View source for Labour Day

{{short description|Annual holiday to celebrate the achievements of workers}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}}
<!-- please preserve the spelling "labour" in this article except when referring to the United States. -->
[[File:Observance of International Workers' Day RGBY.svg|alt=|thumb|upright=2|Countries and dependencies coloured by observance of [[International Workers' Day]] or a different variant of May Day or Labour Day:
{{legend|#dd3333|Labour Day falls or may fall on 1 May}}
{{legend|#ffcc33|Another public holiday on 1 May}}
{{legend|#00af89|No public holiday on 1 May, but Labour Day on a different date}}
{{legend|#cccccc|No public holiday on 1 May and no Labour Day}}]]
'''Labour Day''' is an official public holiday in many countries. The actual date of the holiday can vary, as the map illustrates. For instance, in North America, it is celebrated on the first Monday in September. In other parts of the world, it is often celebrated on the first Monday in May. It is an annual day of celebration of the [[labour movement]] and the institution of [[Labor rights|achievements]]. It has its origins in the [[trade union|labour union]] movement, specifically the [[eight-hour day movement]], which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.

In most countries, Labour Day is synonymous with, or linked with, [[International Workers' Day]], which happens on 1 May, although celebrated on the first Monday in September in North America. It was originally chosen to commemorate the 1886 general strike which culminated in the [[Haymarket affair]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://time.com/3836834/may-day-labor-history/ |title=The Bloody Story of How May Day Became a Holiday for Workers |last=Rothman |first=Lily |date=1 May 2017 |magazine=Time |language=en |access-date=2 April 2025 }}</ref> In most countries Labour Day is celebrated either on the first Monday in September or on 1 May as indicated in global map. Labour Day is a [[public holiday|public / statutory holiday]] as indicated.

==International Workers' Day==
{{main|International Workers' Day}}

For many countries, "Labour Day" is synonymous with, or linked with, [[International Workers' Day]], which occurs on 1 May.  International Workers' Day commemorates the 1886 [[Haymarket affair]] in [[Chicago]], when there was a general strike for the eight-hour workday.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://time.com/3836834/may-day-labor-history/ |title=The Bloody Story of How May Day Became a Holiday for Workers |last=Rothman |first=Lily |date=1 May 2017 |magazine=Time |language=en |access-date=18 March 2018 |archive-date=28 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628180755/https://time.com/3836834/may-day-labor-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Some countries have a holiday at or around this date, but it is not a Labour Day celebration. Others celebrate Labour Day on the first Monday after 1 May.

==Other dates==

===Australia===
[[File:Queensland State Archives 4773 May Day Procession May 1953.png|thumb|A Labour Day procession in Queensland, 1953]]
Labour Day is a [[Public holidays in Australia|public holiday in Australia]] on dates which vary between [[States and territories of Australia|states and territories]]. In some states the date commemorates the Eight Hours Day march (see below). It is the first Monday in October in the [[Australian Capital Territory]], [[New South Wales]] and [[South Australia]]. In [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]] and [[Tasmania]], it is the second Monday in March (though the latter calls it the [[Eight Hours Day]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://content.legislation.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-04/93-119aa027%20authorised.pdf |title=Public Holidays Act 1993 |publisher=vic.gov.au |access-date=8 October 2024 |archive-date=19 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919000527/https://content.legislation.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-04/93-119aa027%20authorised.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2000-096 |title=Tasmanian Legislation Online: Statutory Holidays Act 2000 |publisher=tas.gov.au |access-date=8 October 2024 |archive-date=3 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241003230751/https://www.legislation.tas.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2000-096 |url-status=live}}</ref> In [[Western Australia]], Labour Day is the first Monday in March.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/prod/filestore.nsf/FileURL/mrdoc_44571.pdf/$FILE/Public%20and%20Bank%20Holidays%20Act%201972%20-%20[02-g0-00].pdf |title=Public and Bank Holidays Act 1972 |publisher=wa.gov.au |access-date=8 October 2024 |archive-date=17 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240617020359/https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/prod/filestore.nsf/FileURL/mrdoc_44571.pdf/$FILE/Public%20and%20Bank%20Holidays%20Act%201972%20-%20[02-g0-00].pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> In [[Queensland]] and the [[Northern Territory]], Labour Day occurs on the first Monday in May (though the latter calls it May Day).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/special-dates-and-events/public-holidays |title=Australian Government: National Public Holidays |publisher=australia.gov.au |access-date=7 March 2016 |archive-date=14 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414132759/https://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/special-dates-and-events/public-holidays |url-status=live}}</ref> It is on the fourth Monday of March in the territory of [[Christmas Island]].

