May Day 2017: Why is it called the International Workers' Day

New Delhi: May 1, also known as the May Day marks the traditional spring festival in some countries which is counted as a public holiday where people indulge in many day-long activities such as dancing, cake-making etc. In the 19th century or so May Day was selected as the date marking the International Workers' Day by the Socialists and Communists of the Second International to commemorate the Haymarket affair in Chicago.

The International Workers' Day or Labours Day is marked on the same day as May Day but differs from the traditional May Day celebrations in some parts of the world.

The Labours Day happens to be a celebration of labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement, socialists, communists or anarchists and occurs every year on May 1.

The 1904 International Socialist Conference in Amsterdam, the 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 8-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace."

On May 1, 1886, the labour unions in the United States of America went on a strike demanding that the workers should not be allowed to work more than 8 hours a day. This strike was followed by a bomb blast in Chicago's Haymarket Square on May 4. Several people and police officers were killed in the bombing and more than 100 people were injured.

After this, the 8-hour shift demand was established as a set pattern for the working class.

Around the world:

May Day is one of the most important holidays in communist countries such as the People's Republic of China, North Korea, Cuba and the former Soviet Union.

The celebrations in these countries include workforce parades, displays of military hardware and soldiers.