OVERVIEW

For more than a century, May 1 or May Day as it is known, has often been marked by civil unrest by workers. This began in the late 19^th century, when industrial workers demanded improved working conditions, wage increases, and restrictions on maximum work hours and days.[1]

The origins of May Day itself can be traced back to three historical events. The first is the 1886 Chicago Haymarket Square riot, which started as a demonstration for the reduction of work hours to 8 hours a day.[2] The second event was the 1889 Paris International Socialist Congress, which also called for a limitation on working hours to 8 hours a day. This Congress also introduced a coordinated proposal on holding an international demonstration of workers on 1 May 1890.[3]