====Victoria====

The first march for an [[Eight-hour day movement|eight-hour day]] by the [[Australian labour movement#Early history|labour movement]] occurred in [[Melbourne]] on 21 April 1856.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://alldownunder.com/australian-dates/holiday-labour-day.htm |title=Australian Public Holidays: Labour Day |work=alldownunder.com |date=1998 |access-date=7 March 2016 |archive-date=19 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619093412/http://alldownunder.com/australian-dates/holiday-labour-day.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> On this day, stonemasons and building workers on building sites around Melbourne stopped work and marched from the [[University of Melbourne]] to [[Parliament House, Melbourne|Parliament House]] to achieve an eight-hour day. Their direct action protest was a success, and they are noted as being among the first organised workers in the world to achieve an eight-hour day, with no loss of pay.<ref name="LewisBalderstone2006">{{cite book |first1=Wendy |last1=Lewis |first2=Simon |last2=Balderstone |first3=John |last3=Bowman |title=Events that Shaped Australia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_6TVAAAACAAJ |access-date=7 March 2016 |year=2006 |publisher=[[New Holland Publishers]] |isbn=978-1-74110-492-9 |page=57}}</ref>

====Queensland====
Labour Day was first celebrated with a public holiday in [[Queensland]] in 1865 as Eight Hours Celebration Day. It occurred on 1 March ([[Saint David's Day]]) and celebrated the winning of an eight-hour work day by [[Brisbane]] workers in 1858. The date was moved to May Day around 1896, in solidarity with the attack on United States workers on the first May Day parade in the [[Haymarket affair]]. In 1901, the holiday was moved to the first Monday in May, to ensure a long weekend.<ref>Radical Brisbane (2004), ISBN 0958079455, pp 231–4.</ref>

=== Bangladesh ===
Bangladesh Garment Sramik Sanghati, an organisation working for the welfare of garment workers, has requested that 24 April be declared Labour Safety Day in [[Bangladesh]], in memory of the victims of the 2013 [[Rana Plaza collapse]].<ref name = "dwelle2404">{{Cite web |title=Thousands mourn collapse victims of Rana Plaza garment factory one year on |publisher=[[Deutsche Welle]] |access-date=20 July 2014 |date=24 April 2014 |url=http://www.dw.de/thousands-mourn-collapse-victims-of-rana-plaza-garment-factory-one-year-on/a-17589288 |archive-date=20 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140720044730/http://www.dw.de/thousands-mourn-collapse-victims-of-rana-plaza-garment-factory-one-year-on/a-17589288 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://bangladesh.officialpublicholidays.com/national-holiday |publisher=Official Public Holidays |title=Bangladesh Official Public Holidays |access-date=27 December 2015 |archive-date=30 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330010026/http://bangladesh.officialpublicholidays.com/national-holiday |url-status=live}}</ref> However, Bangladesh does observe May Day on 1 May.

