The date was chosen in 1889 for political reasons by the Marxist International Social Congress, which met in Paris and established the Second International as a successor to the earlier International Workingmen’s Association. They adopted a resolution for a “great international demonstration” in support of working-class demands for the eight-hour day. The date had been chosen by the American Federation of Labour to continue an earlier campaign for the eight-hour day in the United States, which had been the cause of a general strike beginning on 1 May 1886, and culminated in the Haymarket affair, which occurred in Chicago four days later. May Day subsequently became an annual event. The 1904 Sixth Conference of the Second International, called on “all Social Democratic Party organisations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on the First of May for the legal establishment of the eight-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace”.

On the occasion of May Day, President Bidya Devi Bhandari has stressed the need for a culture to respect labour by highlighting the importance of labour and skills in country’s economic development process. In a message made on the occasion, the President extended the best wishes for happiness, peace and prosperity to all working Nepali sisters and brothers at home and abroad.

President Bhandari has also wished for inspiration to all for working towards ensuring labour rights including decent work, proper wages and social security to the workers. She has stressed the responsibility of all to ensure direct benefit to the working class people through the implementation of constitutional provisions of the Constitution of Nepal to build a socialism-oriented economy on the basis of justice and equality.

President Bhandari has called upon creating employment opportunities at home to the youth who are forced to leave for foreign jobs. Concerned bodies and stakeholders should make continued efforts to safeguard the human rights of migrant workers, she added.

On the same occasion, Prime Minister SherBahadurDeuba has said the labours’ struggle and unity are important to realize change and achievements in the country.

Expressing the best wishes to all labours in the country and abroad PM Deuba reminded that working people had played an important role to wage democratic movements in the country that resulted in present democratic federal republic. “I pay respect to all those who sacrificed their lives for the present achievements in the country,” he said, arguing that workers are the driving forces of the country’s socioeconomic development.

PM Deuba also reminded that the Constitution of Nepal has the fundamental right of a dignified life for every citizen and the elimination of all forms of discrimination and exploitation.

The government is committed to ensuring constitutional rights for the labours along with their right to collective bargaining. The skill-based trainings to workers will be prioritized, according to PM Deuba.

On this occasion, trade unions and labour fraternities are conducting different programs. The Nepal Trade Union Congress organized a rally in Kathmandu in the morning. The rally started from Bhrikutimandap marched through Bhadrakali, New Road Gate and Ratna Park .The rally was converted into an assembly by reaching at Bhaktapur Bus Park, Baghbazar.

Likewise, General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions is scheduled to organized an assembly in Bhrikutimandap in the day. Furthermore, Joint Trade Union Coordination Center (JTUCC), which is a joint union of over a dozen trade unions active in Nepal, is marking this day by organizing a grand rally this afternoon in Kathmandu.