===The Bahamas===
Labour Day is a [[Public holidays in the Bahamas|national holiday in The Bahamas]], celebrated on the first Friday in June in order to create a long weekend for workers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/bahamas |publisher=timeanddate.com |title=Holidays in The Bahamas in 2015 |access-date=27 December 2015 |archive-date=21 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160121015052/http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/bahamas/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The traditional date of Labour Day in [[The Bahamas]], however, is 7 June, in commemoration of a significant workers' strike that began on that day in 1942. Labour Day is meant to honour and celebrate workers and the importance of their contributions to the nation and society. In the capital city, [[Nassau, The Bahamas|Nassau]], thousands of people come to watch a parade through the streets, which begins at mid-morning. Bands in colourful uniforms, traditional African [[Junkanoo]] performers, and members of various labour unions and political parties are all part of the procession, which ends up at the Southern Recreation Grounds, where government officials make speeches for the occasion.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Oswald |title=History of Randol Fawkes Labour Day |url=https://bahamaschronicle.com/history-of-randol-fawkes-labour-day/ |website=Bahamas Chronicle |access-date=18 January 2025 |date=2 June 2023}}</ref>

===Canada===
{{main|Labour Day (Canada)}}
[[File:1900s Toronto LabourDay Parade.jpg|thumb|A Labour Day parade in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]] in the early 1900s]]
[[Labour Day (Canada)|Labour Day]] ({{langx|fr|Fête du Travail}}) has been marked as a statutory [[Public holidays in Canada|public holiday in Canada]] on the first Monday in September since 1894. Its origins can be traced back to numerous local demonstrations and celebrations in earlier decades.<ref name="CanPedia">{{Cite web |last=Gagnon |first=Marc-André |title=Labour Day in Canada |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/labour-day/ |access-date=7 September 2020 |website=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]] |archive-date=10 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910101347/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/labour-day |url-status=live }}</ref> Such events assumed political significance when a labour demonstration in [[Toronto]] in April 1872, in support of striking printers, led directly to the enactment of the Trade Union Act, a law that confirmed the legality of unions.<ref>{{cite web |title=1872: The fight for a shorter work-week |url=https://canadianlabour.ca/who-we-are/history/1872-the-fight-for-a-shorter-work-week/ |website=Canadian Labour Congress |access-date=18 January 2025}}</ref> On 22 July 1882, a labour celebration in Toronto attracted the attention of American labour leader [[Peter J. McGuire]], who organised a similar parade in [[New York City]] on 5 September that year. Labour parades were held in several Canadian cities that day as well.

Unions associated with the [[Knights of Labor]] and the [[American Federation of Labor]] in both Canada and the United States subsequently promoted parades and festivals on the first Monday in September. In Canada, local celebrations took place in [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]], [[Oshawa]], [[Montreal]], [[St. Catharines]], [[Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax]], [[Ottawa]], [[Vancouver]] and [[London, Ontario|London]] during these years. Montreal declared a civic holiday in 1889. In [[Nova Scotia]], coal miners had been holding picnics and parades since 1880 to celebrate the anniversary of their union, the Provincial Workmen's Association, first organised in 1879.

In addition, in 1889, the [[Royal commission|Royal Commission]] on the Relations of Labour and Capital in Canada, chaired by [[James Sherrard Armstrong]] (1886–88) and Augustus Toplady Freed (1888–89), recommended recognition of an official "labour day" by the [[Government of Canada|federal government]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Report of the Royal Commission on the Relations of Labor and Capital in Canada |date=1889 |publisher=Privy Council Office |location=Ottawa |page=12 |url=https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/472984/publication.html |access-date=18 January 2025}}</ref> In March and April 1894, unions lobbied Parliament to recognise Labour Day as a public holiday.<ref name="CanPedia"/> Legislation was introduced in May by prime minister [[John Sparrow David Thompson|Sir John Thompson]] and received [[royal assent]] in July 1894.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Heron |first1=Craig |title=The Workers' Festival: A History of Labour Day in Canada |last2=Penfold |first2=Steve |publisher=University of Toronto Press |year=2005 |isbn=0-8020-4886-2 |location=Toronto |pages=31–38}}</ref>

===China===
1 May is a [[Public holidays in China|statutory holiday in the People's Republic of China]]. It was a three-day holiday until 2008, but was only one day after 2008.<ref>{{cite news |title=China scraps one of three Golden Week holidays |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/life-china-holidays-dc-idUKPEK14649920071216 |access-date=13 April 2022 |work=[[Reuters]] |date=16 December 2007 |archive-date=13 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413053106/https://www.reuters.com/article/life-china-holidays-dc-idUKPEK14649920071216 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the actual time off is often longer than the time off in the regulations, and the extra time off is usually supplemented by another two weekends, but since the extra time is not under an official holiday, the extra days must be "made up" by working on the preceding or following weekend.<ref>{{cite news |title=调与休：黄金周长假的变迁 |trans-title=Reconcile and rest: the change of Golden Week vacation |url=http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/1127/c70731-23676181.html |date=27 November 2013 |access-date=13 April 2022 |language=Chinese |work=[[People's Daily]] |agency=[[Xinhua News Agency]] |archive-date=13 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413052529/http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/1127/c70731-23676181.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=28 November 2019 |title="五一"假期延长至5天 解读黄金周背后的假如 |trans-title="May Day" holiday extended to 5 days: Explaining the assumptions behind the Golden Week |url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2019-11/28/c_1125283926.htm |language=Chinese |work=[[Xinhua News Agency|Xinhuanet]] |publisher=Chengdu Business News |access-date=8 September 2022 |archive-date=13 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413052532/http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2019-11/28/c_1125283926.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> For example, in 2013, 1 May fell on Wednesday. Most workplaces, including all government offices, took 29 April (Monday) to 1 May (Wednesday) as days off. As the first two days were not statutory holidays, they had to be "made up" by working the preceding weekend (27 and 28 April).

===Hong Kong S.A.R.===
Labour Day, observed 1 May, has been considered a [[Public holidays in Hong Kong|public holiday in Hong Kong]] since 1999.<ref>{{cite news |date=1 July 2012 |title=新闻背景：香港回归15年大事记 |trans-title=News Background: Events in the 15 years since Hong Kong's return to China |url=https://www.chinanews.com/ga/2012/07-01/3998742.shtml |language=Chinese |publisher=[[China News Service]] |access-date=1 May 2024 |archive-date=2 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702000613/http://www.chinanews.com/ga/2012/07-01/3998742.shtml |url-status=live}}</ref>

===India===
[[File:Chennai LabourStatue Closeup.jpg|thumb|Triumph of Labour statue at [[Marina Beach]] in [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]]]]
The first Labour Day was celebrated in India on 1 May 1923, in [[Chennai]] (then known as Madras), organised by the [[Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 May 2024 |title=What is the significance of Labour Day or May Day? {{!}} Explained |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/labour-day-may-day-explainer-significance-history-celebration/article68127947.ece/ |access-date=16 October 2024 |website=thehindu.com |publisher=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>

===Jamaica===
Labour Day in Jamaica has a rich history tied to the struggles of the working class and the country's shift away from colonial traditions. Originally, 24 May was observed as Empire Day, celebrating Queen Victoria's birthday. In British history, she was credited with granting enslaved people in the colonies their freedom. Empire Day was widely observed across the Commonwealth, including Jamaica, but as the country moved toward independence, there was growing sentiment to replace it with something more reflective of Jamaica's own labour struggles.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jis.gov.jm/special_sections/labourDay2008/history.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910163817/http://www.jis.gov.jm/special_sections/labourDay2008/history.htm | archive-date=10 September 2009 | title=Labour Day 2008 }}</ref>

Premier Norman Manley led this change in 1960 by introducing a bill to abolish Empire Day and replace it with Labour Day to commemorate the 1938 labour strikes. These strikes were a turning point in Jamaican history, as grossly underpaid workers across the island organized in protest. By 23 May 1938, public sector and transport workers in Kingston had joined the movement, halting activity in the capital. The unrest led to 46 deaths, 429 injuries, and numerous arrests, marking a major push for labour rights in the country. Manley's proposal to commemorate these events gained unanimous support in Parliament, officially establishing Labour Day on 23 May.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jis.gov.jm/special_sections/labourDay2008/history.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910163817/http://www.jis.gov.jm/special_sections/labourDay2008/history.htm | archive-date=10 September 2009 | title=Labour Day 2008 }}</ref>

In the 1960s, Labour Day celebrations were heavily tied to politics, with the two major trade unions—the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (JLP) and the National Workers Union (PNP)—leading marches and rallies in Kingston. However, these events often turned violent. In 1962, a politically motivated clash during a Labour Day march resulted in the death of a woman and injuries to several police officers, who resorted to using tear gas to control the crowd. Additional conflicts in 1966 led authorities to ban Labour Day marches in Kingston, marking a shift in how the holiday was observed.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jis.gov.jm/special_sections/labourDay2008/history.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910163817/http://www.jis.gov.jm/special_sections/labourDay2008/history.htm | archive-date=10 September 2009 | title=Labour Day 2008 }}</ref>

It was Prime Minister Michael Manley who redefined Labour Day in 1972 with the theme “Put Work into Labour Day.” Rather than focusing on rallies and marches, Manley encouraged Jamaicans to actively participate in community projects. His vision emphasized the role of labour in nation-building, inspiring voluntary efforts across the island. The first national project focused on beautifying the Palisadoes Road, with Manley himself participating in tree planting. The response was overwhelming, with 600 projects completed that year, cementing Labour Day as a day of national pride and community service.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jis.gov.jm/special_sections/labourDay2008/history.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910163817/http://www.jis.gov.jm/special_sections/labourDay2008/history.htm | archive-date=10 September 2009 | title=Labour Day 2008 }}</ref>

However, this momentum slowed under Prime Minister Edward Seaga in 1980, when large-scale Labour Day activities were halted, leading to an eight-year absence of organized projects. It was not until 1989, when Michael Manley returned to office, that Labour Day was fully revived. The Jamaican government began introducing themes to guide national activities, ensuring that community development remained central to the celebrations. Since then, Labour Day has continued as a tradition that blends historical remembrance with civic responsibility.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jis.gov.jm/special_sections/labourDay2008/history.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910163817/http://www.jis.gov.jm/special_sections/labourDay2008/history.htm | archive-date=10 September 2009 | title=Labour Day 2008 }}</ref>

===Japan===
A [[Public holidays in Japan|public holiday in Japan]], Labour Day is officially conflated with [[Thanksgiving]] on 23 November, as [[Labor Thanksgiving Day]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.axiommagazine.jp/2011/11/22/labor-thanksgiving-day-%E5%8B%A4%E5%8A%B4%E6%84%9F%E8%AC%9D%E3%81%AE%E6%97%A5/ |title=Labor Thanksgiving Day – 勤労感謝の日 |last=Miller |first=Adam |date=22 November 2011 |work=Axiom Magazine |access-date=22 November 2011 |archive-date=29 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529122025/http://www.axiommagazine.jp/2011/11/22/labor-thanksgiving-day-%E5%8B%A4%E5%8A%B4%E6%84%9F%E8%AC%9D%E3%81%AE%E6%97%A5/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Kazakhstan ===
Labour Day, a [[Public holidays in Kazakhstan|public holiday in Kazakhstan]], is celebrated on the last Sunday in September. The holiday was officially established in late 2013. In 1995, the government of [[Kazakhstan]] replaced [[International Workers' Day]] with [[Kazakhstan People's Unity Day]]. Kazakh president [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]] also instituted a special medal that is awarded to veterans of labour on the occasion of the holiday. Labour Day it is widely celebrated across the country with official speeches, award ceremonies, cultural events, etc. It is a non-working holiday for most citizens of Kazakhstan because it always falls on a weekend.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://anydayguide.com/calendar/218 |title=Labor Day in Kazakhstan / September 24, 2017 |work=AnydayGuide |access-date=24 September 2017 |archive-date=25 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925083259/https://anydayguide.com/calendar/218 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Kenya ===
A [[Public holidays in Kenya|public holiday in Kenya]], Labour Day is commemorated monthly. This celebration is usually marked with song and dance as [[Kenya]]ns gather at designated locations to celebrate and listen to speeches from the leadership of the country. [[Francis Atwoli]], Secretary General of the [[Central Organization of Trade Unions (Kenya)|Central Organization of Trade Unions]] (COTU) has been vocal in spearheading the celebrations in the country while advocating for favourable working conditions for the Kenyan people.

===Macau S.A.R.===
In [[Macau]], 1 May is [[Public holidays in Macau|a public holiday]] and is officially known as {{lang|pt|Dia do Trabalhador}} ([[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] for 'Workers' Day').<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 |url=https://www.gov.mo/pt/public-holidays/year-2023/ |access-date=1 May 2023 |website=Portal do Governo da RAE de Macau |language=pt-PT |archive-date=1 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501123231/https://www.gov.mo/pt/public-holidays/year-2023/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Malaysia===
On 1 May, people in [[Malaysia]] take the time to remember the economic and social accomplishments of the labour movement.

Also known as May Day, [[Public holidays in Malaysia|this public holiday]] is sometimes celebrated with groups organising parades, rallies or both, to promote and protect workers' rights.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hector |first=Charles |date=December 2017 |title=The Labor Movement in Malaysia |url=https://www.hurights.or.jp/archives/focus/section3/2017/12/the-labor-movement-in-malaysia.html |access-date=16 October 2024 |website=hurights.or.jp |publisher=Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center}}</ref>

===New Zealand===
Labour Day ({{Langx|mi|Te Rā Whakanui i ngā Kaimahi}}) is a [[Public holidays in New Zealand|public holiday in New Zealand]] and is held on the fourth Monday in October.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |title=First Labour Day celebrations |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/first-labour-day-celebrations |website=NZHistory |access-date=6 September 2021 |archive-date=6 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906154732/https://nzhistory.govt.nz/first-labour-day-celebrations |url-status=live }}</ref> Its origins are traced back to the eight-hour working day movement that arose in the newly founded [[Wellington]] colony in 1840, primarily because of carpenter [[Samuel Duncan Parnell]]'s refusal to work more than eight hours a day. That year, Parnell reportedly told a prospective employer: "There are twenty-four hours per day given us; eight of these should be for work, eight for sleep, and the remaining eight for recreation".<ref name=":0" />

The first Labour Day in New Zealand was celebrated on 28 October 1890, which marked the first anniversary of the Maritime Council, an organisation of transport and mining unions.<ref name="Labour Day NZ">{{cite web |title=Labour Day |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/labour-day |website=[[Ministry for Culture and Heritage#History and heritage|NZ History online]] |access-date=6 September 2021 |archive-date=17 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917002822/https://www.nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/labour-day |url-status=live }}</ref> Several thousand trade union members and supporters attended parades in the main city centres. Government employees were given the day off to attend, and many businesses closed for at least part of the day.<ref name=":1" /> Initially, the day was variously called Labour Day or Labour Demonstration Day.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Labour Day celebrates 8-hour working day – New Zealand Parliament |url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involved/features/labour-day-celebrates-8-hour-working-day/ |access-date=21 October 2021 |website=www.parliament.nz |archive-date=21 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021115840/https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involved/features/labour-day-celebrates-8-hour-working-day/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1899, the government legislated that the day be a public holiday through the Labour Day Act of 1899. The day was set as the second Wednesday in October and first celebrated the following year, in 1900. In 1910, the holiday was moved to the fourth Monday in October.<ref name="Labour Day NZ" />

=== Pakistan ===
Labour Day, or ''Youm-e-Mazdoor'', is observed in [[Pakistan]] on 1 May as a public holiday to recognize the contributions and rights of workers. Officially declared a holiday in 1972 under [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]] [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]], it was part of the country's first labor policy, which also introduced welfare initiatives for workers. The day is marked by rallies, seminars, and demonstrations organized by trade unions to highlight labor issues such as fair wages and safe working conditions. Government offices, banks, and many businesses remain closed in observance.

===Poland===
Labour Day is a [[Public holidays in Poland|public holiday]] in Poland, celebrated on 1 May. Together with [[Polish National Flag Day]] on 2 May and [[3 May Constitution Day|Constitution Day]] on 3 May – the latter also being a public holiday, coinciding with the [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] holiday of [[The Most Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland]] – it typically forms a long May weekend, referred to as ''majówka'', widely regarded as the informal start of the spring outdoor leisure season, marked with picnics, barbecues, local events and travel.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Labour Day |url=https://its-poland.com/travel-tips/polish-bank-holidays |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=its-poland}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Poland's day of the flag |url=https://poland.pl/experience-poland/traditions-and-holidays/day-flag-republic-poland/ |url-status= |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date= |website=poland.pl}}</ref>

===Philippines===
[[File:Labor Day May 1 2019 Protest Manila 3.jpg|thumb|A Labor Day protest in [[Manila]] in 2019]] 
In the [[Philippines]], Labor Day is a [[Public holidays in the Philippines|public holiday]] commemorated nationwide on 1 May. Initially observed in 1903 through a protest by the [[Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina]] in [[Manila]] during the [[History of the Philippines (1898–1946)|American colonial era]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/edsa/the-ph-protest-appendix/ |title=APPENDIX: A History of the Philippine Political Protest |publisher=[[Official Gazette (Philippines)|Official Gazette]] |access-date=1 May 2024}}</ref> it was officially recognised as a holiday in 1908, with the first official commemoration taking place in 1913.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1112299/did-you-know-ph-first-observed-labor-day-in-1903 |title=DID YOU KNOW: PH first observed Labor Day in 1903 |publisher=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]] |date=1 May 2019 |access-date=1 May 2024 |first=Marielle |last=Medina}}</ref>

===Switzerland===
In Switzerland, Labour Day on 1 May is not [[Public holidays in Switzerland|a federal holiday]] across the entire country, but several of the [[Cantons of Switzerland|Swiss cantons]] have made it one of their cantonal holidays.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kantonalrechtliche Feiertage |language=de,fr,it |url=https://www.bj.admin.ch/dam/bj/de/data/publiservice/service/zivilprozessrecht/kant-feiertage.pdf}}</ref> In the [[Canton of Fribourg]], it is traditional for children to go singing at people's doors in exchange for sweets and money.<ref>{{cite web |title=Historique du 1er mai |language=fr |url=https://res.friportail.ch/chantonsmai/fr/historique-du-1er-mai}}</ref>

===Taiwan===
Labour Day, observed 1 May, in [[Taiwan]], is an [[Public holidays in Taiwan|official holiday]], though not everybody gets a day off. [[Civil service|Public servants]], teachers and students do not have this day off.<ref>{{cite web |title=台灣國定假日與節日 – 2019年年曆 |url=https://holidays-calendar.net/calendar_zh_tw/taiwan_zh_tw.html |website=holidays-calendar.net |language=zh |access-date=6 September 2022 |archive-date=1 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200501163806/https://holidays-calendar.net/calendar_zh_tw/taiwan_zh_tw.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Tajikistan===
Labour Day was celebrated on 1 May in the [[Soviet Union]], and the tradition lives on in [[Tajikistan]] as [[International Workers' Day|International Labour Day]] Although Labour Day is [[Public holidays in Tajikistan|a working day]], folk festivals, performances and fairs organised throughout the country create a holiday atmosphere.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.advantour.com/tajikistan/holidays.htm#:~:text=Festive%20performances%20and%20concerts%20are,9%20is%20a%20sacred%20date |title=Public Holidays in Tajikistan in 2024–2025 |date=31 December 2020 }}</ref>

===Trinidad and Tobago===
In [[Trinidad and Tobago]], Labour Day is celebrated every 19 June. This [[Public holidays in Trinidad and Tobago|public holiday]] was proposed in 1973<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://library2.nalis.gov.tt/Default.aspx?tabid=268 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807210105/http://library2.nalis.gov.tt/Default.aspx?tabid=268 |title=Trinidad and Tobago Labour Day |archive-date=7 August 2008}}</ref> to be commemorated on the anniversary of the labour riots led by [[Tubal Uriah Butler]] in 1937, part of the [[British West Indian labour unrest of 1934–1939]].

=== Turkey ===
In [[Turkey]], "Labour and Solidarity Day" ({{Langx|tr|Emek ve Dayanışma Günü}}) became an [[Public holidays in Turkey|official holiday]] in 2009. Prior to that, the day had been observed by workers and unions but had been banned for many years after the [[1980 Turkish coup d'état|1980 military coup]]. The turning point came in 2009, when the [[Government of Turkey|Turkish government]], led by Prime Minister [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]], officially recognized 1 May as a public holiday again.<ref>{{cite news |title=May 1 Labor and Solidarity Day marked throughout Turkey with rallies, meetings |url=https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/2019/05/01/may-1-labor-and-solidarity-day-marked-throughout-turkey-with-rallies-meetings |access-date=30 April 2025 |work=Daily Sabah |date=1 May 2019}}</ref> Demonstrations at [[Taksim Square]] carries historical significance due to the [[Taksim Square massacre|Taksim Square Massacre]] on 1 May 1977.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 April 2024 |title=1 Mayıs'ın Taksim'de kutlanması tartışmaları sürüyor: Meydan neden önemli? |url=https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cgrjmz35j7mo |access-date=30 April 2024 |website=[[BBC World Service|BBC News Türkçe]] |language=tr}}</ref>

===United States===
[[File:First United States Labor Day Parade, September 5, 1882 in New York City.jpg|thumb|First US Labor Day Parade, 5 September 1882 in [[New York City]]]]
{{Main|Labor Day}}
In the United States, [[Labor Day]] is a [[Federal holidays in the United States|federal holiday]] and [[Public holidays in the United States|public holiday]] observed on the first Monday of September. It is customarily viewed as the end of the summer vacation season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Yelena. |url=http://www.celebrations.com/article/Labor-Day-End-of-Summer-White-Party |title=Labor Day End of Summer White Party |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091018022008/http://www.celebrations.com/article/Labor-Day-End-of-Summer-White-Party |archive-date=18 October 2009 |website=Celebrations.com |access-date=5 October 2009}}</ref> Many schools open for the year on the day after Labor Day.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Helderman |first1=Rosalind S. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/05/AR2009090502666.html |title=Issues That Matter to You: School Start After Labor Day |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906183328/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/05/AR2009090502666.html |archive-date=6 September 2017 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=6 September 2009}}</ref> [https://archives.nupge.ca/content/celebrating-labour-day-holiday-canada-gave-world The origins of Labor Day] can be traced back to 1872.

==See also==
* [[Workers' Memorial Day]]
* [[National Day of Mourning (Canadian observance)]]
* [[May Day]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/61SLQ_INST/dls06p/alma99183587719602061 ToadShow Labour Day photographs], [[State Library of Queensland]]. Collection of photographs showing Labour Day events in Brisbane, Ipswich, Gold Coast and Barcaldine between 1998 and 2012.

{{Australia Holidays}}
{{Public holidays in Cambodia}}
{{Hong Kong Holidays}}
{{Public holidays in Indonesia}}
{{Public holidays in Malaysia}}
{{Mexico Holidays}}
{{Public holidays in Myanmar}}
{{Public holidays in New Zealand}}
{{Public holidays in Pakistan}}
{{Public holidays in the Philippines}}
{{Public holidays in Singapore}}
{{Public holidays in Spain}}
{{Public holidays in Tajikistan}}
{{Public holidays in Thailand}}
{{Public holidays in Turkey}}
{{Holidays in Maldives}}

[[Category:Types of secular holidays]]
[[Category:March observances]]
[[Category:April observances]]
[[Category:May observances]]
[[Category:June observances]]
[[Category:September observances]]
[[Category:October observances]]
[[Category:Monday observances]]
[[Category:Holidays and observances by scheduling (nth weekday of the month)]]
[[Category:Labour days| ]]
[[Category:Public holidays in Algeria]]
[[Category:Public holidays in Cambodia]]
[[Category:Public holidays in Turkey]]
[[Category:Public holidays in Zambia]]